Wauwatosa-based nonprofit Kathy’s House has named Kim Lamansky as its new president and chief executive officer.
Lamansky comes to the hospital guest house from Tri City Health Partnership, a free medical and dental clinic in St. Charles, Illinois, where she served executive director. She succeeds
Patty Metropulos, who announced her plans to step down from Kathy’s House last summer after leading the nonprofit for 11 years.
As president and CEO, Lamansky will collaborate with a nine-person staff, board of directors and many volunteers to advance Kathy’s House’s mission of providing affordable lodging and supportive services for patients and families who must travel to the Milwaukee area for medical care.
“After an extensive six-month search, we were highly impressed with Kim’s leadership capabilities, breadth of experience working with vulnerable populations, strategic vision and passion for community work,” said
Mark Filla, the Kathy's House board chair. “She is an excellent fit for our mission and values.”
Filla noted that Kathy’s House expects demand for its services to grow as treatment for cancer and other serious diagnoses is increasingly provided on an outpatient basis.
Founded in 2001 by the parents of late Kathy Vogel Kuettner, Kathy’s House provides affordable lodging and caring support in a “home away from home” environment for people who need to travel to the Milwaukee area for medical care. Open 365 days a year, it is the only such facility in southeastern Wisconsin that serves patients of all ages, their families, and caregivers, and accepts referrals from all area hospitals.
Kathy’s House serves approximately 1,500 guests annually, roughly half of which are patients and half of which are family members. Most are cancer patients, and more than 70% live in Wisconsin.