Children are at the heart of Chrissy Dale’s new job as executive director at the Laughlin Children’s Center in Sewickley.

Founded in 1956, Laughlin Children’s Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving children and families across the region. It provides academic support, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, psychological services and early childhood education.

Each year, it provides more than 10,000 appointments for 2,000 children throughout the region, Dale said.

“I aim to harness the strength and philanthropic spirit of the Sewickley community to ensure that every child in need has access to academic support — regardless of their family’s ability to pay,” said Dale, who recently moved to the Mexican War Streets on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

She has seen the power of access to academic support, she said, through her more than two decades of experience in education, counseling and nonprofit leadership. Most recently, she served as chief executive officer of the Institute for Therapy through the Arts in Evanston, Ill., which offers creative arts therapy — art, dance/movement, drama and music therapy.

Dale, 51, led the organization through a period of significant growth, expanding services to more than 90 Chicago Public Schools and securing a $1.4 million grant to broaden access to creative arts therapies.

Before that, she was head of school at Fusion Academy in Evanston, director of business development at the Center for Independent Futures in Evanston and worked as a guidance counselor and educator within Chicago Public Schools.

Her professional background and personal values align deeply with Laughlin Children’s Center’s mission, said Natalie Mueller, of Edgeworth, president of Laughlin’s board of directors. Dale’s experience in clinical and academic settings, her commitment to equity and access and her proven ability to build strong teams make her the ideal person to lead Laughlin Children’s Center into its next chapter, Mueller said.

With master’s degrees in education and counseling, Dale said she has experience handling multiple services happening under one roof, which is in line with Laughlin’s mission. She is dynamic and a good listener, Mueller said, and she is a quick thinker and respectful of everyone.

Even before Dale officially started on Sept. 1, she was the first one to jump on a call, Mueller said.

“That speaks to her character,” Mueller said.

MaryAnn Perkins, who has served as interim executive director, will return to her permanent director role at the center. The board is grateful for Perkins during the leadership transition, said Shannon Mulholland, of Sewickley, founder of New Day Education and Consulting Services. She was hired as a consultant to run the search and collaborate with the board of directors. She said it was a national and “highly competitive” search.

Dale’s deep commitment to children, her collaborative leadership style and her vision for expanding access to high-quality academic and clinical services stood out, Mulholland said.

“Laughlin has been such a cornerstone in the community,” Mulholland said. “I am confident she will build on that foundation.”

Dale highlighted the organization’s visionary strategic plan and said there are lots of growth opportunities. She hopes that she can immerse herself in the community and have an impact.

“I was looking for opportunities outside of the Midwest to spread my wings and fly and explore and immerse myself in a new community,” said Dale, who grew up in South Bend, Ind.

She said she found the opportunity based on a long-term friendship with Sewickley councilwoman Anne Willoughby and Molly Nover-Baker.

Dale said the position at Laughlin Children’s Center combines her education and clinical background with a focus on supporting the whole child’s academic needs.

She is the mother of two college students, George Lewis and Olivia Lewis, and is married to Mike Mulligan.

“This is such an exciting opportunity,” Dale said. “I look forward to working alongside the talented staff and board to expand the Center’s reach, deepen its impact, and continue to ensure that every child receives the support they need to thrive. Laughlin Children’s Center is truly a gem and the children will always be at the center of all we do.”

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