Linehan Institute Announces Appointment of Preston Thompson as Permanent Executive Director
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) August 15, 2015 -- During several months as Interim CEO of Behavioral Tech, Thompson proved his talents for growing the company’s mission impact, leading the development of internal staffing resources, and growing business opportunities and strategic partnerships. In early 2015, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to appoint Thompson to a permanent position with The Linehan Institute and Behavioral Tech, effective April 1, 2015, based on his excellent leadership during this interim period.
Kevin Briscoe, advisor to the Linehan Institute Board, is excited about what this will mean for the companies. “Preston brings the right combination of fiscal discipline, operational experience and savvy, and mission focus to help The Linehan Institute extend its reach to new and underserved individuals. The extraordinary group of individuals who affiliate with The Linehan Institute now have a business advocate to help them continue to focus on the important work they do.”
The Linehan Institute advances mental health through education, compassion, and research. Behavioral Tech, the official training company of The Linehan Institute, provides expert DBT training and consultation for mental health professionals. The companies stay true to the founding mission of Dr. Marsha Linehan – to make compassionate and effective care available to every person suffering from complex mental health disorders – while exploring new opportunities to expand DBT to new settings as supported by the latest research.
Linehan Institute Board of Directors Chair, Andre Ivanoff, Ph.D., shared her excitement about this decision, saying, “Preston’s experience and skills will significantly increase our ability to disseminate DBT worldwide by developing international partnerships and innovative technologies for both training and treatment.”
Prior to joining The Linehan Institute, Thompson served as the Director of Domestic and International Operations at Boeing where he managed multi-million dollar operating budgets and hundreds of employees around the world. His expertise in systems integration and supplier development helped increase Boeing's growth in foreign market contracts by more than 55%, including organic growth, technology transfer, and strategic work placement. He is known for his ability to grow boutique technology and manufacturing companies from the ground up and to turn failing business into thriving, valued partners.
After retiring from Boeing, he co-started an organization, Ayni Education International, building schools in Afghanistan; advocates on global poverty, education, and health policy/funding as a partner of RESULTS; and is co-owner of EcoZoom, where he strategizes how cooking stoves that reduce air pollutants can be brought to scale throughout Eastern Africa.
For more than 30 years, he has been active in public leadership and citizenship through elected office, government task forces, citizen committees, and volunteerism. He's been a lecturer and panel member on diverse topics including aerospace, international development, sustainability, and social business. He is past President of the Board for the non-profit Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability and served on the Board of the Society for International Development. He is currently on the Advisory Board of UW Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, and other organizations. Thompson completed his MPA in Public Affairs at the University of Washington and his BBA in Operations Management at Pacific Lutheran University.
Alexis Karlson, The Linehan Institute, http://www.linehaninstitute.org/, +1 206.675.8588, [email protected]
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