Dignity is a word that comes up over and over again when you talk to Dennis Keenan (M.S.W. '72). As the Executive Director for Catholic Charities since 1989, Keenan has built an organization from a small social service agency with four staff, to an organization of 150 employees and 11 programs that meet a diverse range of unmet needs in the community. Protecting and supporting the dignity of all people is the driving value behind his work.

"When our staff describe the services we provide, they most often use the phrase 'we walk with them.' We guide our clients through tough times, providing friendship and advice until they are able to walk on their own. Our goal throughout is to protect the dignity of each person and maintain their worth as individuals," Keenan says.

Keenan earned his M.S.W. from PSU's School of Social Work in 1972. Upon graduation, he worked for, and later ran, Cascade Health Care, an organization established to provide health care for the medically indigent in our community. After seven years, he felt a spiritual calling to do something different. He was hired by the Archdiocese of Portland to be the Director of Family Life and spent 10 years working with families up and down the I-5 corridor in 126 parishes. In 1989, he found the perfect job that brought his social work training together with his faith to serve people.

Keenan uses his social work education on a daily basis running Catholic Charities. "Social work looks at family systems and environmental factors to determine what people have and what they need to maximize their potential. It is an asset-based model, and that is what we do at Catholic Charities," he says.

One of the most well known and nationally recognized programs is El Programa Hispano, which provides services to low-income Latino immigrant families in the greater Portland area. The goals of the program are to increase self-sufficiency within the Latino community, empower individuals to achieve a better quality of life, and to promote mutual understanding and respect among cultures. El Programa's success was recently nationally recognized by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which awarded it a Family Strengthening Award in 2007.

A recent addition to Catholic Charities is a program which provides assistance to victims of human trafficking. "I can not think of a group whose human dignity is more under assault than those who are victims of human trafficking. Women, children, and men who are victims of human trafficking are often forced to undertake menial, degrading, and often illegal work, including prostitution. Our program provides resources to the victims of these crimes," says Keenan.

As with many non-profit organizations, finding the dollars to fund these programs is a constant struggle and Dennis's role includes both fundraising and public policy advocacy. Right now, Catholic Charities is in the middle of a $12 million capital campaign to build the "Center for Hope" which will be a convergence of resources and opportunities under one roof. The Center will include a Loaves and Fishes Center, a child care center, space for the service and administrative offices, and incubator space for new Catholic Charities programs.

It is hard not to be inspired when you meet with Keenan. He is clearly passionate about his work and passionate about social work. His inspiration has been passed on to his five children. His oldest daughter, Anna Keenan-Mudrick, earned her M.S.W. from PSU in 1995 and now works for an organization in Cottage Grove that places people with disabilities in mainstream employment. She assesses an individual's strengths, matches his/her interest with a job, and coaches both the employee and the employer in their work together. His oldest son, Joe, also has a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Portland.

Keenan maintains close ties with the School of Social Work, and has been active in the SSW Alumni Association. He credits Professor Gerald Frey with supporting his learning in community organization and planning, skills that have been essential for his work. In addition, Keenan provides field placement opportunities for M.S.W. students in a number of programs at Catholic Charities and annually brings Professor Matt Modrcin in to provide
continuing professional education for employees at their spring staff training day.