Welcoming PCMH’s New Executive Director: Five Questions for Michele Lueck

We’re thrilled to welcome our new executive director Michele Lueck to Partners for Children’s Mental Health! A visionary leader, Michele previously served as the President and CEO of the Colorado Health Institute (CHI), where she led a decade of expansion — growing CHI from a $1.5M to a $6M organization.

As part of her new role at PCMH, Michele serves as a Senior Clinical Instructor, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She also chairs the board of Adams State University. In 2020, she was selected as a Denver Business Journal Most Admired CEO.

Nearly one month in, Michele sat down to answer five questions to help us get to know her better.

You’re almost one month into your new role. What has been your favorite part of the job so far?

My favorite part of this new role is diving in and exploring the talent and passion that PCMH and its parent organizations – Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Medicine – have to create better mental health systems for our children. We are in a state of crisis that includes an epidemic of youth suicide and increasingly poor mental health of our children. I am inspired by the urgency and commitment my colleagues have to improving our world.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your new role?

Our professional challenge at PCMH is to make a difference and support the tremendous work already going on. When we think of what we must do to change our course, the simple answer is that we must do everything. But figuring out how to be additive and complementary to all the efforts underway while bringing to our communities the best and most innovative programs and services is our current challenge. Personally, my challenge is navigating large organizations, coming from a small nonprofit. Tapping into all these resources is both exciting and daunting.

What should Coloradans know about youth mental health?

To right the ship, so to speak, of our downward mental health trajectory, will take all of us. All of us must be part of the solution. We will not create a culture where all kids can thrive both physically and mentally without all of us taking on a mental health provider role. Check in with that neighbor kid of yours, take a suicide prevention training, engage with kids at your place of prayer or play. We are all in this together.

When you’re not in the office, where are we most likely to find you?

You are most likely to find me walking my dogs or on my Peloton, but not both at the same time! My dogs – Harry and Sunny – are my steadfast companions, especially during my home office days. Sunny likes to sit on couches, so he’s often featured in my zoom backgrounds. Exercise is important to me, so I have located my stationary bike in a place where I must fall over it to move around my house – a good, permanent reminder!

What do you want PCMH partners to know about you?

The first word in PCMH is Partners. This is a concept and approach that matters deeply to me. We aspire to be trusted, capable partners – to each other, to our colleagues at CHCO and SOM, and to the community at large. Over the next year, I am looking for ways to engage, support, and partner. We need to be aligned in our approaches to focus on what’s most important – the health of children.

If you’d like to partner with PCMH or simply send Michele a warm welcome, you can reach her at michele.lueck@childrenscolorado.org.