Michael Liimatta

Professional Career

Chief Operating Officer (2020-present)
Healing House, Inc.4505 St. John Ave.
Kansas City MO 64123  www.healinghousekc.org

Since 2002, Healing House has provided recovery housing and supportive services to men and women who are overcoming substance use disorders. The largest provider of these services in Missouri, the organization operates several private homes and two multifamily residences.

Executive Director (2017 – 2020) Footprints, Inc.
2015 E. 35th Street, Kansas City MO 64110  www.kcfootprints.org

Since 2001, Footprints has brought help and healing to those in recovery from substance use disorders and shelter and hope for homeless veterans. The organization operates an inner city recovery support center for people overcoming substance use disorder in Kansas City’s urban core and Heroes Home Gate, a short-term residence for homeless veterans funded by the U.S. Veterans Administration.

• Doubled operating revenue in two years by managing multiple income streams including federal, state and county fee-for-service contracts, private foundation grants and individual contributions.
• Managed a growing, balanced budget while building the organization’s cash reserves.
• During tenure, the organization established an outpatient treatment program/recovery support center that served over a 400 individuals seeking to overcome substance use disorders per year.
• Obtained Missouri Department of Mental Health certification for treatment programs.
• Developed a team of professional counselors and peer support specialists to staff the new outpatient treatment and recovery support programs

Manager of ConnectHome, Office of the Secretary (2015 -2016)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
251 7th Street S.W. Washington, DC 20410 – connecthome.hud.gov

Worked with the Office of the Secretary as manager of ConnectHome, a White House/HUD initiative to close the digital divide for families in public housing. The pilot program was intended to demonstrate the effectiveness of public/private partnerships to promote broadband adoption among some of America’s lowest income families.

• Developed and executed strategies that brought broadband access in federal public housing to over 30,000 families with school-age children in 27 U.S. cities and the Choctaw Nation

• Worked with government officials and leaders of the housing authorities in the participating cities to assess their need for digital inclusion and to execute strategies to get more low income families online.
• Managed relationships with companies that provided broadband Internet and other services to cities involved with this project; Google, Comcast, T-Mobile, Sprint, Frontier.

President/CEO, Co-Founder (2011-2015), Connecting for Good
3210 Michigan Ave, Kansas City, MO 64109 – www.connectingforgood.org

Connecting for Good is a nonprofit organization that has been bridging the Digital Divide in Kansas City since 2011 with wireless mesh networks, community technology centers, low cost refurbished PCs and free digital life skills classes.

• Organized new nonprofit organization; incorporation with the state, IRS tax exemption, recruiting board and staff members, securing facilities, raising funds through grants and social enterprise.
• While leading the organization, over 10,000 local low-income families received Internet connections, digital training and computers.
• Staff IT specialists provided hundreds of local nonprofits with tech support, discounted refurbished PC equipment and network installations.one-third of the organization’s annual operating budget while serving as a platform for training inner city youth in IT skills.
• Partnered with over seventy-five community agencies to close the Digital Divide in Kansas City.

Chief Academic Officer, City Vision University,  2008 — 2016

After serving as director of the college for three years, assumed the role of chief academic officer in January 2012.   The decision was based on a desire to get back to being more   directly involved with students and faculty members.   City Vision College of Kansas City, Missouri is the accredited Internet-based distance learning program of TechMission, based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its mission is to provide practical online education to those involved in urban outreach, nonprofit management and addiction counseling. The original curriculum for the college was developed in 1990 as a joint degree program offered by Grace University in Omaha, NE and the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions.

• Oversaw curriculum development including creation of two new Bachelor of Science degree completion programs in Addiction Studies and Nonprofit Management.
• Led the process of obtaining federal student aid and other types of scholarships.
• Worked with national accreditation, certification from professional associations, and with state and federal government bodies that relate to the college.
• Supervised, recruited and trained faculty members
• Coordinated partnerships with national organizations and local nonprofits for student recruiting and placement of interns
• Worked with engineers and web professionals to ensure the quality of the learning experiences of online students.
• Led the management transition of City Vision College from the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions to TechMission, Inc.

Principal, OneAccord Not-for-Profit,   2009 – 2012

Consultant to several nonprofit organizations in the areas of strategic planning, programming, organizational effectiveness, leadership transitions and fund development.

AGRM, was based in Kansas City, Missouri during my tenure. It is a network of over 300 faith-based agencies that work with the homeless and needy in urban centers throughout North America.

• Founded and served as chief administrator for RESCUE College, an accredited Internet-based distance education program offering nonprofit management training (became City Vision College in 2008).
• Achieved nearly 100% placement of graduates of bachelor and certificate programs.
• Developed initial curriculum college-level courses in the field of nonprofit management. Recruited and supervised working professionals to serve as off-site instructors.
• Led effort to obtain accreditation for the college from the nationally recognized Distance Education and Training Council.
• Coordinated and upgraded the association’s professional certification program which recognizes member organizations that maintain rigorous standards in the areas of health and safety, programming, administration and fund raising.
• Managed training events for professional development and networking of association members.
• Created training materials for counselors and provided consulting for organizations in administration and development of addiction recovery services.
• Served as chief architect of the association’s web site (www.agrm.org), launched in1995, and involved with its on-going development.
• Wrote a regular column in the association’s magazine for fifteen years.
• Worked with a diverse group of individuals in supervising department employees and volunteers, task forces and committees, and worked the association’s board of trustees to accomplish the mission of the organization.
• Served as speaker and lecturer for various events, seminars, and workshops.

Consultant & Web Development, InfoWeb Services,    1997-2003

• Founded a firm that specialized in web site development and Internet consulting for nonprofit organizations and associations.
• Developed web site content, design, and interactivity for over twenty nonprofit organizations and associations utilizing leading edge Internet technologies.
• Consulting with organizations in the area of online strategy, member/constituent services, e-giving and marketing.

New Creation Center in Atlantic Mine, Michigan was a twenty-bed residential treatment facility serving indigent drug addicted and alcoholic men and outpatient counseling programs for the chemically dependent and their family members.

• Established 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation by recruiting first board of directors and obtaining tax-exempt status with IRS and the State of Michigan.
• Developed effective counseling and treatment programs and recruited and supervised professional counseling staff.
• Obtained licensure from Michigan Dept. of Public Health, Office of Substance Abuse Services for the organization’s programs and services.
• Implemented multi-faceted fundraising program including; direct mail, telemarketing, media, special events, planned giving, personal solicitation, and foundation support. Organized capital campaigns for procurement and expansion of counseling and treatment facilities.

Counselor/Institutional Outreach Worker, Midwest Challenge, 1977-1979
Midwest Challenge, Minneapolis, Minnesota – a residential treatment facility for alcoholics and drug addicts.

• Member of counseling staff providing services to alcoholic and drug-addicted men in a residential program.
• Developed on-going program of case-finding/pre-admission counseling to support individuals in hospitals and correctional institutions awaiting admission to residential program

Education

• MA in Organizational Administration, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Olathe, KS
• Bachelor of Theology, Inter-Lutheran Theological Seminary, Minneapolis, MN

Ordination

• 1984 – Wisconsin/Northern Michigan District of the Assemblies of God

Credentials

• Certified Reciprocal Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CRADC)
• Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor
• Medication-Assisted Recovery Specialist
• Certified Peer Specialist (CPS)

Specialties: My core competencies are strategic planning, revenue development, program development & evaluation, professional training, e-learning, and web development & marketing.

Myers-Briggs Personality Type:  ENTJ

Gallup’s CliftonStrengths: 1)  Strategic 2)  Woo  3)  Communication  4)  Individualization  5)  Achiever

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