Three lessons from the front lines of mental health leadership: Rick Kellar

Guest columnist Rick Kellar is president and CEO of Peg’s Foundation, leading its efforts since 2005 to expand access to mental health care, education and the arts. A former U.S. Army Special Forces officer, he brings decades of leadership experience to philanthropic work. He serves on several national and local boards and holds an MBA from Syracuse University and a degree from West Point.

As the president and CEO of Peg’s Foundation, I’ve spent many years working to improve the mental health system, especially for people living with serious mental illness.

This work is hard. Mental health care is often underfunded, misunderstood and scattered across many systems.

But I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to make real progress, and these lessons can help anyone who wants to make a difference through philanthropy or community leadership.

Here are three key takeaways from my time in the field:

Strong relationships build real change

In mental health, success depends on people working together, whether it’s doctors, police, social workers, families and more.

That’s why building strong, long-term relationships is so important.

At Peg’s Foundation, we don’t just write checks. We show up. We listen to people with experience. And we treat community partners as experts, not just grantees.

One example is our work to stop the unnecessary incarceration of people during a mental health crisis.

The programs that made real progress were the ones where funders built deep partnerships, not just one-time projects.

These strong relationships allow for honest feedback loops and room to learn, adjust and grow together.

Big problems need bold ideas

Small steps are good, but they’re not always enough. Sometimes we need to take big leaps to fix broken systems.

That means making bold investments that have the power to transform systems, even if there’s some risk.

We’ve supported new ideas like crisis response teams and peer-led support programs -- efforts that others might not fund at first. These projects often prevent crises before they happen, saving lives and money.

When we invest early in promising ideas, others start to notice. Government agencies and other funders often follow, bringing in more support to grow the impact.

At Peg’s Foundation, we also believe boldness shows up in how we use art and culture to spark conversation and connection.

Our upcoming Dalí exhibit opening June 12 is one example of how creativity can invite people into the mental health conversation in unexpected and powerful ways.

This lesson applies far beyond mental health. Whether it’s education, climate or social justice, the same idea holds true: Go where others won’t.

When philanthropy takes smart risks, backed by data and strong relationships, it can open doors to solutions we couldn’t imagine before.

3. It’s not just about the money

Money matters. But leadership in philanthropy is also about using your voice, your reputation and your network.

Talking openly about mental health can reduce stigma and help more people feel safe asking for help. Being part of policy conversations or bringing groups together can change how systems work.

In some cases, simply being at the table -- advocating for cross-agency coordination or urging policy change -- can be as impactful as writing a check.

Good leaders help bring others along. They share the risk of trying new things. They help build partnerships that keep efforts going long after the first grant is spent.

Helping people with serious mental illness takes leadership that is caring, bold and smart. We need to build trust, take smart risks and work together.

At Peg’s Foundation, we believe this kind of leadership can help more people live healthy, hopeful lives.

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