PALM CITY — Tykes & Teens, a leading provider of the highest quality, evidence-based mental health services and programs for children and adolescents for 25 years, has announced its 2021-2022 Board of Directors.

Superintendent of Okeechobee County Schools Ken Kenworthy, who previously served as Tykes & Teens Board Secretary, took the helm as the agency’s board president effective July 1, 2021. Kenworthy succeeds F. Shields McManus who served as president for the past two years and is continuing to serve on the board.

In addition, Tykes & Teens welcomed two new board members: Indian River County resident Linda L. Kloss and St. Lucie County resident Teresa Bishop.

“We are honored to have a diverse, supportive and highly-engaged board of directors from throughout the Treasure Coast who provide a broad range of professional expertise to the agency and who are passionate about serving children and families,” said Tykes & Teens CEO Eric Garza, MHA, LCSW.

“I am both humbled and honored to accept the presidency of an organization steeped in the tradition of quality and excellence,” says Tykes & Teens Board President Ken Kenworthy. “The services offered through Tykes & Teens are unparalleled, the commitment of the staff to reach our mission is commendable, and the expansion to all four Treasure Coast counties has provided much-needed treatment and counseling to assist our youth from infants up to adulthood. I am proud to be a part of such a remarkable organization.”

Ken Kenworthy, an Okeechobee County resident, has served as Superintendent of Schools for Okeechobee County School for the past decade. As a graduate of Purdue University, he began his career as an agriculture teacher. With 32 years of service to the district, he has functioned as a school based administrator, director of career and technical education and later led administrative services. During his superintendency, the district’s graduation rate has increased, mental health programs have flourished, and industry certifications and dual enrollment programs have multiplied causing significant improvement under the state’s accountability system. He operates as the largest employer in Okeechobee County with 880 staff members serving 6,200 students with an annual budget of $95 million. Kenworthy has been recognized as the Florida State Agriscience Teacher of the Year, District Teacher of the Year and has completed numerous leadership programs such as the Commissioner’s Leadership Academy, Superintendent’s Chief Executive Officer Leadership Development Program and the National Institute of School Leadership Executive Development Program. He serves as chair of the Okeechobee Children’s Services Council, Trustee for the Florida School Boards Insurance Trust, Florida Association of District School Superintendents Board of Directors and member of the Okeechobee Educational Foundation. His primary goal has been creating conditions for learning that lead to college and career readiness, including high quality instruction provided by talented employees focusing on educational equity. To accomplish that, students’ often need mental health supports. Partnerships with outstanding agencies like Tykes & Teens help make this goal a reality.

Linda L. Kloss, an Indian River County resident, served as CEO of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) from 1994 to 2011, leading a period of unprecedented growth and expanded influence for this well-respected professional society of 60,000 health information management professionals. Following her retirement, she served in thought leadership roles providing consulting to health care nonprofits, technology and service organizations. In 2011, Linda was appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to serve on the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS), chaired its Privacy, Confidentiality and Security Subcommittee, and served on its Standards and Executive Subcommittees. NCVHS advises the Secretary on national health data policy. She is author of Health Information Governance: Lessons from the Field (AHIMA Press). Prior to AHIMA, Linda served in senior leadership roles with companies at the leading edge of health care information technology and quality improvement. She has served as a college trustee, director and board chair for a number of health care nonprofits, and served as president for a condominium and a homeowner’s associations. Linda holds a master’s degree in organizational development with a concentration in nonprofit change leadership, a baccalaureate degree in health information management, and she was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from the College of St. Scholastica Duluth, Minnesota in recognition of her leadership to the profession and to the College. She has been received recognition for leadership by Modern Healthcare, the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Medical Informatics Association and AHIMA.

Teresa Bishop, a St. Lucie County resident, serves as the Executive Director for the Roundtable of St. Lucie County, a 501(c) organization, and works closely with executive level leaders to accomplish system change that results in improved outcomes for youth. She is also the founder and director of Provision Training and Consulting, LLC. She received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Personnel Management from the University of Central Florida. Over the past 25 years, she has worked both nationally and abroad to improve capacity of communities, federal and state agencies, as well community and faith-based organizations, to achieve positive outcomes. She has focused her efforts in the children and family arena and in recent years has championed causes around community development, youth development and juvenile justice issues. Teresa has provided support to a number of federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Labor, and The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. She has and continues to work closely with state, local and grassroots organizations to provide training and technical assistance to improve staff and program development, strategic planning and organizational development to impact community change and system reform.

Tykes & Teens 2021-2022 Board of Directors:
• President – Ken Kenworthy, Okeechobee County, Superintendent of Schools
• Treasurer – Jamie Russell, St. Lucie County, Rehmann
• Secretary – Pat Knipper, Indian River County, VNA
• Governance Chair – Anne McCormick, Martin County, Keller Williams Realty
• Immediate Past President – F. Shields McManus, Martin County, Mediator, Retired Judge

Directors:
• Teresa Bishop, St. Lucie County, Roundtable of St. Lucie County
• Brooke Flood, Indian River County, School District of Indian River County
• John Gonzalez, Martin County, Engel & Volkers
• Dr. Theresa Kelso, Psy.D., Indian River County, Retired Clinical Psychologist
• Linda L. Kloss, Indian River County, Healthcare Nonprofit Consultant
• Hailey Thostenson, Martin County, Bessemer Trust
• Michelle Villwock, Martin County, Martin County School District

Eric Garza, MHA, LCSW, Chief Executive Officer & Ex-Officio Board Member