Dr. Keairns has over 40 years experience working with diverse populations of children and their families. She served as the Executive Director of Arsenal Family and Children’s Center, Pittsburgh, Pa., a Child Study Center founded in 1953 by Dr. Benjamin Spock for over 20 years. The center offered a variety of programs with current emphasis upon reconciliation programs for children who have been estranged or removed from their families for a variety of reasons. Dr. Keairns has designed and implemented programs at the center for teen-age parents, incarcerated women, divorcing and separated families. The center also serves as a site for research and study for Duquesne University graduate and undergraduate psychology students. Dr. Keairns is active in the Pittsburgh Friends Meeting and has served as Clerk of the Meeting. Leadership responsibilities and service include:
- Serves on Arsenal Family & Children’s Center Board
- Serves as Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) representative to the NGO committee on UNICEF
- Serves on Sherwood Oaks retirement community Board
- Serves on Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater
- Serves on the Board of the Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Center
- Appointed by three governors to serve on the State Board of Psychology in Pennsylvania where she served for over 16 years and chairperson from 1997-2000.
- Served on Earlham School of Religion Board, including one term as Board chair.
- Served as Board Chair of the Coordinated Care Network; consortium of non-profit agencies that provides whole person health care and discount pharmacy to low income families
- Served on Quaker United Nations Office Advisory Board; completed research project on girl child soldiers and issued four country reports (2001).
- Served on Infinite Family Board – service to children in South Africa
- Served as co-clerk of Friends General Conference (FGC) Gathering (2005)
- Served as divorce Mediator for the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas
- Lectured in Pastoral Care, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Women’s Studies Carlow College.
- Served as consultant for KDKA Television, Group W Broadcast Network
- Served on Advisory Board of Pittsburgh Child Newspaper.
- Served as Delegate for People -To-People Ambassadors to the former Soviet Union to consult on issues of women and children.
- Had Private Practice limited to children
Published four country reports on girl child soldiers sponsored by the Quaker United Nations Office (The Voices of Girl Child Soldiers, 2003)
She was elected Fellow in The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards in 1992, was a 1996 recipient of the Tribute to Women Award given by the YWCA of Pittsburgh, received the Hampton High School Outstanding Alumni Award, and was a 2009 Duquesne University Honoree of the Mind, Heart and Spirit Award for community service and service to others.
- Dr. Keairns received her PhD, Psychology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pa. 1980
- M.S., Child Development, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 1968
- B.A. Religion, Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea, Ohio,1961
Dr. Keairns is married to Dr. Dale L. Keairns. She enjoys and takes great pleasure in gardening, bicycling, reading, traveling, yoga and enjoying grandchildren.