[Seward, AK, September 28, 2021] The SeaView Governing Board has announced that Tommy Glanton, LCSW has been selected as SeaView’s new Chief Executive Officer. The Board has been engaged in a succession planning process over the past year to prepare for Chris Sheehan’s retirement at the end of 2021. When the Board solicited internal interest for the Chief Executive Officer position, they were pleased to have an outstanding candidate apply. Tommy’s broad experience, community leadership, and vision for the future of SeaView solidified his selection, with a unanimous vote of support by the Board.
“On behalf of the entire SeaView Governing Board, I can’t tell you how pleased I believe each one of us is as we anticipate the beginning of Tommy’s tenure as CEO. In this new role, Tommy will have more opportunities to use his impressive skill set to help SeaView continue enhancing services to meet the behavioral health needs of our community,” said Lynn Hohl, Co-President of the SeaView Governing Board.
An experienced leader with strong community relationships, Tommy will succeed Chris Sheehan, who announced her plan to retire last spring, following eight years of service as CEO of SeaView and over 22 years with the organization. As Chris steps away to enjoy some leisure time in retirement, she has effectively set SeaView on the course for continued success. “In her time of service at SeaView, Chris has made significant and meaningful contributions to the healthcare system of the Eastern Kenai Peninsula” said Mary Huss, Co-President of the SeaView Governing Board. “Chris’ leadership has allowed SeaView to fulfill its mission of providing community[1]based services that strengthen families, foster self-sufficiency, and enhance quality of life, in large part because of her dedication, insight, and effective management. We are tremendously grateful to Chris for her contribution over the past 22 years and wish her the very best as she enjoys her well-deserved retirement,” continued Huss.
“I have treasured my time at SeaView and couldn’t have asked for a better capstone to my career. It is a wonderful organization, with a strong staff and engaged Board that recognize the importance of behavioral health services in ensuring we have a thriving and healthy community. We’ve been highly successful over the past several years in making key decisions about the future of SeaView and establishing a focus on mental health and substance use treatment. Tommy is now positioned to take the organization to the next level, and I am excited to see what he will make possible,” said Chris Sheehan.
Tommy came to SeaView in December of 2017, initially serving as Behavioral Health Director, then transitioning to Chief Clinical Officer. He holds a master’s degree in social work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. During Tommy’s time at SeaView, he has been instrumental in partnering with Chris and the Governing Board in crafting a strong strategic vision for the future of SeaView. His efforts have resulted in expanding SeaView’s continuum of care to provide much needed behavioral health services in our community that were previously unavailable to residents locally.
Prior to coming to SeaView, Tommy served in various executive leadership positions at behavioral health and social service agencies assisting individuals and families in improving their quality of life. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, he brings a clinical perspective to leading organizations that provides a client and mission centered culture. He also has extensive experience in grant writing which has helped SeaView and previous organizations launch new programs and expand services.
“I’m thrilled and honored to lead SeaView as we begin our 50th year of service to the Eastern Kenai Peninsula. I believe that SeaView is positioned to create positive change for our community as we continue implementation of a more robust continuum of care for behavioral health needs. I’m looking forward to working alongside our Board, staff and community partners to enhance the health and wellness of Seward,” said Tommy. Over the next three months, Chris and Tommy will be working closely together to have an effective and smooth transition for the organization, staff, clients, and community. Tommy’s official first day as CEO will be January 1, 2022.
