The nonprofit Child & Family Service announced today that its president and CEO, Karen Tan, is stepping down after 18 years at the organization. An executive search for a new CEO is underway.

Tan, who first joined Child & Family Service in 2005 as director of training, is departing to support her family in Texas. Her last day is Aug. 31.

“Child & Family Service is all about family, and now I’ve made the difficult personal decision to move to Texas to be close to and care for my aging mother,” said Tan in a statement. “In addition, my three daughters also are on the mainland, so this was a family-motivated decision. I’m so sad to leave this wonderful organization, but I have the utmost confidence in our executive and senior leadership as well as our amazing board, who will ensure we continue to improve the lives of families statewide.”

In a news release, the 124-year-old organization called Tan a “fierce yet empathetic leader” who inspired a guiding vision denoted by the HOPE acronym — which stands for concepts of humility, ownership, perseverance and engagement.

Tan also implemented several models of care, including the trademarked “Transition To Success,” which treats poverty as a condition and not a character flaw, according to the release. The model is being used across the nonprofit’s programs statewide to stop the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

The nonprofit’s mission is to strengthen families and foster the healthy development of children through statewide programs.

From July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022, CFS provided direct services to nearly 15,000 individuals and reached out to another 76,500 through phone calls, referrals, educational presentations, and assistance at walk-in family centers.

“This is such a bittersweet moment for the board, as we’ve worked so well with Karen in her role as CEO for the past six years,” said Louise Ing, Child &Family Service Board Chair, in the release. “She will be sorely missed, and we wish her the best in this next life chapter. The board’s Executive Committee will be working with Karen on a smooth leadership transition.”