Innovation Lesson 3

[Lori Hebert]

Choose one leader you know, have worked for, or have simply followed via press, books, podcasts, etc.


Joe Ribsam Jr. is the current Director of the Department for Children, Youth, and Families in New Hampshire. I met Joe in late 2017 when he officially came to the division.  I had the privilege of working directly for him as a consultant in 2018.

Joe came to New Hampshire from New Jersey where he fundamentally transformed their child protection system to a model of prevention services. Joe is a lawyer who practiced family law as well as a former English teacher, he brings many lenses to social work. Joe is highly respected nationally and statewide for improving workforce, practices, and services for communities.



- What is one way trait or behavior that they practice that encourages innovation in their team?

#3 Innovators are Collaborators. Joe came to New Hampshire in a crisis, the division had suffered child deaths along with high staffing turnover and were awaiting results from the federal review. Joe had experience transforming New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families system, however he did not take the approach of what worked in Jersey would work here. He collaborated with stakeholders at all levels of systems including families the system serves, exploring New Hampshire’s strengths, weaknesses, and ideas on improvements. He initiated focus groups for system reform before the review was released. He continues to surround himself with other experts who share the same drive to innovate and improve child protection systems.



- What is one thing that you took away from their work that you are striving to implement today in your work?

#2 Authentic Leader. Joe is a leader who comes from a place of listening to learn and surrounds himself with folks who are passionate for reform and quality systems improvements through innovation. While working for him I always felt valued, respected, and supported in exploring opportunities. I try to mirror Joe’s teachings by bringing a high level of commitment on professional growth to my staff and dedication to continuously explore expansion opportunities for the program.

[gdidona]

Hi Lori, Very nice choice of a leader. To your point, I think it would have been really easy to come into NH and simply implement the framework that had worked for him in NJ. (After all, it worked once, why not again?)  It may have seemed the most expeditious approach, particularly with the circumstances in which he entered the position (i.e., child deaths, federal review, etc.).  I am sure time was an important factor and optic during his transition. I wonder what allowed him to take a step back and invest resources in ensuring collaboration occurred?

My opinion is that you took a lot away from your work with Joe. You consistently demonstrate a collaborative approach, and have really embraced helping reshape and grow your program on a fundamental level into what it looks like today.

[jennfriesen]

Hi, Lori! I liked that you highlighted the collaboration Joe took when he moved to New Hampshire. One phrase that I would love for you to expand on a bit is when you said "he continues to surround himself with other experts." How do you think that contributes to innovation?

[Lori Hebert]

Hi Jennifer- Thank you for the question, it is a good one! Joe is big on bringing stakeholders together from all bureaus within the Department of Health and Human Services. He runs several interagency groups where other Directors and Field Staff come together and are encouraged to share and collaborate in improving New Hampshire's systems of care. However more than this, Joe always has family voice at the forefront. He invites parents, foster parents, relative caregivers and youth that have all been involved in the systems (child protection, welfare, housing and so on) to these interagency meetings. He honors their lived experience (good and bad) by creating a safe space for them to share and elevating the importance they bring within systems reform. For New Hampshire, this is quite progressive and innovating, I value this as a Director of a program supporting these families!