Kerry Dawson

Program Director

I grew up in Bennet, Nebraska and graduated from Palmyra High School in 2011. I attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated in December, 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Family Science and Minors in Sociology and Education. I have known about Lighthouse since I was very young because Pete Allman is a family friend, but I had never really been involved with it. My junior year of college I had to interview a professional in my field of study for an assignment and my professor suggested that I interview Bill Michener here at Lighthouse.

After the interview, I had a new outlook on “at-risk youth.” He called them “at-promise” and that has stuck with me ever since. During the summer of 2015, I started my internship at Lighthouse and completed 170 hours. At the end of July 2015 I was hired as the Program Coordinator. I am also in charge of Girl POWER which is in place to help young girls learn about important aspects of life.

My goal is to build relationships with the youth and provide support and guidance to them as they go through their teenage years. I want to make a positive impact on the lives of the people I come in contact with. My passion has always been to help people. I feel as if I am better able to connect with youth in this age group than any other. I am excited to be a part of this team and I look forward to the years to come!