HeadQuarters Kansas, the Lawrence-based suicide prevention organization, has announced a new executive director and a new director of operations.
Megan Bridges, a licensed social worker with nearly a decade of experience with HeadQuarters, has been named to the executive director role.
“Having started on the frontline, I know what our counselors carry every day, and I know what’s at stake for the people reaching out to us,” Bridges said in a Tuesday news release from HeadQuarters. “Leading this organization means making sure both of those groups — our team and the people they serve — are always at the center of every decision we make.”
She originally started with the organization as a volunteer, according to the release. Most recently, she’s served as director of crisis services for the past 16 months.
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“I want to make sure that as we plan for the future, we never lose sight of what it’s like to be the person answering that call, chat or text,” Bridges said in the release.
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Misty Eytcheson, who holds a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in nonprofit management, will serve as the new director of operations.
“I’ve always had a passion for connecting people – connecting them to resources, to other people, to opportunities,” Eytcheson said in the release. “In this role I’m helping connect people to our services through community outreach, but also making sure our team has what they need to help connect people through direct services.”
HeadQuarters as an organization has largely been in flux since 2024.
Troubles within the suicide prevention nonprofit reached a boiling point that April when staff members shared a letter signed by about 80% of HQ’s employees at the time that called for the board and interim executive director to step down. The interim executive director at the time and entire board of directors ultimately did resign that July.
A judge appointed local attorney Dan Watkins as legal custodian of the organization in the wake of the board’s resignation.
Watkins said in the release that Bridges’ move to executive director “has been a natural progression as she has continually taken on expanded responsibilities and excelled in handling them.”
With the top administrative positions now filled, “Custodian involvement in day-to-day activity at HQ will be reduced,” Watkins wrote in his latest status report to the court. “Efforts now will focus on board recruitment and board functions overseeing HQ operations.”
Walter Way temporarily served as interim executive director of HeadQuarters, and he has agreed to join the new board of directors, Brandon Eigenman, a spokesperson for the organization, said via email.
“We are actively recruiting board members with the goal to have a board seated by this fall,” Eigenman said.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can reach the 988 lifeline by calling or texting 988. The service operates 24/7. Veterans can press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
“If you’re reading this and you know someone who might need 988, share it,” Bridges said in the release. “There are still people who don’t know this resource exists.”
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at [email protected]. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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