Gov. Heineman Names Todd Landry
to Key Children & Family Services Post

(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman announced his appointment of Todd Landry of Omaha to serve as the Director of the Division of Children and Families within the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. He will begin July 23.

“As a leader at one of our state’s longest running child and family advocacy organizations Todd brings valuable experience to this position,” Gov. Heineman said. “He brings the private sector background to the division I was hoping to find, and his appointment ensures that we have someone committed to policies that recognize the value of what’s best for children and their families. Todd is familiar with the current structure and operations of our children and family services programs, and he can help provide perspective as we begin to work in earnest on creating a structure that provides more accountability and better service to Nebraskans.”

Landry, 44, will manage a division charged with administering the state’s protection and safety programs and services, economic and family support programs, and overseeing the state’s regional service areas.

He has spent nearly three years as president and CEO of Omaha’s Child Saving Institute, a child welfare agency that works to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect. The agency serves 3,000 children and families a year, providing access to emergency shelters, foster care and adoption services, therapy and substance abuse treatment, childcare and other services.

From 2000 to 2004, he was president and CEO of a nonprofit social service agency in Houston working to build strong families for children who experienced abuse and neglect. During his tenure with Spaulding for Children, the agency achieved the highest adoption rate among private agencies in Texas. He joined the agency in 1999 as chief financial officer.

Prior to his work with children and family-centered programs in the private sector, Landry spent 13 years with Conoco Inc., working in various divisions ranging from investment appraisal, international business development, marketing, finance, and others.

Landry said, “I thank Governor Heineman and Chris Peterson for this opportunity to lead the Division of Children and Family Services. I am committed to putting in place the vision and structure to ensure that all Nebraska families can be successful and all Nebraska children have the opportunity to grow to their fullest potential.”

He is currently involved in a number of advocacy and professional groups. He is treasurer of the Children and Family Coalition of Nebraska, and is part of a national workgroup coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, known as the AdoptUSKids Collaboration. He is also a member of the Child Welfare League of America’s National Advisory Committee on Adoption.

He graduated from Lamar University in 1985 and received a master’s in business administration in 1986 from Southern Methodist University.

Landry’s salary will be $130,000.