Worcester Business Journal

20 Worcester Business Journal | May 1, 2023 | wbjournal.com KATHLEEN JORDAN CEO, INCOMING PRESIDENT SEVEN HILLS FOUNDATION AND AFFILIATES, IN WORCESTER Residence: Worcester College: West Virginia University, Boston College, Central Michigan University Jordan has been a leader at Seven Hills, the largest human services nonprofit in Central Massachusetts, since 2003, first running advancement and then ascending to executive vice president and CEO. In July, when her husband David Jordan retires as president, she will be in the top spot at an organization with an annual revenue she helped grow to more than $300 million. The affiliates part of Seven Hills Foundation and Affiliates means that Jordan's reach in the community is extensive, and growing still with additional mergers with other nonprofits adding to its already impressive size. In the last 12 months, Seven Hills has acquired Archway, a residential provider for adults with autism in Worcester County, and Crotched Mountain School, a 125-acre residential school campus in New Hampshire, also providing services in the autism area. As a leader of a large organization, Jordan prioritizes seeing the on- the-ground operations of Seven Hills. Though she runs the nonprofit like a business, she puts relationships with employees at the top of her list of priorities and visits Seven Hills programs on a weekly basis to ensure she is reachable, approachable, and sees what staff are handling day-to-day. n How should professionals best use the power they wield? "Embrace diversity of all kinds. Listen and act. Don't be defensive. Empathy and emotional intelligence go a long way." n Family tree: Jordan is obsessed with researching her family's genealogy, has connected with relatives she never knew before, and is close to tracking down her biological grandfather. TUYET TRAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN COALITION OF CENTRAL MA, IN WORCESTER Residence: Worcester College: Emmanuel College in Boston, Boston College The Southeast Asian Coalition of Central MA is the only organization of its kind in the region, and it was built from the ground up by and for Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees in Worcester. One of those was Tran, then a young social worker in the city who saw an unmet need. Tuyet stepped away from the organization for 15 years after she co-founded it in 2001, but she is now back and at the helm to take it into the future. Tran wants SEACMA's members to not just come to the organization for services, but to use it as a jumping off point to contribute to the economy and to businesses in Central Massachusetts. The organization moved into a new space on Tran's first day as executive director, a step that signals its next phase. Tran's SEACMA will be not only a resource, but a true cultural center for Southeast Asians. While elevating cultural experiences for the Southeast Asian population, SEACMA has a history of extending its reach to welcome and support other immigrant and refugee communities, something Tran will prioritize in her tenure. n How should professionals best use the power they wield? "The more business professionals share resources and connect to help community organizations, the better it is for everyone. Our community has many people struggling with finding affordable housing, food, and accessing health/mental health services. When businesses and large healthcare systems partner with grassroots community centers and others, the impact is so much greater." n Green thumb: Tran's family and friends call her a plant whisperer for her knack to revive plants that have seen better days. ANGELA BOVILL PRESIDENT & CEO ASCENTRIA CARE ALLIANCE, IN WORCESTER Residence: Falmouth, Maine College: University of Southern Maine, Boston University Bovill holds the top job at one of the largest human services organizations in Central Massachusetts. Ascentria Care Alliance has assets of $119 million and continues to grow. In 2022, the organization added a new wing to its Lutheran Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center in Worcester, which it will unveil this year. Internally, the organization is making a concerted push to elevate its workers ability to make changes for its clients. Raising more than $1 million in this pursuit so far, Ascentria has hired a new senior vice president to lead the efforts to develop wrap-around preventative solutions for the health and human services workforce. Aiming to create stability in a workforce environment that has been precarious in recent years, Bovill and her team are pushing to improve outcomes for workers and clients. Ascentria's reach is larger than most – though based in Worcester, its services do not target just one geography or one group. Ascentria serves children, families, people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, refugees, unaccompanied minors, and older adults. Bovill's team is at its best when it can scale ideas that work with one population to provide resources more broadly, a goal taking priority in work throughout New England and beyond. n How should professionals best use the power they wield? "We have an obligation to make sure the communities we operate in are fundamentally better off as a result of the decisions we make." n Turkey time: Bovill hosted 44 family members for her Thanksgiving this year, a feast complete with three turkeys. P O W E R 5 0 N O N P R O F I T S PHOTO | MATT WRIGHT

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