One Safe Place CEO Departs After Two Decades
The nonprofit now transitions to interim leadership after implementing a new C-suite structure at its Fort Worth facility.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in People
Live Poll
Do you trust that local nonprofit services will remain effective during leadership changes in your community?
Ken Shetter resigned as CEO of One Safe Place on October 5, 2026, marking a leadership transition for the Fort Worth facility. The nonprofit, which provides services for domestic violence and sex trafficking victims, has named Joel Glenn as interim CEO.
Why it matters
The change follows a significant period of institutional maturation for the organization, which now houses more than 25 partner groups under a new C-suite structure. Shetter, who led the entity since 2005, recently updated the bylaws to formalize these operational shifts.
The 67,000-square-foot facility at 1100 Hemphill St. hosted 32,561 client visits and 1,281 intakes in 2025. It currently serves as the physical hub for more than 25 distinct organizations.
The players
Ken Shetter
The founding leader of One Safe Place who established the organization's current C-suite operational structure.
Joel Glenn
The new interim CEO tasked with leading the nonprofit following the departure of its founding executive.
One Safe Place
A Fort Worth-based nonprofit operating a 67,000-square-foot facility that coordinates services for victims through a multi-tenant model.
The details
Under Shetter's leadership, the nonprofit evolved from a founding vision into a complex facility-based operator. The recent adoption of a formal C-suite structure was designed to manage the high volume of cross-organizational traffic and service referrals. These internal policy shifts establish a new management framework that his successor will now oversee.
Timeline
2005: Organization founded.
2014: Facility opened at 1100 Hemphill St.
2014-20: Shetter served as mayor of Burleson.
2025: Organization recorded 32,561 client visits.
October 5, 2026: Shetter stepped down from his position.
Market Landscape
The transition tests the resilience of the administrative reforms implemented over the last year. This leadership change marks a formal departure from the founding era of the facility's C-suite governance structure.
Operators managing multi-tenant facilities should monitor how the updated bylaws and C-suite roles affect service delivery consistency. The shift in leadership signals a point to re-verify contact points for the 25 organizations currently utilizing the shared facility.
The takeaway
Founding leadership transitions often reveal how well a new organizational structure functions without its primary architect. Operators should audit their own current bylaws to ensure leadership roles are clearly defined before an unexpected succession event occurs.
Further reading
For more on executive shifts and organizational governance, explore People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fort Worth Report.
Live Poll
Do you trust that local nonprofit services will remain effective during leadership changes in your community?
