The Board of Families Rising is announcing a leadership transition, as Ligia Cushman will no longer be serving as the organization’s CEO effective July 10, 2026. The Board appreciates Ligia’s contributions to Families Rising during her tenure.
During this transition, Denise Goodman will serve as Interim Executive Director as we start a search for a permanent Executive Director. Many of our partners know Denise from her decades of activities with the organization.
We are an agency deeply committed to providing an array of quality supportive services for adoptive, kinship, and foster families.
Our Board and Staff are moving forward with a seamless leadership transition and with our day-to-day activities including our core programs:
- Outreach to families in Minnesota, across the United States and Canada;
- Training programs for parents and professionals such as Lunch-N-Learns;
- Families Rising’s Annual Conference in October;
- Our Adoption Subsidy Resource Center;
- State and national advocacy efforts; and
- Other day-to-day activities will continue as usual during this leadership transition.
The Board wishes to thank our staff, partners, and supporters for your ongoing commitment to our mission over the past 51 years as we work to serve children, families, and professionals across the United States and Canada.