Karla Ann Fales is the president and CEO of REAL Services, Inc., located in South Bend, Indiana, and serves multiple counties in northcentral Indiana. Created in 1966 as part of the planning division of the United Way, Fales is only the 3rd CEO in the agency’s long history. REAL Services serves more than 30,000 older adults and low-income families through more than 30 programs. With over 200 staff, 2,000 volunteers, and a budget exceeding $25 million, REAL Services has a mission to fight for our community’s independence, dignity, and strength.
Before joining REAL Services in March 2022, Fales served as the Chief Executive Officer of CareWell Services Southwest, where she managed the agency’s 60+ employees and $18 million budget for programs and services that promote health, independence, and choice for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and caregivers. Fales previously served as Calhoun County Office of Senior Services Manager, Director of Planning for CareWell Services, Director of Grants Management at Community Action, and Compliance Specialist for W.K. Kellogg Foundation. She also operates a consulting firm specializing in grant development, project management, strategic planning, and organizational leadership.
In December 2020, she was appointed to the Governor’s Protect Michigan Commission. She also earned a Joe D. Sutton Call to Justice Award for her work around elder abuse. Her efforts in this area were published in the Journal of Forensic Nursing, focusing on the Development and Implementation of a Coordinated Community Response to Address Elder Abuse and Neglect (2022, Jul-Sep). She has been honored as an Outstanding Women in Business and a Rotary Hero, Women of the Year for Scene Magazine. Over her career, Fales has demonstrated innovation, creativity, and leadership. Some examples include the development of two elder abuse prevention coalitions, the Dementia Friendly Communities Initiative, and co-founding a community-based Dementia program known as Miles for Memories. She has presented at national and regional conferences and is an elder abuse prevention and dementia trainer.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and Organizational Development and holds a Certified MBA with a concentration in Health Care Administration. She also received a certificate in Gerontology and previously received a certificate in Fundraising and Grants Management and is a trained dementia educator.
Karla and her husband, Gary, currently live in Osceola, Indiana. Her family includes three grown children, three grandboys, and a very demanding and spoiled canine. She enjoys community theatre, line dancing, camping and hiking, and spoiling her three grandsons.
