Meet Chris Hegg-Krackenberger, Vice-President of Residential Services
by Ann Wilson
Under the auspices of Fr. Jack Clair, Misericordia’s Administrative Team has gone through a restructuring. In October 2022, long-time employee Chris Hegg-Krackenberger was promoted to Vice President of Residential Services.
Introduced to Misericordia in the summer between her sophomore and junior years of college, Chris says, “I worked in a program called ‘Summer Service Learning’ which involved an 8-week volunteer commitment at a non-profit. Misericordia was one of 200 sites across the country, and I felt called to choose this site and loved it! I came back to Misericordia after I graduated in the Summer of 1991. I was not planning on staying long, but I really fell in love with the work I was doing, the residents I worked with, and the people I worked alongside. I decided to stay and here I am almost 32 years later.”
Initially hired to do activities for the non-ambulatory residents, Chris says, “At the time Misericordia only had one unit, Fox-Scholl (where Jean Marie Ryan Center currently stands) with approximately 20 non-ambulatory children and adults on the North Side campus.”
Chris did all her training on the South Side so that she could get to know the next group of residents who were moving north. After about a year, she moved into a QIDP (Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional) role for approximately 5-6 years, all in Fox-Scholl. During that time, she trained to be a House Supervisor in the main building, which included Fox-Scholl, Marchese, and Marian Center. Chris became the Director of those areas at the end of 1997. She then became an Assistant Administrator in Developmental Training for a little over a year starting in 2005. When Denise Tigges moved to McAuley as the Administrator, Chris came back to residential life and became the Administrator for Marian Center and Holbrook. She absorbed Mercy Glen when it opened in 2010 and then Quinlan when Holbrook closed, and Quinlan opened. Prior to being promoted to her new role, Chris led Marian Center for about 8 years as Director and 16 years as Administrator.
I asked Chris to explain her new role. “I am still fresh in the role and learning every day, but the role is essentially about people and strategy. Our goal is to develop people in order to prepare for future leaders, making sure the right people are in the right roles and making sure we have the people we need to provide the highest quality of services. The strategy piece is how to make all of it happen. Additionally, our goal will be to really utilize all that we know through data, experience, and research to plan effectively for the future.”
Chris adds, “Through our newly restructured performance feedback system each employee has an individual development plan that they help create and they have a supervisor/Q/director/AVP who supports them in working towards their goals. There are many opportunities for growth and talent development. We are in the process of creating a career ladder for all our positions so that we can clearly define ways to grow and develop within the organization.”
What does a typical day look like for Chris? “Right now, it feels like a lot of meetings! The Vice President role is new, so I am working alongside Tina Stendardo, Geana Connolly, Madelyne Trejo, and Mary Pat O’Brien to focus on Misericordia’s key strategic imperatives.”
Chris adds, “My time is spent in group meetings but also 1:1 sessions to coach my direct reports, many of whom are also in new roles. Another big focus right now is finding the right people to fill the open assistant vice president roles.”
Additional goals Chris strives to complete include developing a comprehensive people strategy to retain and build a diverse workforce; highlighting Misericordia as the employer of choice in this field; strengthening the leadership landscape; preparing for growth and expansion of the organization to meet the needs of current and future residents, and restructuring Misericordia to address the needs of Misericordia today.
I asked Chris if she has any resident interaction, “I do – but I have to seek it out. I had regular visitors in my old office, and I loved that. I also did some relief supervision so that allowed me to really spend time with residents. I do look forward to spending time in the areas where I have not previously worked, in order to really get to know the residents and staff. My time with the residents will be much more intentional, but it is very important to me.”
Chris’ new office is now in the administration hallway, the 3rd office down from Fr. Jack; she says to please stop by any time!
We are thrilled to see Chris in this new Vice President role, and look forward to all of the great things she accomplishes going forward.
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