Kerry Klesath | Dunlap, Illinois
Director, Special Education Association of Peoria County (SEAPCO)
Inspired as a young camp counselor with Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association, Kerry Klesath always knew she was going to follow in her mom’s footsteps and be a special education teacher. Now she is the Director of the Special Education Association of Peoria County (SEAPCO) which provides special education services to 16 school districts in the Peoria County area.
Born and raised in Peoria, Klesath received her Bachelor of Arts in Mild to Moderate Disabilities at St. Louis University. She returned to central Illinois as a special education teacher, working for SEAPCO at Farmington School District, while receiving her Master of Science in Special Education from Illinois State University. Klesath also completed her post master’s graduate program, receiving her Director of Special Education certification.
Being a working mom and young, female leader, comes with its fair share of challenges. Klesath faces them by giving 100% at work and giving 100% at home. She explains, “When the day is over, my full attention is on my family. I prioritize my own health and wellness by spending time with friends, family, and finding time for exercise and running. I want my kids to know that one day, they too can work and be a mom - and succeed at both!”
Words of Wisdom:
“The best advice I have been given was from my Granny Putman many years ago. She said, ‘live life knowing you left it a better place.’ I always strive for this with my family and within my work…Be kind, have faith, and give back.”
Klesath credits her parents for their examples which helped her understand the importance of hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and commitment to faith and family. She identifies “empathy, compassion, selflessness, and the impact you have on others,” as “the true testament of a great leader.”
Klesath married her husband, Pat, in 2012, and together they are parishioners of St. Jude Catholic Church with their two daughters, Emma (8) and Lucy (6). For the last ten years, Klesath has particularly enjoyed giving back to her community by participating in the St. Louis to Peoria St. Jude Run, raising funds for childhood cancer research. She explains, “It is inspiring to be a part of the run, meeting patients and their families…One weekend a year, we all come together for a common cause – to fight childhood cancer. It is a truly humbling experience that I hope to be a part of forever.”
Generational Roots:
“Central Illinois provides our family with a tight knit community, one where our family has laid its roots for many generations. I can pass on the legacy of our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents to my own children, sharing how their own family members have impacted this very community…I am proud to support the educational system and inclusive opportunities that our central Illinois community is working so hard to enhance and strengthen.”