Who Is Kaitlyn Keen?
Kaitlyn Keen is a Population Health Scientist, entrepreneur, and the founder of KEEN on Pet Care. Currently serving as an Associate Director at the American Cancer Society, she bridges the gap between strategic health outcomes and community advocacy. A dedicated “Previvor” and business owner, Kaitlyn integrates public health innovation with compassionate care, striving to improve lives across the human and animal spectrum through partnership, education, and “agape” love.
Finding Balance Where Worlds Collide
For many leaders, balance is a destination—a static point reached only when the noise subsides and the work is done. For Kaitlyn Keen, balance is not a pause; it is an active, vibrant ecosystem. It is found in the movement between seemingly disparate worlds: the data-driven rigor of population health and the intuitive, hands-on empathy of animal care.
Kaitlyn does not compartmentalize her life into “professional” and “personal” boxes. Instead, she operates from a singular philosophy of holistic stewardship. Whether she is strategizing partnerships to improve cancer screening rates for the American Cancer Society or developing professional standards for pet sitters through her own company, the core mission remains the same: to nurture life.
“Balance is hard to define and find when the work we love to do becomes more of a lifestyle,” Kaitlyn reflects. “I find balance in the joy of all the intersections. For example, I have partners that have become friends, friends who have become partners, and I have fallen in love with new cities on business trips. What brings me the most joy is being surrounded by people who are equally as committed to improving health outcomes and having a lot of fun along the way!“
This ability to find coherence in complexity defines her unique position in the marketplace. She is not just an executive or an entrepreneur; she is a weaver of communities, proving that the principles of care—trust, observation, and consistent action—are universal, regardless of whether the patient walks on two legs or four.
Roots of Compassion and the Power of Agape
Long before she was a Master of Public Health or a CEO, Kaitlyn was a girl in Springfield, Illinois, shaping her worldview through the simple, profound traditions of family. Her childhood was marked by movement—riding bikes, traveling, and absorbing the bold, truth-telling wisdom of her tiny-but-mighty grandmother. These early experiences instilled a curiosity about the world and a deep-seated belief in the importance of connection.
Her intellectual and spiritual foundation was further solidified by the teachings of leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His concept of “agape”—a selfless, creative, redemptive goodwill for all men—resonated deeply with her. Reading Strength to Love, she recognized that true leadership requires more than strategy; it requires a fundamental love for humanity. Similarly, the book Life is Good by John and Bert Jacobs became a practical guide for her, teaching her that optimism is a courageous choice, especially in the face of adversity.
“Having compassion for others isn’t just the right thing to do,” Kaitlyn says, sharing a life lesson that guides her daily interactions. “It could be the unhoused neighbor who opens the door each morning for the CEO signing your next contract,” she notes. And what she means by that is simple: you never truly know what opportunities, wisdom, or connection you’re missing if your heart isn’t open to the people, places, and even the food around you.
This radical humility and openness became the bedrock of her career. It prepared her to enter the complex world of healthcare not as a technocrat, but as a humanist armed with data.
From Clinical Quality to Community Architect
Kaitlyn’s professional ascent is a testament to her “continuous learner” mindset. Her journey into the intricate machinery of healthcare began at HSHS St. John’s Hospital and the Hospital Sisters Health System. Here, she took on the meticulous work of Quality Improvement and Infection Prevention.
In roles ranging from SCIP Quality Analyst to Quality Manager, Kaitlyn mastered the technical side of health outcomes. She spent years monitoring the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) population, educating staff on protocols, and managing abstractions for CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). This was high-stakes work where data precision translated directly to patient safety. It taught her that “care” is not just a feeling—it is a system that must be designed, monitored, and improved.
However, her vision always extended beyond the hospital walls. Earning her Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), she began to see health not just as the absence of disease, but as a product of community systems. This shift led her to the American Cancer Society, where she currently serves as Associate Director. In this role, she doesn’t just manage programs; she architects relationships. She forges strategic partnerships that bring life-saving resources to underserved populations, translating complex health data into actionable community programs.
The Entrepreneurial Intersection: Professionalizing Pet Care
Simultaneously, a different passion was taking shape. In 2017, she founded KEEN on Pet Care, LLC. What could have been a simple side project became a masterclass in entrepreneurship and standards-setting. Kaitlyn applied the same rigor she used in hospital quality control to the pet industry.
She recognized a gap in the market: while many people loved pets, few approached pet sitting with professional, standardized care protocols. To bridge this gap, she is currently developing a Master Training Course to certify current and future KEEN on Pet Care professional pet sitters. This initiative is not merely about business expansion; it is about elevating an entire industry. By creating a certification model, she is moving the needle from “casual sitting” to “professional stewardship,” ensuring that pets receive the same level of reliable, high-quality care that she advocates for in human health.
She embraces the duality of her journey with a refreshing authenticity, often quoting Marilyn Monroe: “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius.”
“It’s basically how I live my life,” she admits. “I care deeply about many, many causes but I am perfect at nothing; a continuous learner and grower. It keeps life interesting.”
A Legacy of “Previvorship” and Advocacy
Kaitlyn’s leadership is perhaps most powerful where it becomes personal. Identifying as a “Mother & Previvor,” she embodies the resilience she advocates for. A “previvor” is someone who has a predisposition to cancer but has not developed the disease, often taking proactive, difficult measures to reduce risk. This personal stake in the health narrative transforms her work from a job into a calling.
It fuels her role as a Stakeholder Reviewer for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), where she ensures that research remains grounded in real-world patient needs. When Kaitlyn reviews a study or a proposal, she looks at it through the lens of the patient, the mother, and the survivor, ensuring that “outcomes” are measured in quality of life, not just statistics.
Her impact is visible in the “intersections” she cultivates. As a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters for over five years and former Board President of the Elizabeth Ann Seton Program, she has consistently poured her energy into the next generation. She understands that improving health outcomes is impossible without stabilizing the social determinants of health—education, mentorship, and economic opportunity.
Elevating Leadership and Standards
As Kaitlyn looks toward the future, her focus is on expansion and elevation. She was recently selected for an Advisor Role with the Rockford University Women in Leadership program, a position that allows her to shape the trajectory of emerging female leaders. By enrolling in the course herself, she models the very “continuous learning” she preaches.
The immediate horizon is bright with innovation. Her team is striving for a Jan 1 public “go-live” for the new KEEN on Pet Care app. This digital platform represents the next phase of business expansion, integrating technology to streamline care and connection for pet owners.
But for Kaitlyn, growth is never just about scale; it is about depth. She envisions a future where the silos between different forms of care are broken down—where the lessons learned in a hospital boardroom can improve the quality of life for a family pet, and where the empathy learned from animal stewardship informs public health policy.
She stands today as a leader who refuses to choose between passion and profession. By embracing the “madness” of doing it all, she has found the “genius” in connecting it all.
Documenting the Journey
In recent years, Kaitlyn has begun documenting the very intersections that define her life and leadership. What started as personal reflection has evolved into the early stages of a book—an intimate, unfolding project that captures her journey of stewardship, resilience, and interconnected purpose. Very few people know about this endeavor, but it reflects her commitment to honoring the lessons, stories, and sparks of joy that continue to shape her work.
Editorial Note
Lead with the Heart of a Scientist: Kaitlyn Keen’s journey challenges us to rethink the boundaries of our own careers. Are we compartmentalizing our passions, or are we finding the “joy in the intersections”? Her story is a call to action for leaders to embrace a holistic approach—to apply “agape” love to corporate strategy and professional rigor to passion projects. As you navigate your own path, ask yourself: Where do my worlds collide, and how can I build a bridge between them?
