Karen Kaplan leads recruiting and retention as well as leadership and organization development for People Incorporated, a nonprofit community mental health provider in Eagan. To address the shortage of diverse mental health professionals, she spearheaded the Pathways program for high school and post-secondary graduates and current students in behavioral science fields. Participants receive training and practical experience in medical administration, mental health diagnosis and symptoms principles, and client-centered care. Kaplan’s vision for the program was to create low-barrier access points for aspiring mental health professionals, especially those who are underrepresented. Since its inception, the program has graduated 58 trainees, with 50% of them currently working at People Incorporated.