Karen A. Kangas, Ed.D.

July 9, 2008

The AU Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Karen A. Kangas, Ed.D. has been named AU's Executive Director effective July 9, 2008.

Dr. Kangas had been Interim Executive Director of AU since December 7, 2007. Prior to that, she held the position of Director of Community Education and Communications at the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), and was a member of the Commissioner's Executive Group before her retirement from DMHAS. Dr. Kangas has also been a teacher, school administrator, education consultant, lecturer, and producer of video presentations on mental health which have been distributed throughout the United States. In addition, working closely with AU's founding director Yvette Sangster, Dr. Kangas was very involved in the start up of Advocacy Unlimited, successfully advocating for and obtaining statewide support and funding.

Dr. Kangas' strong advocacy for people with psychiatric disabilities has made her the recipient of national and local awards, including:

• The Clifford Beers Award in association with the National Mental Health Association;
• The Roger Sherman Award, an annual Connecticut Human Rights Award;
• The First Annual Excellence in Advocacy Award (1998) presented by Advocacy Unlimited, Inc., a statewide Connecticut advocacy group (this award was subsequently renamed The Karen Kangas Excellence in Advocacy Award);
• Additionally, Dr. Kangas was honored in the National Council of Jewish Women "Dare to Be Different" millennium calendar.

Also see Karen Kangas - A True Champion and Giant, a testimonial from DMHAS Commissioner Thomas A. Kirk, Jr., Ph.D. (opens in a new browser window).