LaFontaine succeeding Ralph as Johnson Nichols Health Clinic executive director

Stephanie LaFontaine

Stephanie Hyten LaFontaine has been named executive director of the Johnson Nichols Health Clinic, a provider of primary healthcare in Greencastle, Spencer and surrounding communities since 1983.

Centerstone, one of the nation's leading not-for-profit providers of community-based mental health and addiction services announced that LaFontaine will replace Ruth Ralph, who retired effective March 14, following a 35-year tenure as Johnson Nichols' executive director.

"Ruth has been an integral part of Johnson Nichols Health Clinic for more than three decades, and we will be forever grateful to her for her leadership, vision and kind heart," Bob Siegmann, vice president of Healthcare Integration, said.

"While Ruth has left big shoes to fill, Stephanie is uniquely qualified to lead the health clinic into the future," Siegmann added. "She has proven herself as a valuable asset to our organization and communities for nearly 20 years. She is fervently dedicated to the health and well-being of the Spencer and Greencastle communities."

In her new position, LaFontaine will oversee and direct the operations, ventures and employees of the Johnson Nichols Health Clinics in Greencastle -- the main site of the Johnson Nichols Health Clinic -- and Spencer.

Her work at Centerstone has included designing and managing a residential program for homeless women and their children and writing grants to secure resources for Centerstone's programs and services

In fact, she wrote the grant to help fund the new integrated health facility in Spencer of which the Johnson Nichols Health Clinic is a part. This new combined clinic will serve both physical and mental health needs of its community, offering a range of primary care and behavioral healthcare services in a new, 9,000-square-foot facility within walking distance of many residential areas in Spencer.

LaFontaine holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology and is a licensed mental health counselor. She is completing her Ph.D. in human development at Indiana University.

Raised in Greencastle, she was delivered by Dr. Ann Nichols, one of the clinic namesakes. Stephanie's parents are Hugh Hyten and Sue Hammond.

Meanwhile, Ralph is looking forward to spending her retirement with her husband Lane and twin grandchildren who will be born in late March.

Centerstone, a not-for-profit organization, has provided a wide range of mental health, substance use disorder and integrated health services to Indiana residents for more than 50 years.

Through more than 60 facilities in 17 Indiana counties, Centerstone serves more than 24,000 children, adolescents, adults and seniors each year