William Beitz is retiring as executive director of Catholic Charities Bureau Inc. after a quarter century with the Diocese of St. Augustine.
Bishop Felipe Estévez named Laura Hickey, director of the Jacksonville Regional Office since 2005, as the new diocesan director effective Jan. 1.
Beitz was hired in 1987 as director of the Jacksonville Regional Office. He helped to expand the Catholic Charities services to immigrants and refugees, substance abusers and AIDS patients.
In 2005, he was named diocesan executive director after William Tierney retired.
During Beitz’s tenure, Catholic Charities’ budget has grown to more than $5 million.
On a state level, Beitz has served on the Florida Coalition for the Homeless and the Catholic bishops’ task force on human trafficking.
Hickey has a background in health care administration. She worked for St. Vincent’s Hospital from 1977-89 and at Trinity Health Systems in Iowa from 1992-2003.
She was hired in 2005 by Catholic Charities to take over the Jacksonville office when Beitz was promoted to diocesan executive director.
“I have always been an advocate for the underserved and the most vulnerable in our community,” Hickey said.
“I’ve always had the pleasure and privilege of working for organizations with faith-based roots. That distinguishes us,” she said.
“Right now our greatest challenge is the number of individuals and families who need assistance is growing as our resources are becoming more and more limited. We need to make sure we’re leveraging our resources the best we can so we can continue to serve the most vulnerable in our communities,” she said.