Contributed by Jeff Palmer
KALAMAZOO (MI)-Sandra “Sam” Lealofi Named Lakeside for Children CEO The Lakeside for Children board of directors has selected Sandra “Sam” Lealofi to be the next CEO of the 111-year-old residential treatment facility and school for vulnerable boys and girls in Kalamazoo. Lealofi will take over from Don Nitz who is retiring from the CEO post after 12 years.
“We picked a winner,” said Joe Brogger, longtime Lakeside board member who led the search process for the new CEO. “Sam is a natural leader with a deep commitment to helping vulnerable kids succeed. Her experience in teaching, working with diverse populations, and building partnerships, will combine well with her background in organizational, board, and fund development. “She’s just the right person to lead Lakeside forward.”
Since 2011, Lealofi has served as executive director of Eastside Youth Strong, a nonprofit organization serving marginalized youth in the Eastside and Eastwood neighborhoods of Kalamazoo. Prior to that, she served as executive director of Eastside Neighborhood Association, as child and family advocate program manager for a community initiative serving the Eastside neighborhood, as both director of vocational education for the Work First Program and supervisor of Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative with Goodwill Industries of Southwest Michigan, and as a program officer with Kalamazoo Community Foundation. She also spent 12 years in the U.S. Air Force as an academic instructor and law enforcement specialist.
“I’m honored to help carry forward the legacy and mission of Lakeside,” said Lealofi. “There is such enthusiasm and energy on campus. I want to spread the word about this vital community asset and invite the community here to see it for themselves. Lakeside is changing lives. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?”
Lealofi has served on the boards of both Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes and Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity. In 2016, she received a Woman of Achievement award from the YWCA of Kalamazoo for outstanding leadership and community involvement. In 2017, she was named an Outstanding Alumnae by the WMU College of Health and Human Services for significant contributions to the youth and families of Southwest Michigan. She earned a B.S. degree in occupational therapy from Western Michigan University (WMU) and has completed master’s degree coursework in development administration, also at WMU. Lealofi will work alongside Don Nitz until his April 1 retirement.
ABOUT LAKESIDE FOR CHILDREN
Lakeside for Children Established in 1907 as a farmhouse orphanage for boys in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Lakeside for Children is now a residential treatment facility for vulnerable boys and girls, ages 12 through 17 who live and attend school year-round on Lakeside’s 48-acre campus bordering Whites Lake.
Lakeside’s mission is to “prepare children to lead responsible and fulfilling lives by providing mentoring, education, living skills, and support within a safe, structured, dynamic environment.” Lakeside for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a 15-member board of directors drawn from the greater Kalamazoo community.
Our Lakeside Academy charter school is authorized by Kalamazoo Regional Educational Services Agency and governed by an independent school board. An independent Lakeside for Children Foundation (with a separate board of directors) accepts all financial gifts and grants to the organization and acts as a fiduciary partner to the Lakeside for Children parent board. Accredited by the Joint Commission as a behavioral health institution, Lakeside is licensed by the State of Michigan for 124 beds. Fifteen beds are reserved for girls. About half of our students are from Michigan, with several from the Greater Kalamazoo area and Southwest Michigan. The rest come from about a dozen other states, including California, Tennessee, and Washington. With the help of approximately 145 counselors, teachers, and other child care experts, they learn to identify and manage their own recovery.
Since 2007, the Lakeside for Children board has contracted with Sequel Youth and Family Services to operate our campus programs. Sequel is a privately-owned company that operates programs across the country for children and adults with behavioral, emotional, or physical challenges. Its mission on the Lakeside campus is to prepare children to lead responsible and fulfilling lives by providing mentoring, education, living skills, and support within a safe, structured, dynamic environment. Lakeside Academy, Sequel’s staff-secure residential program on our campus, operates a peer-driven model that teaches students respect, responsibility, trust, and giving. The goal is to empower children to make better life choices by providing them with skills necessary to build healthy relationships and become productive members of society. February 19, 2018
