The Children's Aid Society's CEO, Philip Coltoff, to Step Down in October; Board Announces Transition to New Leadership

June 8, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Ellen Lubell, 212-949-4938 or 917-854-6864
Emily Crossan, 917-286-1548 or 201-344-5742

Executive Director Moses will become CEO; Weisberg to gain new position

NEW YORK, June 2005 – The Board of Trustees of The Children’s Aid Society (CAS) has announced that on October 21, 2005, the date of its annual meeting, Philip Coltoff will step down as CEO.

The Board of Trustees has selected Executive Director C. Warren “Pete” Moses to assume the title of Chief Executive Officer at that time. William Weisberg, Ph.D., currently Associate Division Director of City & Country Branches, CAS’ community center division, will assume the title of Associate Executive Director.

“It is an honor to oversee a leadership transition at The Children’s Aid Society that involves so many talented and highly capable executives,” said Angela Diaz, M.D., M.P.H., president of the Board of Trustees of Children’s Aid. “Phil Coltoff has set new standards for the provision of services to poor children in our communities. I know that the quality of Children’s Aid’s services and its leadership on issues of importance to poor children will continue uninterrupted in the capable hands of Pete Moses, who has been a key leader of The Children’s Aid Society for many years.”

Coltoff joined Children’s Aid in 1966 and was named Executive Director and CEO in 1981. He was reappointed CEO in 2002, when the Board named Moses as Executive Director. Coltoff has led the agency through one of its most active eras, a product of his dynamic vision of Children’s Aid as an agent of change in addition to a provider of services. He led Children’s Aid’s community school initiative, promoted its teen pregnancy prevention program, fostered its public health insurance facilitated enrollment program, and initiated major changes in CAS foster care services.

Coltoff has been a leader and innovator in the field of social work and social services. Under his direction, CAS has become an agent of positive change in communities across New York City, elsewhere in the U.S., and in other nations where Children’s Aid Society program models have been adapted. Coltoff will serve as a consultant and special advisor to CAS, at the request of the Board.

“Phil’s vision is as extensive as a telescope, as exacting as a microscope – he sees how life can be better for children and gets the job done. Within The Children’s Aid Society, he has created an organizational culture that embraces change, that welcomes new ideas, that attracts the best minds in the country to reduce child poverty,” said Roxanne Spillett, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Children’s Aid broke new ground in health services for children during his tenure, opening a number of new school-based and community-based health centers and entering into new partnerships with top quality health care providers.

“Phil Coltoff has led Children’s Aid into the 21st century while maintaining the compassion exhibited by Charles Loring Brace, the agency’s founder,” said Moses. “I’m excited to carry on this tradition, as well as to help improve the lives of New York City’s children in new and innovative ways.”

Moses, who has worked at The Children’s Aid Society for 36 years, will assume leadership of the 152-year-old organization. Most recently Executive Director and prior to that Associate Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, he has served in many positions at CAS and has a comprehensive and detailed knowledge of all of its programs and operations. He was a critical contributor to the development of CAS’ community schools program, leading the creation of the agency’s first five community schools in Washington Heights in 1992. He was recently honored for his role in developing community schools by the national Coalition for Community Schools, of which he is a founding member. Moses has overseen strategic planning committees that focus on mental health, arts, sports, recreation services, camping, community schools, medical foster care and foster care permanency planning.

“I am completely confident there will be a smooth transition,” said Phil Coltoff. “No one is more qualified to lead The Children’s Aid Society at this time than Pete Moses. His incredible knowledge of the agency, as well as his deep understanding of the needs of children and youth, make him the perfect choice for Children’s Aid.”

The Children’s Aid Society assists over 150,000 children and their families in New York City each year with a network of services that includes education, community- and school-based health care, community centers, camps, adoption and foster care services, teen pregnancy prevention, arts and recreation. Founded in 1853, it is one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most innovative non-profit and non-sectarian providers of children’s services. With a budget of over $72 million, Children’s Aid provides services at over 40 locations in New York City and Westchester. The agency is headquartered in Manhattan and employs over 800 full-time staff. For more information about The Children’s Aid Society, kindly visit our website, www.childrensaidsociety.org.

For additional information, interviews and photos, please contact Ellen Lubell, public relations director, at 212-949-4938 or ellenl@childrensaidsociety.org, or Emily Crossan, public relations manager, at 917-286-1548 or emilyc@childrensaidsociety.org.