The Mennonite Health Services (MHS) Board of directors has named Karen E. Lehman as CEO of MHS, effective May 1, 2018.

Lehman has more than 25 years of leadership experience in both senior living and acute care. She has consistently and efficiently navigated organizations through various transitions to achieve financial viability, while simultaneously providing stability and new strategic goals. Her capacity to be both visionary and operationally “hands on,” along with her effective communications skills, have resulted in Lehman’s successful recruitment and development of strong senior leaders.

“We are particularly excited that Karen will be taking this leadership role at MHS because of her commitment to our Anabaptist distinctives,” says MHS Board Chair, Laurie Neumann Nafziger. “In addition to her healthcare experience, the fact that she has recently worked as an MHS consultant allows her a unique understanding of MHS culture and values.”

The search committee has been actively seeking a successor for current MHS CEO, Rick Stiffney, since he announced his retirement in spring of 2017. The committee included four MHS board members, the chair of the MHS consulting board, a representative from Mennonite Church USA and MHS agency staff. “We appreciated input from our various stakeholders as we sifted through a diverse and impressive pool of exceptional candidates,” says Neumann Nafziger.

Lehman’s appointment has also been approved by the Executive Board of Mennonite Church USA. She will assume her position immediately following Stiffney’s retirement in May 2018.

Prior to this appointment, Lehman’s most recent experience has been serving as CEO of The Community at Rockhill in Sellersville, Pennsylvania. Her executive leadership roles also include eight years as COO of Greencroft Communities in Goshen, Indiana, three years as Executive Director of Friends House Retirement Community in Sandy Spring, Maryland, and two years at Pennswood Village in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

Lehman currently serves on the Everence Board of Directors and formerly on the Board of Directors for Jubilee Association of Maryland, Inc. She holds an MBA from Bluffton (Ohio) University and a Bachelor of Science in Health Information from Indiana University, Indiana University Medical Center. Lehman is also a licensed nursing home administrator. She resides in Goshen, Indiana, with her husband, Kent Beck, where they attend College Mennonite Church.

MHS is a not-for-profit, faith-based, membership organization connecting Anabaptist-related health and human services providers.