Friends of the Children announces new staff

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Friends of the Children of the Klamath Basin recently welcomed two new staff members: Crystal Muno started March 16 as program director and Anne Keyser started June 15 as director of development and marketing.

Operating in Klamath for 20 years, Friends of the Children is part of a national nonprofit working to end generational poverty by pairing youth with professional mentors (“Friends”) for 12+ years.

“It is critical that our Friends maintain strong relationships with children already facing overwhelming life challenges, especially during a pandemic that might intensify hardships,” said Johanna Scholer, who is serving as interim executive director during the sabbatical of Amanda Squibb.

“We promise to stand by youth no matter what,” Scholer said. “We’re grateful for faithful community support that allows us to maintain our staff and our commitment to kids — even during an unprecedented disruption of school and social supports.”

Crystal Muno

Crystal Muno manages the programmatic elements of the program and coaches the six, full-time mentors who provide professional mentoring for 46 children across Klamath County. She brings to her role extensive experience in people and project management, gained in positions such as artistic director of children’s programs at the Linkville Playhouse, marketing, and public relations director for the Ross Ragland Theater, career specialist for Oregon Institute of Technology, and freshman success coordinator for the Klamath Falls City Schools.

A long-time Klamath resident, Muno also brings deep connections to individuals and programs community-wide who are partners in supporting youth development and success. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Linkville Playhouse, the Advisory Council for SMART Reading, and has also been a member of the Downtown Association and a Chamber Greeter.

“The work is a perfect match for my skills and values,” said Muno. “I try to be creative in finding ways to support my Friends as they support their youth during physical distancing.  It helps that I am passionate about the Klamath Basin and about demanding equity for every child.”

Anne Keyser

A 2018 transplant from Massachusetts, Anne Keyser got acquainted with her new community by immersing herself in education. She founded a parent-teacher organization at Ponderosa Middle School, became a board member with the Pelican Education Foundation, and did publicity work for the Klamath Falls City School district. In 2019 she turned her communication skills to writing grant applications for Friends of the Children.

“The more I researched and wrote about how a supportive adult can help build a child’s resilience against early traumas, the more invested I became,” said Keyser. “Friends of the Children provides the long-term, individualized support these kids need if they are going to thrive, and the data show the model really works. That’s a story that needs to be told, and I’m privileged to tell it.”

To her role as director of development and marketing, Keyser brings many years of experience in public relations, marketing, writing, and teaching. Prior to her work for Klamath Falls City Schools, she held positions at Bay Path University, Asnuntuck Community College, Holyoke Community College, Mount Holyoke College, Ohio University, Hilferty & Associates Museum Design, and Zondervan HarperCollins.

“Our country’s current medical and racial crises have really highlighted socio-economic disparities,” said Keyser. “Klamath County has been wise to invest in an organization that removes barriers and creates equal access to success, one child at a time. That is an investment in community-wide health.”

Of program youth, 96% avoid early parenting, 100% avoid the juvenile justice system and 89% graduate from high school. According to a study by the Harvard Business School Association of Oregon, Friends of the Children saves $900,000 per participant in social costs, not including savings to the foster care system. To learn more, visit www.friendsklamath.org.

Source: Friends of the Children