MONROE — When former United Way of Green County Executive Director Susie Speer decided she would retire after 17 years, she called Teresa Keehn and told her she should consider applying for the job. 

Keehn said she thought the timing was perfect and began her new role at the beginning of July. 

“It’s a way for me to continue giving back to the community,” Keehn said. “The work the United Way is doing is critically important for our community.”

Keehn, who grew up in Monroe, has never hesitated when it comes to community involvement. She is the daughter of Dave and Jo Ellen Mosher, who are also active in the community. 

Since she moved back to Monroe three years ago, she has been involved in the youth Sunday curriculum at Union Presbyterian Church in Monroe; she was on the Monroe Preschool Board and currently serves on the Monroe School Board. 

After graduating from college and then graduate school, Keehn left Monroe for 19 years while she worked as a school psychologist for the Menominee Indian Reservation. She then lived in Howard’s Grove and stepped into roles as the special education director for the district and an elementary school principal. 

During that time, Keehn and her husband, Kyle had their children, twins Will and Brady, 11; and Julia, 6. Although they both loved their jobs, Keehn said they realized they wanted to be closer to home. 

“We didn’t have any family there,” Keehn said. “That’s really hard.”

The Keehns moved back to Monroe where they could be closer to family and it allowed her to stay home with her children. She was grateful to spend more time at home and with her youngest daughter before she started school – but she admittedly has a personality that she said doesn’t allow her to just sit at home. 

“My parents and my husband instilled in me that it’s really important to be involved and give back to the community.”

That’s when she immersed herself in volunteering for the community. In addition to being involved with her children’s schools and the church, Keehn served on the Green County United Way Allocation Committee, where she met Speer.

The allocation committee interviews people who work with programs such as the Green County Food Pantry, Sexual Assault Recovery Program, Green Haven and Family Promise to help decided how to disperse funds to best help the community. 

Keehn said she would encourage anyone who wants to be a part of the committee to do so and describes it as “an incredibly humbling process.”

With a more hands-on role, Keehn said she’s eager to work with local agencies and develop plans in being better together. She hopes to continue to carry out United Way’s mission to build a stronger community by reuniting people and resources to solve problems. 

One of Keehn’s goals is to develop a group of young leaders because she is well aware of the importance of getting involved early on. 

She is also looking forward to working more with Green County Leaders, an educational program where individuals practice leadership skills and deepen their understanding of community issues. 

“Our community is only what we make of it,” Keehn said. “So we all need to get involved and step up.”