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Former journalist Jack Kresnak was named President & CEO of Michigan's Children in January 2008.
Throughout his 38-year career with the Detroit Free Press, he stood out as a tireless crusader for children, shining a public light on injustices and oversights to help create a safer, more equitable and just Michigan for all children to thrive. His gifted and compassionate reporting was widely recognized as advancing the public’s understanding of the child welfare system, inspiring needed reforms and giving a voice to those who have none.
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Jack Kresnak
President & CEO
Michigan's Children |
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Jack has an extensive understanding of children’s issues, including child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, child support and custody, foster care, adoptions and children’s mental health. Among more than 20 awards he received are the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism on behalf of Children and Families, the Anna Quindlen Award from the Child Welfare League of America, the excellence in media award from the National Association of Child Advocates, and three awards from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. In November 2007, he was honored by the Michigan Supreme Court with the first-ever resolution celebrating a journalist.
Read the press release announcing Jack's appointment
Read Jack's bio
Read Jack's resume
Read the Detroit Free Press story about Jack's appointment
A Q&A with Jack
Question: Why do you want to be the President & CEO of Michigan's Children?
Answer: Although I am proud of my career as a journalist focusing on children’s issues, I felt somewhat confined at a newspaper where my articles necessarily had to compete for space and display with stories on many other issues such as sports, business news, politics, community affairs and crime. I believed my newspaper stories had impact, but I wanted to become more involved in direct advocacy on behalf of children. When I heard that Sharon Claytor Peters was leaving Michigan’s Children, I immediately thought it would be the perfect position for someone with my experience and passion. I would not have left the newspaper in December after 38 years if not for the possibility of becoming President/CEO of Michigan’s Children.
Q: What are the major issues facing children and families in Michigan today?
A: Poverty and a fraying safety net for kids. Most children are entering the state’s foster care system because of neglect, not abuse. We need to do a better job helping families, especially low-income families, before their children are neglected and sucked in to the foster care system. The state is a lousy parent and we need to do much more for at-risk children so that they can safely stay with their families. We also need to do more for children ages 0-5 to help them prepare for school. Too many children, especially children of color, are enrolled in kindergarten two or three steps behind other children who had the benefit of high-quality pre-school learning environments.
Q: How would you characterize the state of children’s issues in Michigan?
A: It’s a mixed picture. Certainly many good things are happening in the child welfare system such as the hiring of more children’s services workers by the DHS, a focused effort on finding permanent homes for children languishing in foster care, and a greater attention on the disproportionate numbers of minority children who enter the child welfare or juvenile justice systems. The pending lawsuit brought against Michigan by the New York-based Children’s Rights organization could provide the impetus for a major reform, but it would be best for taxpayers if the state Legislature could help the DHS provided needed services for foster children before a federal judge orders Michigan to do so.
Q: What is your greatest motivator?
A: I want to leave a clean, safe and prosperous state for my grandchildren and their children. Sometimes, people are so focused on today that they’re not thinking about the legacy they are leaving for the coming generations. Michigan will be an even greater state if its children have opportunities to learn and grow up healthy.
Q: What are you most proud of?
A: I am proud that my work over the past 20 years has had an impact and made a positive difference for Michigan’s children. I am proud that my adult children are well-adjusted and reasonably happy, and I am proud that my three granddaughters are so cute and so smart.
Q: What will be your goals as President & CEO of Michigan’s Children?
A: My primary goal is to raise public awareness about the issues affecting at-risk children and youth in our state. I want everyone in all levels of government as well as citizens to think about children first before making a major decision. I want the voices of Michigan’s children heard and I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.
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