The Board of Directors of Thrive Allen County would like to announce our new President and CEO: Lisse Regehr. Regehr becomes the second President and CEO of Thrive Allen County, taking the reins from David Toland who led Thrive for 11 years. Toland resigned in January to become the Kansas Secretary of Commerce.
The Board of Directors of Thrive Allen County performed a national search for the President and CEO position and received interest from more than 25 candidates. Regehr, who has served as Deputy Director of Outreach and Advocacy, was one of several finalists interviewed for the position.
Regehr, whose family is originally from Allen County, was brought onboard the Thrive team as lead Navigator, building the program into a regional force that reduced the uninsured rate in Allen County from 21% in 2013 to 9% in 2018 (the second biggest drop in the state of Kansas). Regehr also worked as the Special Projects Manager where she collaborated in creating a new development site in the heart of Iola that includes market rate apartments (the first in 20 years) and a G&W Foods grocery store. In 2017 she co-led the preparatory work for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health prize site tour, video and prize celebration. As Deputy Director of Outreach and Advocacy, Regehr has overseen all aspects of communications at Thrive including social media, website, print and radio. Regehr’s most recent work includes leading Thrive Kansas, a coalition to strengthen Kansas’ non-metropolitan communities, bringing them together to support one another and to create a stronger unified voice, ensuring they are heard and have a seat at the legislative table, and to demonstrate the invaluable role rural communities play in our state.
Prior to returning to her hometown of Iola, Regehr worked for nine years with the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministries Foundation in St. Paul, MN where she was a Planned Giving Officer and Social Networker. Regehr grew the Foundation’s planned giving society by 35%, and as Social Networker, was responsible for all online communications for the Foundation, including social media sites, online giving sites and e-news distributions.
“I am so honored to be chosen as Thrive Allen County’s President and CEO,” Regehr said. “I want to continue to see my home community of Allen County grow and prosper, to continue to be on the front lines of new and innovative ideas and projects.”
“David Toland has left a wonderful legacy and a strong foundation for us to build upon. I am excited to move forward into our next chapter and appreciate the Board’s faith in my abilities to continue Thrive’s work of making Allen County the healthiest rural county in Kansas!” Regehr said.
Thrive Board Chairman Dr. Brian Wolfe stated, “Thrive and Allen County are incredibly blessed to have a second leader who is a product of our community that is visionary, gifted and dedicated to making our community a great place to live and work. Lisse has already demonstrated incredible leadership to our community and to those in rural Kansas we work with. The Thrive board and staff see this as an opportunity with change in leadership to rededicate ourselves to working with each community in Allen County.”
