Julie Gaddie, Ph.D., has been named president of the Heartland Foundation.

Dr. Gaddie replaces Judith Sabbert, who is set to retire January 31, 2018.

“This is an exciting time for the Heartland Foundation and we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Gaddie as its new leader,” said Mark Laney, MD, CEO of Mosaic Life Care. “With her deep roots in education, her knowledge on how to engage people from all walks of life and her civic leadership, she was by far the best choice as we enter this new era for the Heartland Foundation.”

Dr. Gaddie has served as principal at Lindbergh Elementary School in St. Joseph for the past thirteen years. She was also an administrator at Pickett Elementary in the St. Joseph School District. She has worked as a contracted instructor for Creighton University Interdisciplinary Doctoral Leadership Program for the past three years. Dr. Gaddie earned her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December 2010.

“Together we can build on Heartland Foundation’s commitment to work with schools, community leaders, and health care professionals to think ahead and design the communities where we want to live,” said Dr. Gaddie. “Lasting change across Northwest Missouri requires us to ask – what can Heartland Foundation and Mosaic Life Care do together to create an educated and vibrant community? This is a challenge I couldn’t pass up and I can’t wait to work with the staff to build on the foundation already created.”

During her tenure with the St. Joseph School District, Gaddie was recognized as the St. Joseph Missouri Association of Elementary School Principal of the Year in 2006. In 2007, she traveled to the United Kingdom with Heartland Health to discuss school and community relationships as a part of the Asset Based Community Development International Partnership.

 

Gaddie starts in her new position March 1.