Ketchikan Wellness Coalition hires new executive director

Gretchen Klein is the new executive director for the Ketchikan Wellness Coalition. (Photo courtesy Gretchen Klein)

Gretchen Klein has been hired as the new executive director of the Ketchikan Wellness Coalition.

Klein was born and raised in Ketchikan. She is returning after working for several years on Prince of Wales Island and in Anchorage. On POW, she worked with the Prince of Wales Health Network, and in Anchorage she worked for Alaska Public Media.

Klein has worked with various nonprofits over the past 20 years. In addition to the POW Health Network and Alaska Public Media, she’s worked at PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Ketchikan Youth Court.

Klein is taking the job left vacant by Kevin Gadsey, who has headed up the Wellness Coalition for the past couple of years.

The Ketchikan Wellness Coalition is a nonprofit organization. It oversees various task forces that address specific areas of concern within the community, such as substance abuse and behavioral health.