Karen Fleak Hauser of St Joseph has been elected chair of the National Board of Certified Counselors Foundation.

The foundation offers grants and scholarships in an effort to increase counseling and mental health care availability in under-served and never-served areas.

Hauser recently retired from her longtime post as CEO of Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas.

She has served as vice chair of the foundation.  The board elected her to the top spot last week.

She’ll assume her new duties next month.

Hauser recently moved back to St Joe after about 20 years living in Salina, Kansas, where she served as CEO of Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas.