Meet Our Executive Team and Leadership Council
Bob Arnold
CEO
Bob Arnold has been the CEO of Family Centers for over 35 years. Since assuming the agency’s top role in 1982, Bob has led Family Centers through a time of significant growth to better meet the community’s needs. By leading seven successful mergers, Bob has helped shape Family Centers into a multi-faceted organization that assists over 23,000 children and adults each year. Bob is a past chairman of the Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies, a past president of the Greenwich Kiwanis Club and has served on a variety of advisory boards and task forces. He holds a Masters degree from Columbia University and is a licensed social worker and marriage and family therapist.
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Jim Vivier
Chief Operating Officer
Jim Vivier started with Family Centers in 1999 as the agency’s first Marketing Director. After serving as Vice President of Development and Communications for 12 years, Jim assumed his the role of Chief Advancement Officer in November 2016. By assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2021, Jim works closely with the Human Resources, Information Technology and Administrative Services departments to improve employee and agency advancement. Jim has been a member of the Greenwich Rotary Club since 2001, and was Club President from 2011-12. He is also a Board member of his church, Sacred Heart Parish in Greenwich. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Arizona State University and an MBA from Sacred Heart University.
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Dennis Torres
Chief Health Officer
Dennis Torres leads Family Centers’ medical, dental and mental health programs and services. Under his oversight, he has helped to create access to critical primary health, dental and health education services for thousands of Fairfield County residents. In 2016, Dennis led the opening of Family Centers Health Care – a Federally Qualified Health Center offering medical, dental and mental health services to public housing residents in Greenwich. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Fredonia College, a J.D. from Pace University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University.
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Bill Brucker
Chief Advancement Officer
Bill Brucker drives Family Centers’ development, marketing, communications and strategic planning efforts. In addition to growing the agency’s overall brand awareness through effective public relations, marketing, social media and e-media tactics, Bill was also instrumental in the development of Family Centers’ strategic plan. He also facilitated a comprehensive review of the agency’s overall economic value along with the Harvard Business School – Community Partners. Bill holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Quinnipiac University and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, also from Quinnipiac.
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Leslie P. Sexer, LCSW
Chief Program Officer
Leslie P. Sexer oversees Family Centers' programs focused on early education and a two-generational approach to supporting families living in lower Fairfield County. She also develops programs aimed at persevering at-risk families and preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition to her program work, Leslie works to foster community partnerships and facilitate initiatives with collective social impact results. In 2016, Sexer launched two collaborative projects focused on closing the achievement gap for low income families in Stamford and Greenwich. Leslie started at Family Centers in 2006 as the agency’s Director of Clinical Outreach Services and WorkLife Solutions. Leslie holds a Master's Degree from Hunter College School of Social Work.
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Bob Short
Senior Vice President
Bob Short joined Family Centers in 1976 as a clinician working in several outreach programs and providing general clinical services. He moved up the ranks to eventually become a Senior Vice President overseeing licensing and accreditation, and managing Family Centers’ various facilities. Additionally, Bob collaborates with the Greenwich Commission on Aging, a partner in the Senior Health Insurance Counseling Program. Bob also serves as the agency's HIPAA and safety Officer.
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Stephanie Haen
Vice President of Behavioral Health
Stephanie Haen, LCSW, is the Vice President of Behavioral Health at Family Centers, overseeing the Mental Health Counseling Program, Center for HOPE, Den for Grieving Kids, Trauma Response Team, WorkLife Solutions program, and the Wellness & Prevention services provided across all sites. She provides psychotherapy to clients and supervision for agency clinicians; implements policies and procedures in keeping with the agency’s’ philosophy; maintains regulatory standards; serving as a liaison to community providers; engages in community awareness to increase service output and revenue; facilitates crisis intervention and support for clients; collecting and maintaining data and statistics on the clinical program; and works in conjunction with other program leadership and staff to deliver optimal client services. Haen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who obtained her Master’s degree from Columbia University and her undergraduate from Providence College.
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Yenny Toone
Vice President of Early Care and Education
Yenny Toone, MSW brings 15 years of combined social work, program coordination and education experience to Family Centers’ Early Care and Education program. In her role, Yenny oversees all operational and education aspects of the Early Care and Education and Greenwich Head Start programs. She also provides oversight to Family Centers' Parents as Teachers and Greenwich Parents as Teachers programs. Yenny has been trained by The Ackerman Institute for the Family, the Parents as Teachers Supervisors Curricula, and various Head Start Leadership Institutes. Her proven expertise in the field of Early Childhood has been displayed in discussion panels for the Office of Head Start webinar trainings as well as in her key role of implementing innovative program models such as Family Childcare and a Parent as Teachers Baby School model.
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Marion Beale
Vice President
Marion has over 40 years of experience in accounting and financial planning. After decades in Fortune 500 settings, she segued to the non-profit world where she could make a difference at the local level. Since joining Family Centers in 2009, she has lent her significant expertise to support government and foundation grants and various service agreements that provide 75% of our annual funding. She develops the agency operating budget and participates in general accounting, payroll and benefit processing. Her goal is to have a positive impact on the financial health of every program at the agency. Marion graduated from Mount Holyoke College and holds an M.S. in Information Science from Columbia University and an M.B.A. from New York University. She was formerly a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York.
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Joanne Derwallis
Director of Human Resources
Joanne Derwallis is an accomplished HR professional with over 20 years of experience in the Financial Services, Non-Profit and Technology sectors. Joanne is responsible for leading the effort and executing on Human Resource objectives, strategies, policies, and programs aligned with Family Center’s strategic directions. Joanne holds a Bachelors in Sociology from Clark University and is certified through the Human Resource Certification Institute as a Senior Human Resource Professional (SPHR).
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Melissa Schreff
Director of Quality Assurance & Data Management
Melissa Schreff joined Family Centers in 1998, and held a variety of positions in the agency’s Early Care and Education program and within the Administrative team. As Director of Quality Assurance and Data Management, Melissa works with all Family Centers staff to develop, implement and maintain systems that ensure high quality and effective services to clients. She also helps program directors to collect and maintain data and statistics that reflect productivity and outcomes. Melissa holds MBA from the University of Connecticut and a BA from Rice University.
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