Fearless 7.14.25

Good morning, Fearless readers:

It's time again for one of my favorite parts of Fearless – Suzanna de Baca's "Leading Fearlessly"column. I'm always inspired by the impressive array of women she gathers to share their insights.

Suzanna is also one of 10 inspiring women being honored as the 2025 Women of Influence. Have you purchased your tickets yet?

In this week’s Fearless e-newsletter, you will find:

A closer look with Ellipsis CEO Kelly Hannan.
A column from Suzanna de Baca on women's struggles to accept recognition.
In the headlines: Claudia Schabel joined Iowa Women’s Foundation as vice president of programs.
In case you missed it: Sara Hopkins and Emily Westergaard shared their unique hobby.
Lots more!

— Macey Shofroth, Fearless editor

Kelly Hannan feels like she’s from everywhere.

She was born in Rochester, Minn. Her family spent time in Waterloo and Minneapolis before moving to Urbandale when she was 16. She attended college in Pella and studied overseas for a time. She now lives in Dallas Center.

“I’m a person that feels like home is where I am,” she said.

Now, Hannan’s professional life has taken her to a role where she helps youth find safe, comfortable places that might feel like home. She succeeded Chris Koepplin as CEO of Ellipsis on April 28. Ellipsis is a Des Moines-based nonprofit that provides services like behavioral health support and residential care for children and families in need. Hannan previously worked as chief operating officer at Iowa Primary Care Association.

In her new role, Hannan is guiding the organization as it expands its services and provides more spaces for children to feel safe and cared for.

We sat down with Hannan to catch up on her first two months with Ellipsis.

These responses have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

What drew you to Ellipsis’ mission?
I have always been incredibly passionate about kids and families. I have several nieces and nephews in addition to my boys. I have personal connections in my family to the foster care system and kids with special needs. When I learned about this position at Ellipsis, I was looking for a new challenge, a place where I could utilize my leadership skills and my knowledge of community health, social drivers of health, the Medicaid system, and use that in a new way that supports kids and families. It was just a great fit not only for my skills but also my heart. I just really believe in the potential of kids. I think it’s so critical, and that’s really what Ellipsis is all about — that potential that kids, no matter what they’ve been through, with the right supports and services and the right people wrapped around them, can achieve their potential.

How did your work at Iowa Primary Care Association prepare you for your current position?
The coalition-building at the Iowa PCA is really strong. That’s a really collaborative organization. We always had the philosophy, and it was really led by our CEO Aaron Todd, that we couldn’t be the only answer. We had to get things done through partnership. That type of leadership and that type of attitude is perfect for the complex environment we find ourselves in. I think those relationships and partnerships are so important. Ellipsis has a lot of strong partnerships with HHS, other providers across the state, law enforcement, schools. We have to be working together. There’s not one service provider that can be the be-all end-all for these kids.

What have your first two months in this position been like?
It’s been a whirlwind. The first month, I was just trying to informally get around and meet as many staff as possible — our program directors, case managers, youth care workers, even interact with some of the kids to the extent possible. Just to get a feel for what a day in the life looks like. That will certainly be ongoing. The other really important thing is I had this overlap with the prior CEO for a month, which was great. I met with a lot of those collaborative partners: HHS, law enforcement, city officials, other providers. A lot of community meetings and getting out and talking to our donors, introducing myself and talking to them about why I took the job and how I’m finding it so far. There has also been a lot of interaction with the senior team here at Ellipsis, who is very tenured, and just doing a lot of listening and learning to understand our services and programs to the extent possible.

What are some of the issues the children of Iowa are facing today? How do you think community leaders can better address those issues?
I feel very humbled to answer that question. I think the main thing is that these kids are complex. No one is like the other. They need individualized care plans and services. One doesn’t always look like the next and so that requires a diversification of services and options for the kids. Sometimes programmatically, different residential programs are set up to do a certain set of things, and we bring in outside services to complement that. An example would be the Pediatric Integrated Health Home program, where you’re integrating some other medical and behavioral health services. People are trying to figure out what the right set of services are, and those need to be invested in. Again, if we believe in the potential of kids, we can’t leave out teens that are getting ready to age out of the system. We have to continue to support them. Ellipsis does that with our supervised apartment living and transition to adult living. We have programs and other providers do as well, but there’s certainly a need for those kids that don’t fit the standard and are referred to in the industry as higher acuity youth. So just more support and services around higher acuity youth that have more complex needs than your average group foster care resident. For foster families or people becoming foster families, there are some programs around specialized foster families that have a higher level of training for these higher acuity youth.

Tell us about some important lessons you’ve learned from children.
Definitely patience. As adults, we think of things in a very logical order. You hear it and then you apply it and you’ve learned your lesson. I think with kids, there’s this trial and error component of learning lessons. I’ve talked with my kids about celebrating failures and mistakes and not shaming about those, because those are how kids are learning. They’ve taught me to be less of a critic, less of a perfectionist, because they’ve shown me that’s how they’re learning when they make a bad choice. And you talk through that like, ‘Why did you make that choice? What did you learn?’ That’s really taught me to be more patient and to understand that we learn from making mistakes and not expect perfection. I truly believe that kids need to know that they’re good inside and they’re not defined by their behaviors.

What do you hope to accomplish with Ellipsis in your first year as CEO? The years beyond?
In the first year, I’m hoping to continue to stabilize our programming. Ellipsis has been through tremendous growth the last five years or so with the merger of Youth Emergency Services & Shelter and Youth Homes of Mid-America, and the integration of those businesses takes time. We’re opening a new girls qualified residential treatment program and supervised apartment living over on Meredith Drive, and that’ll happen at the end of July or early August. It’s part of our Hopeful Spaces campaign and that’s just about giving these kids the spaces that they deserve to really thrive. Then we’re just looking at continued ways to diversify our programming and meet the needs of the community. There’s some other residential treatment options that we’re exploring that provide more specialized, higher levels of care. Just continuing to provide high quality residential and behavioral health services to our kids and community is my goal.

At a glance
Age: 49
Hometown: Dallas Center
Family: Two sons; Ziggy, age 6, and Abe, age 12
Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Central College and MBA from the University of Iowa
Activities: Pickleball, reading, walking her dog, bike riding with kids, supporting the Minnesota Timberwolves
Contact: kelly.hannan@ellipsisiowa.org

It happened again. I received a call about receiving an award – and my immediate instinct was to resist it. A familiar whisper began in my head: "This can’t be right. There are countless others far more deserving."My brain, it seems, has a default setting for "deflect and deny."But after a deep breath, I reminded myself: Yes, others may be equally deserving – but if someone chose to recognize my work, there’s probably a good reason behind their decision.

Resisting or deflecting recognition is a reaction I’ve heard countless times from other accomplished women. Congratulate them on a well-earned achievement, and you’ll often hear: "Oh, it was nothing"or "So-and-so on the team really did most of the work."It’s as if we’ve been handed the same secret script for minimizing our brilliance. While humility has its place, it’s equally important – especially for women – to accept recognition with grace. I vividly recall a former boss, after I downplayed his praise after a successful client presentation, smiling and firmly instructing me: "Look, when someone hands you a compliment like that, there's only one acceptable response – 'Thank you.'"

This simple “thank you” proves elusive for many. In the Inc. article “Science Shows Accepting a Compliment Takes a Little Courage (and a Lot of Emotional Intelligence),” author Jeff Hadan references a study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology showing that individuals with low self-esteem often struggle to accept compliments, doubting their sincerity. Even for those with confidence, discomfort often creeps in.

Similarly, a Harvard Business Review article, “What to Do When Praise Makes You Uncomfortable,” by Mark Goulston explores research from Christopher Littlefield of AcknowledgementWorks. Littlefield found that while 88% of people associate recognition with feeling valued, nearly 70% feel discomfort or even embarrassment receiving it. This explains why so many of us play “compliment ping-pong”: deflecting praise by immediately reciprocating, shifting credit to a team or downplaying our role entirely. These knee-jerk responses, shaped by culture and habit, undermine the compliment’s intent.

But here’s the truth: Recognition is often more about the giver than the receiver. When someone offers you an award or kind words, they’re sharing their experience of your impact – not asking for your agreement. Rejecting it is like declining a thoughtful gift. Instead, accept it and, if you’re able, let them know their words mattered. That simple exchange validates their decision and generosity.

For women, this struggle is intensified by social conditioning that rewards modesty and discourages self-acknowledgement. A Psychology Today article, “Why Women Can’t Accept Compliments,” by Jen Kim cites research that shows women with high self-esteem may reject compliments to appear modest, reinforcing cultural expectations. But when we consistently deflect recognition, we reinforce a cycle that silences not just ourselves, but other women as well.

By accepting praise – whether in the form of awards, kind words or compliments – we model a healthier behavior. We show others, especially the next generation of women, that it’s not only acceptable but essential to acknowledge our contributions. It strengthens our leadership and cultivates a culture of mutual recognition.

Most of us do not do our work to receive honors or awards. But ultimately, even if we believe we don’t need recognition, life is enriched by it. When we deflect praise, we shut ourselves off from connection, appreciation and inspiration. By relating to recognition as a gift, becoming mindful of our responses and practicing a simple “thank you,” we create space for authentic gratitude – both given and received.

So let’s normalize hearing and accepting the appreciation that comes our way. The next time someone offers you an award, recognition or praise – just pause, take a breath, and simply say, “Thank you.”

Insights from Leaders
I turned to local leaders and asked them to share a moment when they were recognized or praised for their work – and how they responded to it.

Sophia S. Ahmad, vice president of philanthropy, WesleyLife

Serving in philanthropy has taught me an important lesson. We live in a world of gratitude and we must model receiving it as gracefully as we share it.

Accepting recognition honors the giver's perspective and completes the circle of appreciation. By accepting recognition, we acknowledge the effort others invested in noticing that contribution. When we deflect praise, we reject a gift – the gift of knowing that our efforts are making a difference. Accepting a compliment also provides an opportunity to recognize others who worked alongside us or behind the scenes to make an initiative, experience or project possible.

By accepting recognition gracefully, we also model to others – especially the next generation of women – that acknowledging our contributions is acceptable and essential.

When providing recognition, I enjoy focusing on how the recipient earned the acknowledgment. This intentional specificity honors their deliberate actions and unique contributions, acknowledging the proactive role they played in their achievement.

Liz Cooney, DEI practitioner
I’m someone who is uncomfortable with public recognition and praise. Because like many women, I’ve been conditioned to not take full credit whenever others could be thanked or praised for their contributions also. So, when two colleagues nominated me for an award that I eventually won, I struggled not to attribute my professional success to those who coached, supported and guided me along the way. It was when I recently nominated a friend for a professional award that I understood the power of this public moment. Not only was I thrilled that they won, but I see the ripple effect of inspiration that such a moment has on others. So, whether you are giving or receiving the praise, enjoy the moment. We know it takes a village but you deserve the individual spotlight every once in a while. Soak it up, give thanks, then pay it forward.

Ana Coppola, public health planner, Polk County Health Department
When I was called to write this article, my first thought was how honored I felt to be chosen. Recognition that I bring value.

However, after further consideration, I thought that this topic has nothing to do with me. It is more about the recognition of others when they excel. For instance, recognizing someone who’s giving their best, even though you may be doubling their output.

The art of recognition is the ability to recognize when you’ve done wrong and take steps to remedy. It is having the courage to say “I’m sorry.” And the desire to find out how you make things better.

At the end of the day, it’s about being a good person for yourself and the community.

Jacquie Easley McGhee, division director, health equity, MercyOne
The importance of accepting praise was a lesson I learned 30 years ago when I was recognized by the Business Record with their inaugural Community Involvement award. I am indebted to Connie Wimer for lifting me up at a challenging point where I was struggling to balance my professional career with a demanding volunteer position as president of the Des Moines School Board while raising a 4-year-old child. At the time, I was the first woman elected to the board who worked full-time outside the home. This recognition allowed me to share my experience and emboldened other professional women to pursue community board and commission roles.

A final thought on accepting praise: A woman approached me in the grocery store and told me she had been following me as I presided over board meetings, saying: “You really have improved.” I responded: “Thank you for watching and caring about our community.”

Angela Jackson, owner/design consultant, The Great Frame Up
This week I shared with a colleague how impressed I was that her efforts on an innovative project continuing to flourish to benefit our community. I told her to "take your flowers.” Initially she refused my praise instead giving credit to others as women often do.

After much encouragement she walked away with a bouquet of imaginary flowers in her hands and a BIG smile.

Later in the afternoon of the same day, a different colleague walked into my office and gave me a fresh bouquet of sunflowers. It was a full circle moment. So I received them warmly with joy! The art of recognition allows us to see the beauty in others and uplift them. It also can significantly contribute to our own well-being when we are recognized for our personal contributions.

Beth Jones, director of community impact, Delta Dental of Iowa
To me, recognition is a powerful tool that goes beyond acknowledging someone's efforts; it builds relationships. Whether it is recognizing another team member, or receiving recognition, the art of saying thank you is equally meaningful for both the giver and the receiver. The “Iowa nice” culture is special and something that makes us unique, it also makes it easy to deflect compliments and recognition. The simple act of saying thank you is something I have worked on recently due to my role providing organization-wide training focused on feedback. I have learned it takes bravery and thoughtfulness to recognize others, so it is important to me to receive the praise in a grateful way. A mutual exchange without deflection fosters a positive environment, strengthens relationships and promotes a culture of appreciation. Embracing the art of saying thank you can transform simple acknowledgments into profound moments of connection and encouragement.

Schabel joins Iowa Women’s Foundation as vice president of programs. The Iowa Women’s Foundation has announced Claudia Schabel, founder of workplace culture and leadership consulting firm Schabel Solutions, as its new vice president of programs. In her new role, Schabel will lead programming efforts, including grantmaking, advocacy and research initiatives. Schabel said in a statement that Schabel Solutions will continue to be operated by chief operating officer Brad Schabel and offer services. “I'm very excited about positively impacting the lives of Iowa women and girls and helping IWF remove systemic barriers tied to education, employment, mentoring, child care, housing and transportation that prevent women from gaining economic self-sufficiency. IWF is a force to be reckoned with and I am honored to join the team,” Schabel said in a prepared statement.

Simpson names interim president. Susan D. Stuebner, Minnesota native, former women’s basketball coach and long-time higher education official, has been named Simpson College’s interim president. Simpson board chair Terry Handley has served as acting president since the death of former President Jay Byers on April 17. With this announcement, Handley will return to his role as chair of the school’s board of trustees. Stuebner, whose first official day will be July 28, most recently served as president and professor of Business and Social Sciences at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., for eight years. She concluded her time at Colby-Sawyer as an adviser to Interim President Laura Sykes during the 2024-25 academic year. Stuebner’s contract with Simpson is for the 2025-2026 academic year, with the possibility of becoming the president on a full-time, permanent basis.

Bailey Kelley named Iowa’s director of elections. Bailey Kelley has been named Iowa’s director of elections, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced. Kelley has served as deputy director of election for the past two years. Kelley has a bachelor of arts degree from Columbia College Chicago; a master's degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago; and doctorate degree from the University of Iowa. She has received the Certified Elections Registration Administrator certification from the Election Center. The certification for election administrators requires graduates to complete an extensive number of hours of election training and attend several conferences and workshops to gain experience and education on voter registration and election administration.

University of Iowa study links gestational hypertension to seizure risk. A study from the University of Iowa released in June found that high blood sugar during pregnancy increases the risk of seizures in children. A team of 15 researchers studied populations in Iowa, California and Taiwan. "We were looking for a population that was pretty different,"senior author Dr. Alex Bassuk told KCCI of the Taiwanese cohort. "The U.S. population versus the Taiwanese population — there's many, many similarities, but it's far away from here. And it's a different environment."

Prosecutor who claimed sex discrimination by former county attorney gets $125K settlement (Des Moines Register). Suriname parliament elects Simons as first female president (Reuters). U.S. men are contributing to household work more than ever (NBC News). This India-born founder built a multimillion-dollar spice company after seeing turmeric lattes in California coffee shops. This is how she did it (Fortune). 10 menopause myths the experts can't stand (New York Times). In new lawsuit, pregnant doctor says RFK Jr.’s vaccine policy puts her at risk (The 19th).

Tell us a little about your hobby.
Sara: We actually grew up with our mom making dollhouses. There used to be a little miniature dollhouse store we would go to and could spend hours looking at things. We had a big Victorian house that had the same living room carpet and wallpaper as our real house. Ever since then our favorite part of the Iowa State Fair was going to the dollhouse room to see all the dollhouses. It’s been on my bucket list FOREVER to make one to enter in the fair, but life always got in the way. This summer my sister and I agreed — we are going to make it happen! It’s definitely bringing back old memories of creating dollhouses as kids. We’ve had to intentionally carve out time to work on it because again, life is so busy, but having the goal of entering it in the fair has given us the time crunch to stop putting it off.

When did this hobby start for you?
Sara: As kids we loved our dollhouses, but as adults we’ve tinkered with some for our own kids and still have the Barbie dollhouse our dad made us when we were kids that we’ve enjoyed redoing over the years.

What’s something this hobby provides you that applies to your job?
Sara: I’m a Realtor so I see hundreds of homes each year, and I’m always fascinated by how each one reflects its owner’s personality. That’s also what I love about dollhouses — the creativity, the detail and the freedom to design a space that’s uniquely yours. It’s a small-scale way to explore what makes a house feel like home. Someday, I’d love to be invited to judge dollhouses at the fair — that would be a dream come true!

Emily: I run the By Degrees Foundation, so dollhouses don’t have a lot to do directly with my job, but it’s been a really wonderful way to balance my professional role. I’ll have had a long day, and after I put my 3-year-old to bed, I’ll go downstairs to my workshop and tinker around. I love the creative problem solving needed often with miniatures. I find all sorts of bits and bobs that I tuck away and then find ways to turn them into dollhouse items later. I find that when I stop actively thinking about work projects or parenting struggles and let my brain focus on other things, I come back with clearer thoughts and good ideas.

Tell us a tip or fun fact about your hobby.
Sara: Pro tip: Get your sister — who is far more creative, crafty and willing to take charge — so it ACTUALLY happens and gets done.

Emily: My favorite detail in our current dollhouse project is adding all the artwork our parents had (still have!) in their home, including local artists like Frank Miller and Jim Buckels and Carolyn Blattel-Britton.

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