Iverson Fills Seat Vacated by New Minnesota DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead
WASHINGTON — Adriene Iverson, president and CEO of the California-based Elder Care Alliance, has been elected to the Lutheran Services in America board of directors. Iverson’s term begins this month and runs through June 2021. She replaces Jodi Harpstead, who was appointed in August by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Human Services after serving four years on Lutheran Services in America’s board.
Iverson brings a wealth of knowledge from the senior living, nonprofit and faith worlds with her to Lutheran Services in America. Since 2010, she has been a leader at the senior living-focused Elder Care Alliance, which has been serving seniors across California for more than 20 years. In her post with Elder Care Alliance, Iverson was instrumental in implementing electronic health records and ushering in evidence-based dementia care programming. She also has been active in the senior living industry through board service, and served as vice president of operations at the CNH District Church Extension Fund, a $60 million church loan fund. Iverson holds a bachelor of science in marketing from Santa Clara University.
“When it comes to America’s most vulnerable populations, our nation in many ways is facing unprecedented challenges,” Iverson noted. “With a rapidly aging population and growing workforce shortage, the efforts of Lutheran Services in America’s national network of health and human services organizations are needed now more than ever. This reality, combined with this trusted organization’s broad, national reach, makes me proud to be able to join and support its active efforts. I look forward to using lessons learned here in California on the national level to help create communities free from ageism and ableism.”
“Adriene’s years of experience and diverse portfolio will add another fresh perspective to our board that will help inform our work,” said Charlotte Haberaecker, president and CEO of Lutheran Services in America. “We’re crafting novel solutions and forming nontraditional partnerships that leverage our network’s role in enabling people to live fuller, healthier lives. Adriene’s insights will help us expand our initiatives that look at solutions through an entirely different lens.”
Iverson’s appointment follows three other recent additions to Lutheran Services in America’s board of directors. Colleen P. Frankenfield of Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey and Karen L. Himle of Thrivent joined the organization’s board in July; Harvard University scholar Dr. Antonio M. Oftelie joined in February.
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About Lutheran Services in America
Lutheran Services in America is the national network of Lutheran social ministry organizations, connecting over 300 health and human services nonprofit service providers located throughout the country. Recognized by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Forbes as one of the nation’s largest nonprofits, the Lutheran Services in America network operates with more than $22 billion in annual revenue and over 250,000 member employees. Together, the network lifts up the nation’s most vulnerable people from children to seniors — making a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year. To learn more, please visit www.lutheranservices.org.
