Impact: Kindering
Organization Overview
Kindering embraces children of diverse abilities and their families by providing the finest education and therapies to nurture hope, courage, and the skills to soar. Kindering was founded in 1962 by five parents of children with disabilities and has grown into the largest and the most comprehensive neurodevelopment center in the Northwest serving families through pediatric therapies, special education, parent supports, trainings, and more.
Kindering annually serves over 3,000 children through 20+ programs across four different campuses located in Bellevue, Bothell, Redmond, and Renton Washington The offerings designed and provided by Kindering’s expert staff are delivered in-home, in the community, and within the four Kindering centers to meet the needs of children, their parents, caregivers and siblings.
The Challenge
Valtas has long been a supporter and partner of Kindering and we were pleased to step in during a time of critical leadership transition. Following the 42 year tenured founding ED, Kindering’s next CEO served 6 years before a vacancy occurred at the end of 2024.
- Long term leadership transition – Both of the prior leaders had built careers at Kindering. The organization requested Interim leadership with early learning background, and with the perspective of a broader system.
- Sustained Growth – Kindering had grown substantially through the years, building a team that supported four campuses and thousands of families seeking therapy.
- Program Delivery Challenges – Kindering had to quickly pivot during the pandemic to support families virtually. New systems were developed rapidly but scaling and investments in technology infrastructure remained challenging.
- Staff Engagement – Virtual program delivery, a shortage of qualified therapists and significant shifts and turnover in leadership left many staff feeling disconnected.
Our Approach
Valtas provided a team of consultants to support Kindering’s leadership transition. Initial consultation and a deep understanding of the priorities of the board and leadership led to the placement of one of our most experienced Interim leaders, Mari Offenbecher. Our team also began the process of facilitating the search for Kindering’s next CEO.
Experienced and Compassionate Interim Leadership
Mari took full ownership of the Interim CEO role. Listening sessions at each of Kindering’s campuses, a full staff survey and a calming influence were critical to establishing strong leadership during this critical time of transition.
Comprehensive Regional Executive Search
Our Executive Search team, Ed and Christine, stepped in immediately and began gathering insights from board, staff and community to help identify the skills of the next leader.
Onboarding and Knowledge Transfer
The search was conducted over a 4 month period of time, identifying candidates with deep and relevant experience. Upon hire, Mari led the onboard efforts to ensure the newly hired leader was set up for success.
The Outcome
Through their partnership with Valtas team, the board focused deeply on support of the staff, helping calm the waters and prepare the way for the next CEO.
Stabilizing Force
Mari arrived and immediately went to work, getting out to all of Kindering’s campuses, meeting staff and board and listening deeply. Her assessment helped inform key opportunities for Kindering and set the stage for a successful executive search.
Effective Board Partnership
Valtas search process engaged every member of the Kindering board and set up clear roles and regular communication to keep everyone informed.
Exceptional Hire
The Kindering board and leadership team were unanimous in their decision to hire Mike Stewart who brought the experience, passion for the Kindering mission and connections in the community that made him the clear choice.
Client Perspective
“Mari completely surpassed our expectations. She brought wonderful skills and was an exceptional Interim CEO, I can think of nothing that could be improved. We are forever grateful for her work.
Christine, Ed, and the team at Valtas were extremely transparent and set reasonable expectations about the timeline for our CEO search process. I was extremely pleased with our partnership. We believe we hired the best CEO anywhere to lead Kindering in the next chapter.”
Let’s Talk About Your Organization’s Future.
Every leadership transition begins with a conversation. Tell us about your organization’s goals, challenges, and vision for the future—then let’s explore how interim leadership, executive search, or board support can help you move forward with confidence and clarity.