It is with both sadness and gratitude that the VOA Alaska Board of Directors shares the news that Sherrie Wilson Hinshaw, our President and CEO, will be leaving VOA in October 2021 to begin the next chapter of her professional career at Providence St. Joseph Health. Through Sherrie’s leadership, VOA has strengthened its position as an organization on the forefront of addressing the mental health needs of youth in Alaska, using innovative practices and approaches.
“We are very thankful to Sherrie for her leadership, forward-thinking, and passionate advocacy for young Alaskans in need. We wish her the best as she heads into her new role and look forward to seeing the impact she will continue to have on health of Alaskans,” shared Don Winchester, Chair of VOA Alaska’s Board of Directors.
Sherrie’s heart for the mission of VOA has seen the agency through tough times, including the challenges faced by many during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rallying the team and community around VOA’s core reason for being – to eliminate suffering for youth in Alaska – Sherrie sparked innovative changes within the agency to meet the needs of the community while also securing the resources to sustain growth. Her drive and dedication have allowed VOA to double the number of clients served with life-saving behavioral health services and wellness supports. VOA has a robust continuum of care that seeks to provide youth with the right level of care at the right time. As she departs, Sherrie leaves VOA with a strong strategic plan and direction, a highly capable leadership team, and a reinvigorated workplace culture that in grounded in the agency’s core values.
In her own words, Sherrie reflects, “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside the VOA team through the transformation and growth of these last few years. The strength of the team and the organization made this difficult decision a little bit easier to make. While there will always be challenges, VOA is poised to continue to achieve goals around strengthening youth mental health in Alaska, strengthening families, and being on the forefront of prevention and wellness!”
Looking to the future of VOA, the board of directors has been working on the transition plan since August and has selected an interim CEO to lead the agency, Julia Luey. As VOA’s current Vice President of Treatment Services, Julia will begin her role as Interim CEO in October 20th, 2021. In her many years of behavioral health experience, Julia has consistently demonstrated VOA’s core values and reinforced a culture of humility, problem-solving, and keeping our clients and purpose front-and-center.
The Board Search Committee in collaboration with VOA National has begun the search for the next VOA Alaska President and CEO and welcomes qualified candidates to apply online.
In closing, we are grateful for the significant and lasting impact Sherrie has had on VOA Alaska during her tenure at CEO. She will be greatly missed by her team, staff, board, supporters, and partners. As we begin the search for the next CEO to lead VOA, we feel blessed to do so from a position of strength and stability.
With gratitude,
VOA Alaska Board of Directors
Communications Contact:
Alyssa Bish, Director of Community Relations
abish@voaak.org
907.419.7821
