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SIOUX FALLS, SD – Lost & Found is proud to introduce its new Board President, Dr. Anne Wessels Kelly, the current Dean of the College of Leadership and Public Service and Chair of the Psychology Department at Dakota Wesleyan University. Dr. Kelly is the third President to serve L&F.
Dr. Kelly joins the team as current President, Erik Muckey, transitions to the role of Executive Director and CEO of Lost & Found. Muckey will lead L&F’s growing campus operations in his new role.
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“I would like to express my thanks to the members of the Board for inviting me to serve as President,” says Dr. Kelly. “I am honored that the Board has placed trust in me and am eager to be part of this talented and dedicated group. I am looking forward to a busy year promoting mental health and preventing suicide among college students.”
A faculty member at Dakota Wesleyan since 2000, Dr. Anne Kelly earned her B.A. from the Evergreen State College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno. As a Certified Psychological Autopsy Investigator, she has worked with bereaved individuals and families in several states to conduct psychological autopsy research, both at the request of the American Association of Suicidology and of those who have established contact privately.
Dr. Kelly began her work in suicidology as an undergraduate, assisting her advisor and the Nisqually Indian Tribe with the development of suicide prevention programs to build a healthier community. Her work in prevention programming was subsequently supported by the Sicangu Lakota Youth Center on the Rosebud Reservation, where she worked closely with undergraduate youth mentors to collaborate on creative expression projects. As a Certified QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Trainer, Dr. Kelly supports suicide prevention by educating the public about signs of suicidal behavior.
For her 2015 sabbatical semester, at the invitation of the Georgia Department of Health, Dr. Kelly organized and analyzed county and state suicide data; collaborated with stakeholders to author a history of suicide prevention in Georgia; and made recommendations for future research and statewide prevention. Her efforts have been recognized many times at DWU, most recently with the Clarke Award for Teaching Excellence in 2013 and the Dave and Ann Mitchell Award for Exemplary Service in 2018. Dr. Kelly serves on the State Advisory Committee for South Dakota Youth Suicide Prevention and is the chair of the Mitchell Area Suicide Prevention Coalition.
“Anne is, without question, one of the top leaders in this sector in South Dakota and beyond,” says Muckey. “Our team will greatly benefit from her leadership, her passion, and her commitment to this field. We are fortunate to know Anne and work alongside her.”
Muckey, who has served as L&F President since 2014, has gradually stepped into the role of Executive Director, where he will oversee current operations and programming at the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University, while also working alongside the L&F Board of Directors to identify new areas of growth.
Says Muckey: “It’s been an exciting year of growth and change in our organization. The time has come for us to step into the next stage as a nonprofit and into our focus on campus and personal resilience. Our team is ready for Anne’s leadership and the growing impact we can make in South Dakota and beyond.”
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”27px|0px|30px|0px|false|false” _builder_version=”3.3.1″][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image src=”https://www.resilienttoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Lostandfound_logo_shortcolor.png” _builder_version=”3.3.1″ /][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.3.1″] ABOUT THE LOST & FOUND ASSOCIATION
The Lost & Found Association is a Sioux Falls, SD-based 501c3 organization that builds resilient communities and people with compassion, understanding, and inclusion. Through student-led resiliency programs, campus counseling research support, and capacity building efforts, Lost & Found strives to end suicide for young adults in the United States.
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Erik Muckey
Executive Director (CEO)
Phone: 605-549-5281
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