COTTAGE GROVE – Kyle Riege, 32, the interim director at Family Relief Nursery’s Cottage Grove, Creswell, and Drain locations, said the new role brings an opportunity to help children and youth earlier in life.
The former corrections officer and crisis responder from Indiana’s juvenile detention program said he’s looking forward to working on the preventative side of youth work.
“This seemed like the perfect fit,” he said.
Riege’s six years of experience with troubled youth focused more on the punitive side. He also oversaw group homes for youngsters in Indiana.
When his wife was accepted into the University of Oregon’s law school, he decided a change was in order for his career. He was hired as the program director at Cottage Grove’s FRN facility 2½ years ago, working under former executive director Peggy Whalen, who recently left FRN for a position at UO.
Riege said that during his tenure as program director eight new positions were created, which he said represents about 33% growth for the nonprofit. He said classrooms at all of the nursery locations have returned to their pre-COVID maximum capacity, and waitlists have opened for their services.
As he takes on the new position, Riege brings a “grow from within perspective” with a focus on the self-care of employees, which he said will help continue the FRN’s expansion. “This position is great because I get to kind of create the office’s culture and really bring a culture of self-care, taking care of yourself and actually getting cared for as an employee,” Riege said.
He is already looking down the road, considering a new space in Creswell at some point over the next five years.
“I’d love to see us having space where we have the ability to grow further in that community,” he said. “Families really rely heavily on our classes and programming.”
He said “continuing to grow (the) program to accommodate for the needs of the community” is a top priority.
This reporting is supported by the Catalyst Journalism Project at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication.
