The Children’s Advocacy Center of Southeastern Indiana has a new Executive Director. Kelli Jette, who grew up in Dearborn County, joined the team after a search from their Board of Directors this September.
Her educational background is extensive, with a Bachelor’s in Music Education from Mount Saint Joseph University, a Master’s from Xavier in Special Education, and a Ph.D. in Educational Studies from the University of Cincinnati.
Her professional career follows a similar trajectory, starting at Moores Hill Elementary and Dillsboro Elementary schools in Dearborn County. “I used to teach with Kelly [Bridges],” says Jette. Bridges is the Associate Director of CAC Southeast. Jette would later work within Cincinnati Public Schools’ alternative education program, and other non-profits in the Avondale neighborhood.
The Indiana Chapter has been providing support during this beginning phase, including meeting twice and introducing Jette to other Indiana Chapter directors. “There was a theme to it,” says Jette. “I walked away from that Chapter meeting feeling that we are all in this together. It is great to feel so supported.”
“I’ve been happy to sit down with Kelli and walk her through all the things the Chapter can do for her. But we also spoke about the nuts and bolts of working together with local partners like prosecutors, state partners like the Department of Child Services, and national accreditation through the National Children’s Alliance,” says Chapter Director Jan Lutz.
“Jan has been wonderful. She supports us, and the system the Chapter provides is really helpful,” says Jette. A roundtable discussion with other Indiana CAC leaders showed Jette, “Everyone here has the same goals and the same client and child-centered focus.”
Thinking about the future
As Jette begins to learn more about the work ahead at CAC Southeast, she’s already started thinking about the future. “CAC Southeast has one of the finest teams I’ve seen in my experience working in a lot of places,” she says. She hopes an expansion of donors and funding can bolster the team’s efforts to expand their education and prevention programs to more than two counties in their ten-county region.
To learn more about Kelli Jette and her background and the future, read more at CACSoutheast.org.
