President and Chief Executive Officer

Child & Family has appointed Susan Jacobsen, MA, LMHC, as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 14, 2025. Jacobsen’s tenure marks an exciting new chapter in Child & Family’s ongoing commitment to strengthening individuals, families, and the communities in which they live.

Jacobsen brings over two decades of leadership experience in behavioral health, nonprofit management, philanthropy, and health equity initiatives across Rhode Island. Most recently, she served as Senior Director of Health Equity Initiatives at Thundermist Health Center, where she led efforts to address disparities in care and advance community-driven solutions. Prior to that, she was Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island, where she championed policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to behavioral health services.

Read the full press release here.

Tatiana Oberkoetter and Phillip Petree led this search with Gigi Mensah and Ryan Smillie.