The Children’s Guild Alliance named Jenny Livelli as president and CEO. Livelli brings more than two decades experience in education, human services and nonprofit leadership. She is the first new CEO of The Children’s Guild Alliance in 26 years and the first woman CEO in the $86-million organization’s 67-year history.

Since January 2020, Livelli has served as chief operating officer of The Children’s Guild Alliance. In that position, she was part of the executive management team and worked to improve the organization’s operating effectiveness and build organizational capacity. Livelli previously served as director of continuous quality improvement for The Children’s Guild.

“Her expertise in special education and continuous quality improvement, her familiarity with behavioral health, strong problem-solving skills and systems orientation and her experience as chief operating officer make her the outstanding choice as our next CEO. Over the past 26 years, Dr. Andrew Ross has built a strong and dynamic organization, and we look forward to Jenny continuing our growth as we reaffirm our dedication to putting kids first and transforming the way America cares for and educates its children,” said Chris Zimmerman, chair of the board of directors of The Children’s Guild Alliance.

Before joining The Children’s Guild Alliance, Livelli owned and consulted for Kids First Educational and Behavioral Consultants and provided educational and behavioral consultation services to families and private schools working with children with special needs.

Previously, she was a senior school administrator at Sheppard Pratt Health System in Towson, Maryland and focused on compliance and risk management, program development and school leadership. Livelli also held positions including vice president and director of administration and program development at Koba Institute Inc. in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“I am excited and honored to have been selected to lead The Children’s Guild Alliance and continue to ensure that we are making an impact on our children and families every day. As a human services organization, we must ask ourselves the critical question: will what we do make a positive impact on our children and families? Influencing their lives is not enough; we must make an impact,” Livelli said.

Livelli remains involved with the Maryland State Department of Education, the Maryland Association of Nonpublic Special Education Facilities, the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities and the National Association of Private Special Education Centers. She holds an advanced professional certificate from the Maryland State Department of Education as well as certificates from Life Space Crisis Intervention Inc. and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

She earned a Master of Education in school administration and supervision from Loyola University and a bachelor’s degree in English and a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Licensure B-12 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

The Children’s Guild Alliance board of directors selected Livelli after an exhaustive national search. She lives in Baltimore.

The Children’s Guild Alliance is a nonprofit organization serving children, families and child-serving organizations and is dedicated to transforming how America educates and cares for its children through education, behavioral health and national training and consultation services. Affiliates of The Children’s Guild Alliance include The Children’s Guild, Monarch Academy public charter and contract schools, Monarch Preschool College Park, Tranzed Academy for Working Students (TAWS), TranZed Apprenticeships, The Children’s Guild DC Public Charter School, Transformation Education Institute and The National Children’s Guild Fund. Additionally, The Children’s Guild Alliance presents the Kids First National Conference.