Children's Institute (CI), a national non-profit that partners with organizations and individuals to promote the well-being of children, youth, and families, today announced the appointment of Dr. Dianne Cooney-Miner as Executive Director, effective June 16, 2025.

"After a thoughtful assessment of our organizational needs and future direction, the Board of Directors has unanimously appointed Dr. Dianne Cooney-Miner to lead Children's Institute into its next chapter," said Dr. Larry Perkins, Board Chair. "Dr. Cooney-Miner brings exceptional leadership experience and a proven track record of organizational development, strategic expansion, and successful fundraising that will strengthen our ability to serve children and families. Her expertise in transformation leadership, combined with her longstanding commitment to our community's well-being, makes her uniquely qualified to guide our organization forward."

The appointment follows a strategic evaluation of Children's Institute's current needs and future goals after the departure of the previous Executive Director in March 2024. Terry Hartmann has served as Interim Executive Director during this transition period.

"We extend our deepest gratitude to Terry Hartmann for his dedicated leadership during this interim period," said Dr. Perkins. "His steady guidance has been instrumental in maintaining our core services and operations while the Board conducted its assessment and decision-making process."

Dr. Cooney-Miner is well-known in the Rochester community as the Founding Dean of the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Nursing. Her accomplishments include the development and funding of the St. John Fisher University Golisano Institute for Development Disability Nursing, securing a $10.8 million investment from Thomas Golisano and the Golisano Foundation. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and has extensive experience securing major grants, including a recent NIH research collaboration grant with Rush University and the University of Minnesota worth over $2 million.

"I am honored to join Children's Institute as Executive Director at this pivotal time," said Dr. Cooney-Miner. "Throughout my career, I've been dedicated to creating systems and programs that enhance the well-being of individuals and communities. The mission of Children's Institute—to equitably promote children's social and emotional health—resonates deeply with my personal and professional values. I look forward to working alongside the talented staff, Board, and community partners to strengthen our impact and expand our reach to more children and families who can benefit from our evidence-based programs."

Under Dr. Cooney-Miner's leadership, Children's Institute will continue to provide its core programs, including Primary Project, the RECAP Model, consulting services from Whole Child Connection, and Get Ready to GROW, all of which fulfill the organization's mission of equitably promoting children's well-being, with a focus on their social and emotional health.