Transitional Living gets new director

After a short stint spent back in England, Stevie Smith has returned to the north country to become the executive director of North Country Transitional Living Services.

Mrs. Smith will begin her tenure at the agency April 27. She replaces the most recent director, David A. Sorensen, Boiceville, who left Sept. 10 due to unexplained circumstances.

"I feel very privileged to have this opportunity to work with the agency," Mrs. Smith said Thursday afternoon. "I'm excited about it, the staff is, and together we hope to make a big improvement."

Elizabeth A. Brown, president of the agency's board of directors, announced the appointment Thursday.

Growing up in England, Mrs. Smith said, she always loved the countryside and rural areas. Her husband, Robert W.'s, former military career brought her to the United States. She loved the north country so much, she said, that they decided to stay in Natural Bridge.

"I got into mental health services by mistake," she said. "I was working with a friend of mine at the National Health Service in the U.K. and there was a job opening for working with young men being discharged from an inpatient unit, helping them to reintegrate into the community. I thought it was a bit of a challenge. I worked as a case manager with them, and got quite passionate about it."

When she arrived in the Untied States in May 2001, she continued her career in mental health services for Jefferson County Community Services. That was followed by her appointment as director of community mental health services with the Children's Home of Jefferson County.

Mrs. Smith, who received a master's degree in health sciences from the University of London in 1993, said she's eager to get back to working with Fort Drum families.

"It's a very diverse population, and quite transient," she said.

She said there are many challenges North Country Transitional Living Services will overcome in the next couple of years, but she's excited to see where the challenging ride will take her.

Having a passion for working with children, Mrs. Smith said once she gets her foot in the door, she'd like to be more involved in the agency's services for children.