Northeast Kingdom Human Services new hand at the helm

 

by Brian Carroll

NEWPORT — After the abrupt departure of its executive director, Tomaz Jankowski in December of 2020, Northeast Kingdom Human Services (NKHS) was without a permanent leader for most of 2021.  Over the past summer, its board recruited and hired Kelsey Stavseth who has been in the position since early September.

Mr. Stavseth grew up in the Peacham area though he was born in Kodiak, Alaska.  His parents, former teachers, lived in Alaska for several years and moved back to Vermont when he was two years old.

NKHS has had some well documented challenges in the past years ranging from internal dissatisfaction among employees and clients to the agency being placed on a Corrective Action Plan by the Vermont Department of  Mental Health.