Introducing our new Executive Director

BEST Kids’ former leader and Executive Director, Krislyn Mossman, moved on after eight years at the agency to pursue a new adventure at the end of 2021. In her role as Executive Director, Krislyn fostered a culture of passion for the youth we serve, expanded the program’s mentor and mentee population, facilitated key community partnerships, and much more.
 
Following Krislyn’s departure, the Board of Directors – along with the help of Interim Executive Director, Ed Spitzberg – set out to find someone with the passion and experience to lead BEST Kids through its next phase of evolution. After a rigorous search, we are proud to announce that we have found that leader, Dr. Stephanie “Stephania” A. Herrera! Dr. Herrera’s passion for mentoring as well as her dedication to BEST Kids’ mission make her the perfect fit for executive director. We can’t wait to see where she takes the organization next!
  
Dr. Herrera brings more than 25 years of strategic business development experience in nonprofits and membership organizations, as well as a lifetime of experience and passion for education and leadership development to the team. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Business Management, a Master’s of Business Administration in Market Strategy from Regis University, and a Doctor of Business Administration in Business Administration.
 
Dr. Herrera is deeply passionate about mentoring. As someone who has been both a mentor and mentee at various stages in life, she has seen firsthand the power mentoring has and its ability to change a person’s life for the better. In her own words, “mentoring is a truly powerful tool to help people succeed.”
 
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Herrera to the BEST Kids team! If you have any questions as we begin this next phase, please let us know. We remain committed to the same mission, values and programming that have served our youth and made a difference in the DC Metro Area for the past 21 years, and we look forward to what’s to come.

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​Dear BEST Kids Family,

I am excited and honored to lead BEST Kids into this next chapter. This is an incredible opportunity to work for a leading organization focused on the advancement of mentoring and the support of youth and families affected by foster care throughout the DC area. And I am thrilled to do so alongside all of you! 
 
As I transition into the role of Executive Director, one of my main priorities is to continue fostering the meaningful relationships and collaborations that have helped BEST Kids to serve DC area youth for the past 21 years. Our youth face innumerable challenges, but I am optimistic that we will continue to make a positive and lasting impact through our collective work. 
  
I am eager to apply my many personal and professional experiences gained over the last two decades of work in the nonprofit space to guide BEST Kids into the next phase of its evolution. As we all adjust to this change, we will continue to strive towards organizational sustainability and growth. Over the next few months my main goal will be reinforcing our foundations. Once we make sure the foundations are as strong as they possibly can be then we can start to think about setting goals for growth and expansion. We know there are more young people in Maryland and Virginia that we could reach with BEST Kids. And one day, we hope to do so!

I promise you that I will continually strive to uphold the BEST Kids mission, support youth and families affected by the foster care system in DC and beyond, and create meaningful change in our community. I will work to be accountable to the community that we serve and transparent in my decision-making. I look forward to digging in and doing the hard work.
 
I would like to recognize the tremendous effort put forth by current and former BEST Kids staff and board members, and volunteers. This amazingly talented group of people have helped to make BEST Kids the organization it is today. I have seen the passion, commitment, time, and love that each one of these people has poured into this work and the youth the organization serves. Their dedication to this organization, our work, and those we serve is nothing short of an inspiration.

As I get to know the internal BEST Kids’ team better, I hope to have the opportunity to get to know YOU – our external team of donors, volunteers, partners, and friends – better as well. I appreciate your continued support of BEST Kids and look forward to sharing these next steps of our journey with you. 

Sincerely,
  
Dr. Stephanie “Stephania” 
​A. Herrera
Executive Director
BEST Kids, Inc. ​