Dungarvin recently welcomed Keenan Pruett to its Project Management team as a National Special Projects Director. She is a Licensed Social Worker with Master’s degrees in Social Work and Business Administration, making her a particularly good fit for her new position. During her career, Keenan has been a Mental Health Therapist and a Director of Behavioral Health Services, among other positions.
Most recently, she was the Director of Clinical Services for a psychiatric hospital in Indiana, a job she found especially meaningful because of the people it served.
“The hospital was known to accept patients who no one else wanted because they had ‘exclusionary criteria,’” Keenan said. “That meant that in addition to a mental illness, a person might also have an intellectual or developmental disability. It was the only hospital in Indiana that would take our friends and neighbors with these complex diagnoses.”
Keenan knew she wanted to be a social worker and a therapist early in her college career, but she hadn’t yet decided the population on which to focus. That became clear after she took a job in upstate New York at a county ARC program. She was the Recreation Coordinator for individuals in day programs and group homes, and she loved it!
“I coordinated all the fun stuff for people to do. I got to take them to concerts, museums, movies, and just get them out in the community,” she said. “I just fell in love with the people I was privileged to serve there, and as a result, never left the field.”
Keenan works remotely from her home office near Indianapolis and will be tackling a wide variety of projects across Dungarvin’s 17 state operations.
You just started your Dungarvin career, but what do you like about it so far?
I like seeing how my contributions and those of my department really serve Dungarvin as a whole, and by extension, improve the quality of services and outcomes for the people we are privileged to serve.
What attributes do you value most in a colleague?
Honesty, humor and kindness. I think we can get a lot done if we can bring those three things to the table.
What do you like to do for fun?
I read a lot. I like to cook and bake; I’m always excited to try new recipes. I also enjoy outside activities, like hiking, kayaking and fishing. I love to browse around antique stores and thrift shops. I also really enjoy live music and I attend shows and concerts as often as I can. At home, I have two dogs and a cat who keep me busy and laughing.
What is a favorite book or movie of yours?
I like rom-coms, period pieces and big budget action blockbusters. But my all-time favorite movie is “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
I have a list of deserted island movies that I’d be happy to discuss with anyone who asks! I don’t have a favorite book, but lately, I am really into Louise Penny and Kate Morton, and I’ve been working my way through the list of winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
If you weren’t working in this field, what would be your dream job?
I’d love to be a travel writer! I love exploring new-to-me areas, and I love to write, so this seems like a perfect fit. Or maybe I’d be a pastry chef.