Leading With Purpose - Maureen Dunleavy

MAUREEN DUNLEAVY

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

STRENGTHENIN THROUGH RELA SERVICE, AND B HEALTH LEADER

SISTERHOOD: Early lessons in connection, empathy, and looking out for one another.

BY: REBECCA HERNANDEZ, CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

SHAPED BY COMMUNITY: Early life in Chicago helped form her perspective on people, systems, and support.

FORMATIVE YEARS: Alpha Omicron Pi sisters and the friendships that shaped her.

Before moving to the Florida Keys in 2004, she’d done everything “right.” She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Northern Illinois University and later returned to school for a master’s degree in community counseling from Northeastern Illinois University. She completed her internship on the mobile crisis response team at Aunt Martha’s Youth Service Center, became both a National Certified Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and rose through the ranks at Aunt Martha’s from crisis worker to unit director overseeing multiple programs and offices in the Chicagoland suburbs

True to her Type A personality, she’d sent résumés and cover letters ahead of her move, reaching out to every behavioral health organization she could find in the islands. But not a single one called back. She would later learn that in the Keys, people wanted proof you were staying before they opened a door.

So, for a year and a half, she waited tables on Duval Street and gathered one of the biggest lessons of her life, “You’re never stuck. You can always do something else.” Then one morning before her shift, as she flipped through the Key West Citizen, a small ad caught her eye, “Care Center for Mental Health seeking therapist”.

She circled it, heart lifting. That tiny notice would become a turning point, pulling her back into the work she was born to do, and ultimately shaping two decades of leadership in community behavioral health across the Keys

If the Keys taught Maureen anything early, it was that community is not a concept It’s a practice You don’t just live alongside people here, you live with them And that same thread runs through everything she believes about leadership.

“Community behavioral health is about relationships and service,” she said. Relationships and service. It’s a simple phrase, but it holds the whole job: the trust you build with clients, the partnerships you maintain across schools and courts and corrections, the steady investment in staff when the work gets heavy and the days get long

That investment is personal for Maureen She doesn’t see leadership as a perch She sees it as proximity

“I don’t see myself above other people,” she said “I still do direct service. I still complete assessments. I still cover on call, if needed. I’m not above fixing the toilets. Sometimes I have the IT hat on, I’m fixing computers, I do all the things.”

NEW BEGINNINGS: Early days in the Keys, where a new chapter — and a deeper sense of purpose — began to unfold.

It’s the kind of leadership style that earns loyalty because it gives loyalty High expectations, yes But also a clear message: we’re in this together

That newspaper ad led to her first position in the Keys as a Children’s Therapist at the Care Center for Mental Health. It was a return not just to her profession, but to her purpose. The Care Center served some of the community’s most vulnerable youth and families, and Maureen approached the role the only way she knew how: fully present, fully invested

At the time, the Care Center operated as its own entity, already affiliated with WestCare as part of a broader network of behavioral health providers Not long after Maureen joined, the Care Center and the Guidance Clinic two longstanding pillars of behavioral health in the Keys merged with a third site in Key Largo forming what would become Guidance/Care Center. Through that transition, the deeply local work she had committed herself to became part of a larger mission dedicated to Uplifting the Human Spirit But in those early days, her focus was simple: show up, build trust, and serve

In her first months, Maureen’s work lived where the needs were most acute. She was assigned as a Children’s Therapist in selfcontained classrooms at the local middle school and high school, supporting students with significant mental health and behavioral challenges, including conduct issues that made it difficult for them to remain in a traditional learning environment. It was complex, high-stakes work, and it required equal parts clinical skill and steady presence.

But the way she was welcomed into it nearly sent her right back out the door. “I always tell people I was ready to quit by the third day,” she said “There was no formal orientation, no support. I was just left to figure it out.” For someone who thrives on structure, it was a jarring start. For someone with Maureen’s wiring, it also became an invitation.

So she did what she has always done when the work matters: she figured it out. She asked questions, adapted quickly, and learned how to navigate a role that offered little guidance but immense responsibility. Long before she held a leadership title, she gained a firsthand understanding of what it feels like to step into uncertainty, an experience that would later shape how she supported, guided, and invested in the people who would come after her.

ON THE WATER: Time outdoors that fuels her sense of adventure.

CHERISHED MOMENTS: Time with family that keeps her grounded.

THE WORLD IS your favor

“I never wanted someone else to feel like they were just dropped in without support,” she explained “People do their best work when they feel prepared and valued.”

As Guidance/Care Center grew and evolved, so did Maureen’s role within it. Over time, her responsibilities expanded, first into supervisory roles, and then into broader operational leadership. She stepped into positions including Children and Families Director, Clinical Director, and later Area Director, each one widening her view of the organization and the people who made it work With every transition, she carried forward the lessons she had learned in those early days, especially the importance of supporting staff not just as employees, but as people doing emotionally demanding work.

“I would see people get hired and then didn’t see the investment and the engagement,” she said. “That really stuck with me.” Rather than accepting it as part of the system, she made a decision. She would help build something better Advancement was never about title, it was about influence It was about creating an environment where people felt prepared, supported, and connected to the mission they served.

That perspective eventually became part of her leadership philosophy Maureen understands that growth rarely arrives in predictable ways Moments that feel uncertain often become the ones that shape a person most profoundly. Rather than shielding her staff from those realities, she helps them move through them with trust.

“Don’t worry, it’ll all work out,” she tells them “So much happens in life and we perceive it as negative, and we have no idea the places it will take us. It’s like the world is conspiring in your favor. That’s what I tell people. The world is conspiring in your favor.”

It is a belief rooted in experience. She had lived it herself, in the unanswered résumés, in the waiting tables, in the roles that tested her before they strengthened her.

OPEN HORIZONS: Embracing the belief that life unfolds in her favor.

Now, she passes that perspective forward, helping others find steadiness in uncertainty

That ability to anchor others became one of her defining strengths as a leader and naturally opened the door to greater responsibility.

Eventually, that path led her into executive leadership, first as Vice President and ultimately as Senior Vice President, where she now oversees a network of programs serving individuals and families across the Keys

What made the work sustainable was the same thing that had first drawn her back to it: the community itself In the Keys, professional boundaries and personal connections often overlap in meaningful ways. Colleagues became neighbors. Clients became familiar faces at the grocery store. Partnerships formed not just through formal agreements, but through shared commitment to the well-being of the place they all called home. In fact, the local motto is One Human Family

She found a renewed passion for community mental health grounded in the belief that mental health is something we all carry, not something that belongs to “other people.” In the Keys, that perspective became deeply personal

While the community is beautiful and uniquely connected, it also faces significant stressors, from hurricanes to the high cost of living For decades, Monroe County had one of the highest suicide rates in the state, with housing instability emerging as one of the strongest risk factors.

She witnessed friends and neighbors struggle to access resources, and lives were lost. Rather than discouraging her, these realities deepened her commitment, strengthening both her passion and her connection to the community she serves.

That sense of connection became deeply personal after Maureen was injured in a bicycle accident In the weeks that followed, members of the community organized fundraisers to support her recovery, many of them were people she had worked alongside or served over the years. It was a meaningful reminder that the relationships she had invested in were real, enduring, and mutual. The community she had committed herself to had, in turn, committed itself to her.

RECOGNIZED

FOR IMPACT: Receiving the Spirit of Community Award alongside CAC member Elena Spottswood.

RESILIENT SPIRIT: Riding forward with purpose.

Today, Maureen oversees approximately 130 employees across 26 programs and four locations, providing behavioral health services in schools, correctional settings, and community-based environments throughout the Keys. The scope is vast, but her philosophy remains grounded in the same principles she learned early on: show up, stay connected, and never lose sight of the people behind the work.

Each year, she chooses a word as a charge for staff and the agency goal for that calendar year. The last three years the words have been engagement, unity and resilience. No surprise.

Beyond direct clinical services, Maureen has helped strengthen the broader infrastructure that makes behavioral health care and housing accessible across the Keys Through partnerships with regional and statewide networks, she has contributed to expanding programs and improving coordination of care for some of the community’s most vulnerable populations. She is currently finishing a 5-year project of rebuilding The Heron, a housing program that was opened in 1988 in response to the needs of local families and is a 16 bed

Assisted Living Facility with a limited mental health license (AL8523). Located in Marathon, the Heron provides room and board along with supportive services Protecting our mental health housing is key for suicide prevention, housing our most vulnerable adults and keeping them close to their families. By the end of this year, the residents will be able to move in.

Under her leadership, Guidance/Care Center also has grown and expanded many community-based programs, including mobile crisis response, medication-assisted treatment, and hospital bridge programs. This year, transportation services for those who are disadvantaged assist with travel between islands to access treatment or to reach the mainland for specialty care. GCC ‘s Florida Keys Transportation removes one of the most significant barriers to care in Monroe County’s geographically dispersed landscape. These efforts reflect her understanding that effective behavioral health support extends beyond therapy rooms. It requires systems that meet people where they are and help them reach where they need to go.

BREAKING GROUND: With WestCare CEO Ken Ortbals and Frank Rabbito at The Heron groundbreaking.

THE HERON: Expanding access to mental health housing in the Keys

kept encouraging me to apply for the CCBHC status,” she said.

That same philosophy guided one of the most significant organizational milestones of her leadership

One of the people who played a pivotal role in encouraging that step forward was Frank Rabbito, a respected South Florida community leader who previously served as Chief Operating Officer of WestCare’s Florida Region and is now a member of the President’s Legacy Council. His mentorship helped shape Maureen’s path as a leader. She credits his guidance with helping her navigate pivotal decisions and expand her vision for what the organization could become

When she hesitated to pursue the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic designation, unsure of the scale and responsibility it would require, she was encouraged to move forward. “Frank Rabbito

His guidance and support helped transform hesitation into action. What once felt like an overwhelming responsibility became an opportunity to strengthen the organization in ways that would benefit both staff and the community for years to come.

That encouragement helped set the stage for one of the initiatives Maureen is most proud of: Guidance/Care Center’s transition to becoming a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), a model designed to expand access to comprehensive, coordinated behavioral health services. The designation represents a significant commitment, requiring expanded infrastructure, enhanced reporting, and the ability to serve individuals regardless of their ability to pay.

WORKING TOGETHER: With Florida leaders advancing behavioral health in the Keys.

SUPPORT IN ACTION: Expanding safe transportation for those in crisis.

LEADING THE WAY: Advancing behavioral health through advocacy and leadership.

N’T LEADERSHIP IS LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT ABOUT CONTROL IT’S ABOUT

CREATING CREATING

SPACE FOR OTHERS

to thrive.

Maureen

Dunleavy to thrive.

allowed Guidance/Care Center to reach more individuals, strengthen continuity of care, and build systems that better supported both clients and staff. Looking back, Maureen sees it as a defining step in the organization’s evolution, one that aligned perfectly with the mission she had carried out since her earliest days as a therapist: making sure people have access to the support they need, when they need it

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Maureen’s life in the Keys is grounded in the same sense of connection and belonging that defines her leadership She met her husband, Kevin, here and they built a home. He came into her life right after that bicycle accident and his steady presence was a constant source of support throughout her journey.

Together, they have built a life shaped by both routines and shared adventures, embracing the rhythms of island living that first drew her there years ago

When asked how she maintains balance amid the weight of her responsibilities, Maureen points to the importance of stepping away and gaining perspective. She and Kevin make the most of their time off, using vacations not simply as rest, but as opportunities to explore the world together. Travel allows her to reset, to experience new places and cultures, and to return with renewed clarity and energy It is both escape and expansion, a reminder that even those deeply committed to serving their communities must also make space to nurture their own sense of wonder and take care of their own mental health.

A LIFE TOGETHER: Honoring a partnership rooted in love and shared experience.

“I can’t do this job if I am burnt out and start to experience resentment. I always say community behavioral health is hard, but so rewarding. Taking a break helps me do what I do best.”

Beyond physical activity and travel, Maureen also embraces creativity and play She and Kevin participate in all the Key West annual festivities. At Halloween this includes creative themed costumes that allow them to step into entirely different worlds, if only for a moment. In fact, the 2015 Masquerade March (dressed as Pac Man ghosts) ended in a marriage proposal These experiences offer something

: A

night that led to a life-changing

rare and valuable: the freedom to disconnect from responsibility and reconnect with imagination. It is another reminder that leadership is not defined by constant seriousness, but by the ability to remain fully human, curious, and open to joy.

Maureen and Kevin share their home with their three beloved cats, whose personalities and daily companionship provide a gentle counterbalance to the demands of her role. It is in these quieter moments, away from meetings and decisions, that Maureen finds space to recharge, reflect, and remain connected to the life she has built beyond her title.

This grounding has been essential Leadership, she has learned, is not sustained by ambition alone. It is sustained by balance, by relationships, and by the sense of home that makes the work meaningful.

Years ago, she stood in a restaurant on Duval Street, uncertain of what would come next. Today, she stands at the helm of an organization that touches thousands of lives across the Keys. The path between those moments was not linear, but it was purposeful Through every transition, one principle has remained constant: leadership is not about standing apart. It is about standing alongside. It is about showing up, investing in people, and helping build systems that allow others to succeed.

And for Maureen, that work continues, one relationship, one decision, and one act of service at a time.

LOOKING AHEAD: Taking in the view and all that lies beyond.

HOME LIFE: Mikey, Wizzie, and Goldie, bringing comfort and companionship.

A MEMORABLE MOMENT

playful

question.