Obert drops interim title, appointed as president/CEO of Chaddock

QUINCY — The Chaddock Board announced Tuesday the permanent appointment of Matt Obert as the president/CEO of Chaddock.

His appointment follows the Jan. 4 death of Debbie Reed, who had worked for Chaddock since 1994. She also served as chief operating officer, director of planning and special projects, director of marketing and associate director of public relations and marketing. 

Obert, a licensed clinical social worker, has spent more than 30 years in the field of behavioral health leadership. He earned his master of social work degree from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana in 2005, then earned an executive leadership certificate from the University of Michigan School of Social Work and Ross School of Business in 2012.

Obert previously served as the regional director of quality improvement for the Missouri Department of Mental Health Division of Intellectual Disabilities. He was instrumental in initiating and leading the first Family Preservation and Crisis Intervention Team, providing support to families, schools and residential care providers. His work significantly impacted the behavioral health landscape in the region.

During his 16-year tenure at Chaddock, Obert held multiple key roles — director of quality assurance, director of operations, facilities and technology, executive director of Chaddock Attachment and Trauma Services, and vice president of the Chaddock organization.

Obert also has been an active member of several local and statewide boards and committees. On the national level, he serves on the board of directors for the National Association of Children’s Behavioral Health, he’s a commissioner on the National EAGLE Accreditation Board and a member of the Executive Leadership Alumni Board for Social Current. He has worked closely with local, state, and federal legislators to advocate for and influence public policy related to children’s mental health.

Obert also has served on numerous community boards, including 16 years on the Adams County Board.

Obert and his wife, Amy, have been lifelong residents of Adams County. They are parents to four adult children: Jacob, Nathan, Emily and Mathias.

“The board is confident that Mr. Obert’s extensive experience and personal dedication to the field will honor the legacy of Debbie Reed and continue to drive our mission of enhancing the lives of children and families through innovative trauma and attachment-based services. His selection is a testament to Chaddock’s goal of developing future leaders from within the organization,” board chair D.D. Fischer said in a press release.

Chaddock is a not-for-profit, multiservice health and human service organization serving at-risk children and young adults up to age 21, and their families, from throughout the United States.

For more information about this announcement, contact Crystal Zehnle, associate director of marketing and business development, at czehnle@chaddock.org or 217-592-0460.