OUR VISION
All Morgan County residents are healthy and thriving.
OUR MISSION
The Kendrick Foundation invests in conditions that support the physical and mental health of all Morgan County residents.
OUR WORK
The Kendrick Foundation focuses on four main areas for improving health-related outcomes for Morgan County residents: grantmaking, community leadership, scholarships, and our own organizational growth as demonstrated by our Theory of Change.
Created by Community Solutions, Inc.
Our Team
Keylee Wright, M.A.Executive Director
Keylee Wright is the Kendrick Foundation’s first Executive Director. In this role, Keylee oversees the day-to-day operations of the Kendrick Foundation, leads the Board of Directors in establishing the strategic plan and other key initiatives, provides direction and guidance to the team, promotes the work of the Kendrick Foundation, and represents the Kendrick Foundation at state and Morgan County community functions.
Since 2003, Keylee’s worked within the public health system. She started her career at the Open Door/BMH Health Center and accepted a position with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) in 2004. She worked for the ISDH, either as a state employee or contractor, for almost 15 years, specifically in cancer prevention and control from 2008 through 2019.
The Indiana Public Health Association (IPHA) named Keylee a public health hero in 2014, and she received the Indiana Cancer Consortium’s highest honor – Outstanding Contributions to Cancer Control – in 2015. Keylee is a 2021 Morgan County Leadership Academy graduate and completed the prestigious Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Institute in 2023. In 2024, she received the Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County’s Visionary Hero Award and Stability First’s Heart of the Community Award. She joined the IPHA Board of Directors in 2025 and the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance Board of Directors in 2026.
Keylee earned a Master of Arts degree in Wellness Management and Applied Gerontology with a minor in Business from Ball State University in 2007.
Nikki Jo McCrady
Program Manager
Nikki Jo McCrady joined the Kendrick Foundation team in August 2023 as Office Administrator and was promoted to Program Manager in March 2024. In her current role, she supports the implementation and evaluation of the Foundation’s strategic plan while managing the day-to-day operations of its core focus areas.
A lifelong Morgan County resident and proud Monrovia High School graduate, Nikki Jo earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Southern Indiana in 2016. Since 2017, she has served in various roles across the nonprofit sector, gaining experience in programming, event coordination, and community engagement. Her work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana and Marian University helped her see firsthand the powerful connection between relationships and overall well-being—a perspective she now brings to her work with the Kendrick Foundation.
Driven by her passion for nonprofits and improving community health, Nikki Jo enjoys creating meaningful programs and experiences that strengthen connections across Morgan County. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her daughter, shopping, performing personal car concerts, and making memories with friends and family.
Allison Merritt, M.P.H.
Project Coordinator
Allie Merritt joined the Kendrick Foundation in September 2025 as Project Coordinator to support the Morgan County Mental Health Task Force and manage the Morgan County Opioid Settlement Grants. In this role, Allie works with organizations across the county with the goal of strengthening community coalition efforts to improve mental health and use local opioid settlement funds to address prevention and treatment gaps in the county.
Born and raised in a small town in West Virginia, she recently moved to Indiana with her family. She lived in Lexington, Kentucky for a long time, where she pursued her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Transylvania University and then Master of Public Health degree from the University of Kentucky (UK). She previously worked in public health research at UK and heart disease and stroke prevention at the Kentucky Department for Public Health. She loves working towards improving the health of rural communities. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family, read, cook, and go on long walks.
OUR BOARD
Sara Dungan, J.D.
President
JoAnn Fischer
Vice President
BJ Pendill
Secretary
Amanda Walter, M.D.
Paul Broderick, D.O.
Lisa Arnold
(NOT PICTURED)
Pamela Lynch, M.D.
(NOT PICTURED)
OUR HISTORY
The Kendrick Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2001 as a vehicle to assist health-related programs benefiting residents of Morgan County.
Formed from the proceeds of the sale of Kendrick Memorial Hospital, the Kendrick Foundation reflects the long service of the hospital to the health of the community. It has become an extension of the lifework of William Kendrick, M.D., and all who preceded him in the 100 years of service given at Kendrick Memorial Hospital.
Guided by the vision that every Morgan County resident is healthy and thriving, the Kendrick Foundation leads health initiatives that strengthen education, increase access to care, and build community capacity to improve wellbeing. With assets exceeding $30 million, the Kendrick Foundation provides scholarships to students pursuing health-related careers, grants that promote physical and mental health, and leadership that fosters collaboration through community coalitions and partnerships. Rooted in our theory of change, we prioritize data-informed strategies and sustainable investments that create lasting, systemic impact. The Kendrick Foundation is governed by a dedicated seven-member Board of Directors that stewards its investments, grants, and scholarships with transparency and responsibility.