The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy has a new champion for the children and families it serves throughout Fulton and DeKalb counties. The GCCA board of directors announced today that it has named Sheila Ryan to the role of CEO, effective Oct. 19, 2015. Ryan assumes the mantle from retiring CEO Nancy Chandler.

Ryan is no stranger to helping families in need. She comes to the GCCA from the March of Dimes, where she managed a staff of 35 and over 8,000 volunteers as state director of the organization's Georgia chapter. Under Ryan's leadership, the chapter developed new strategies to increase awareness, reduce preterm birth, and expand corporate and community relationships across the state and beyond. She managed and attained a fundraising goal of $6.5 million.

Previously, Ryan was responsible for similar fundraising and team leadership success as director of the Tocqueville Society for the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, as well as CEO of The Girl Scouts Audubon Council in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she managed operations and fundraising for an organization of over 9,300 girls.

"This opportunity with the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy means that I can continue to positively impact our community through helping families and children," said Ryan of her new role. "I have long admired Nancy and her team for the incredible work they have been doing to serve the needs of abused children and help them heal. It is a great honor to join them."  

Chandler, the current CEO of the GCCA, announced her retirement plans earlier this year. She steps down after eight years of tireless service and continuous development of the organization -which now treats over 750 children annually who are victims of child sexual and physical abuse. She notes, "This is an amazing organization. I’m proud of what we have accomplished, most recently with the opening of our new DeKalb center, and I’m excited about the next stages of development under Sheila’s experienced leadership.”