Desiree Jennings

Desiree Jennings serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Children’s Center of Wayne County, where she leads with compassion and a deep commitment to helping children and families shape their futures. She believes that mission-driven leadership is rooted in personal connection and knowledge of the community systems that support children’s well-being.

With a career focused on delivering mission-critical results, Desiree builds and motivates high-performing teams, guiding strategic planning, operational efficiency, and collaborative community partnerships. She is a strong advocate for children’s behavioral health, child welfare, and family support initiatives. Previously, she served as Chief Compliance Officer, leading two successful national accreditations and spearheading quality improvement initiatives.

Desiree holds an MBA and a BA in Psychology from the University of Michigan. She has been recognized as a Top 25 Black Non-Profit Leader (2025) and a “Woman of Excellence” by the Michigan Chronicle (2022). She serves on multiple boards, including PEAK Health Collective, and volunteers her expertise to nonprofits across Metro Detroit.

Tiffany Leid

Tiffany Leid is the Chief Operating Officer at The Children’s Center, leading administrative operations across medical, psychological, revenue, IT, and campus services. She collaborates with directors, peers, and executive leaders to implement strategic initiatives that ensure operational efficiency and support the organization’s mission.

With over 20 years of experience in nonprofit behavioral health administration, Tiffany brings deep expertise in operational leadership, organizational strategy, and process improvement. She is dedicated to creating effective systems that enable staff to deliver high-quality services and positively impact the lives of children and families served by The Children’s Center.

Tracey Ellis

Tracey Ellis serves as the Chief Financial Officer at The Children’s Center, providing strategic leadership and oversight of the organization’s financial operations, reporting, forecasting, and special projects. She ensures financial systems and processes are aligned to support the organization’s mission and long-term sustainability.

With more than 30 years of experience across nonprofit, charter school, government, and for-profit sectors, Tracey is a dynamic financial leader with expertise in building strong financial infrastructure and guiding organizations toward operational excellence. She is also the founder and president of Yecart Accounting Services, LLC., providing accounting and consulting services to businesses and nonprofit organizations across Michigan.

Tracey holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Ferris State University and is widely respected for her strategic financial leadership and commitment to integrity and accountability.

Crystal Coleman

Crystal Coleman is the Chief Program Officer at The Children’s Center, overseeing behavioral health, psychiatric, and psychological services. She works closely with directors, peers, and executive leaders to develop operational strategies that support high-quality care and positive outcomes for children and families.

Crystal began her career as a family case worker in Child Welfare and spent seven years in Juvenile Justice before 16 years in community mental health leadership. She is passionate about promoting mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and ensuring individuals know when and how to access support. She regularly engages in community speaking events, media interviews, and educational panels.

Crystal earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wayne State University and a master’s in Humanistic and Clinical Psychology from the Michigan School of Psychology.