NASHVILLE, Tenn., – Leading reentry program, Dismas House, announces today that the organization’s chief executive officer, Kay Kretsch, will step down from her role as CEO by the end of the year. Kretsch will become a strategic advisor for the nonprofit and work with the board of directors to ensure a smooth transition once the new candidate is in place.
Kretsch began her board service at Dismas House in 2015 where she led the expansion committee for the new 72-bed campus on Charlotte Avenue. She served for two years as the board chair in 2018-2019. In 2020, Kretsch was asked by the board to lead the organization through the startup phase of growing from an 8-bed house on Music Row to 72-beds that happened to coincide with the pandemic.
Through Kretsch’s leadership, Dismas House not only survived the pandemic, serving more formerly incarcerated men than ever before, but also thrived by providing online counseling and additional services for residents. She was instrumental in reimagining the mission and programming of Dismas House to transform lives and strengthen communities by providing the formerly incarcerated with holistic reentry solutions.
Kretsch established the vision to set the national standard for reentry success and introduced the holistic programming at Dismas House that breaks the cycle of incarceration. This past year, Dismas House served 93 formerly incarcerated men
and helped them successfully transition back into society with employment, housing and critical holistic services. In Tennessee, 30% of those released from state prisons are reincarcerated within three years. At Dismas House, the first cohort in 2020 achieved a 10% recidivism rate and the second cohort shows a promising recidivism rate of 2.5%. Subsequent cohorts are achieving a one-year rate of return of zero—indicating the success of the re-envisioned programming.
To achieve these key milestones, Kretsch expanded the team from 10 full-time employees to 23 and grew the budget from $850,000 to $3.6 million. Her creative approach to continually expand programming to reach those in need such as the “Dismas without Walls” program that served 102 justice-involved men and women in the community with persistent mental illness to find meaningful employment and pursue educational opportunities. She was also instrumental in providing programming to noncustodial fathers at Dismas House to reestablish relationships with their children.
Kretsch was named a nonprofit leader “In Charge” for three years in a row by the Nashville Post. In 2024, the Nashville Business Journal honored Dismas House a “Best in Business” award winner. Dismas House also received the Urban Land Institute’s Rose Faegen Community Impact Award and a special mention for Excellence in Development from the Urban Land Institute of The Americas for the campus design.
Kretsch earned an MBA from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. She also is a certified Balanced Scorecard Professional and a certified Key Performance Indicator Professional. She has received numerous awards and recognition in previous roles, including Honeywell Volunteer of the Year and Honeywell Government Contract Representative of the Year. Formerly, she served as chair of the Honeywell Foundation Small and Medium Arts Committee,
secretary of the Arizona Opera Board, chair of the Honeywell Foundation subgroup in Arizona and on the Cigna Government Services Executive Committee earning a Tennessee Quality Award.
“It has been an honor to serve the men of Dismas House and see their transformation firsthand to restore their health and well-being as vibrant members of our community,” says Kay Kretsch, CEO, Dismas House. “I’m grateful to the board, staff, community partners and volunteers who raise the bar to serve more residents and expand our programs. The future of Dismas House is very bright and the expanded team is prepared for the next level of growth.”
“It’s clear that Dismas House would not be where it is today without the vision and leadership of Kay Kretsch,” says Taylor Fortune, board chair, Dismas House. “We extend our immense gratitude to Kay for her graciousness and commitment to leading Dismas House to reach the level of incredible success we have today.”
An executive search for a new CEO is currently underway by the board of directors. Those who are interested in applying for the role may visit https://www.nonprofit-leadership.com/dhceo to learn about requirements and qualifications.
About Dismas House
Founded in Nashville in 1974 by the late Father Jack Hickey, a Vanderbilt University chaplain, Dismas House is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides housing and holistic support services to formerly incarcerated men. Dismas also provides life skills classes, legal support, employment training, access to employment, mental health assessments, behavioral health counseling, substance abuse support and educational programming—all critical services to help formerly incarcerated individuals make a successful transition back into the community. Learn more at dismas.org.
