Scott Fussell

Founder

Faith. Family. Friends. (And you’re among them.)

Those are his priorities. And the space between Scott’s ears, there’s a LOT of activity there. Sometimes really good ideas even come from there. A couple of years ago this idea for a new way to look at mental health and wellness began to come about in that very space we just described. After reaching out to his circle of game-changers, The Shift Initiative was born.

The product of two educators who taught him to dream big and serve bigger, Scott moved to the Indy-area almost 25 years ago. After settling in Fishers with his family, he began to get involved in the community. His church, the running community, and youth sports were mainstays. In 2019, after becoming keenly and personally aware of the mental health crisis our community and country is experiencing, this issue became and continues to be his passion.

Professionally, Scott serves as the educational programming lead for a nationwide property management company. Personally, he’s the proud dad of an amazing daughter and an inspired husband of a world-changing wife. The Fussells live in Fishers, IN with their lab, Lincoln.

Sue Kraft Fussell

Secretary

Principled. Passionate. Purposeful.

Those words perfectly describe co-founder and secretary, Sue Kraft Fussell, what’s her “why?”

“This work is personal for me and our family. We understand the worry, the wondering, and the journey of seeking and finding help. I believe light is stronger than darkness, and talking about mental health creates connection and eliminates shame and stigma. I know our story isn’t unique; time after time we’ve learned that the more we’ve shared, the more support we’ve received and the more we’ve been able to provide. Helping create connections that are mutually supportive is a worthy, necessary cause. When Scott decided to launch Shift, being a part of the work was an easy decision.”

A proud alumni of Purdue and Miami University, Sue brings over 20 years of nonprofit leadership and executive management experience to The Shift Initiative. She lives in Fishers with her husband, Scott, and their daughter.

Casey Keller

ShiftCircles Co-lead

Strategic. Mindful. Compassionate.

Need someone in your corner? Casey is an easy-call go-to. And holy SHIFT…we are SO very glad she’s in ours. An executive for Sigma Kappa Sorority, a world-class leader and friend, and a steadfast community servant, Casey brings an extraordinary amount of expertise, non-profit leadership, love, and empathy to our team. She’s a game-changer strategically, brilliant with the day-to-day. Wanna know more about her? Keep scrolling…

“Why did I so quickly say yes to The Shift Initiative? I’ve always had someone in my corner. No. Matter. What. Do you know how powerful that is? I’ve bragged about this for years. I’ve droned on and on about my idealistic childhood, strong family values, connection to community; knowing only the privilege of growing up in a loving, supportive household with parents who trusted and believed in me. I thought everyone grew up that way. I also thought if you grew up that way there’s no way your life wouldn’t be exactly as you want it to be. Then I grew up, and my life didn’t turn out exactly as I wanted it to be. My life turned out exactly as it is supposed to be. And I still have someone in my corner. No. Matter. What. That’s what I want to be for someone who needs it. For someone who doesn’t yet believe in herself, I will believe in her. For someone who struggles to find his significance in the world, I will connect him. For someone who hasn’t been heard, I will listen. For someone who hasn’t figured out how life is supposed to turn out, I’ll be in your corner. No. Matter. What.”

That care, empathy, and passion to serve others are just a few of the reasons we’re so very glad she’s on our team.

John Soetenga

Treasurer

Wise. Experienced. Forward-thinking.

A financial wizard and tireless supporter of non-profits and his community, John Soetenga serves as treasurer for The Shift Initiative, one of the many hats he wears locally. The principal of Stephens & Soetenga, John is a graduate of Anderson University where he received his BA in Accounting. John has nearly 30 years of accounting experience and came to the firm during its first year of existence in 1989. He became a partner in 1996 and specializes in both personal and corporate taxes.

When he’s not providing the best financial advice we could hope to receive, you’ll likely find John and his wife, Tami, running somewhere through the streets and neighborhoods of Fishers.

Lisa Fedler Swiontek

Fundraising Team Lead

Messenger. Steward. Leader.

She’s also an incredible friend and top-notch mom. When she’s not making Shift happen, Lisa serves as the Executive Director of the Sigma Kappa Foundation. Prior to working at Sigma Kappa Foundation, Lisa worked in fundraising for the Indiana University Foundation and the Indianapolis Bar Association and Indianapolis Bar Foundation.
 In addition, Lisa worked for over a decade in the fraternity and sorority advising profession. Her career path included Eastern Illinois University, Southeast Missouri State University, Bowling Green State University and the North-American Interfraternity Conference. Lisa holds a B.A. in Organizational Communication from Arizona State University and an M.S. in Education from Eastern Illinois University.

Lisa has volunteered for a variety of organizations including serving the PeyBack Foundation, on the grants committee, and as the board chair for the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values.

Other involvement includes Jameson Camp Board of Directors, a leadership organization for at-risk youth; Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Foundation Board; Indiana Sports Corporation; Circle of Sisterhood Foundation; and Catie B. Charities.  She also served on the Local Organizing Committee for the Women’s Final Four held in Indianapolis.

Lisa is married to Kevin Swiontek, has two sons, J.P. and Lucas, and is possibly the biggest Packers fan we know.

Brooke Lawson

Subject Matter Expert

Caring. Committed. Community-minded.

A founding member of our board, Brooke serves as the Mental Health and School Counseling Coordinator for Hamilton Southeastern Schools where she coordinates services and school counseling for the district. A proud alum of Purdue University, Brooke works closely with students and staff to create stigma-free environments in our schools and community, while also leading the district’s work on social and emotional learning.

Why does Brooke give so much of her personal time to the cause that drives her professionally? “I truly believe that recovery from mental health issues is possible for every person who struggles (being a mental health provider myself I have seen the power of treatment)! I know that looks different for each individual but I never want anyone to lose hope that things can get better for them.”

We’re honored and thrilled to have Brooke’s leadership and expertise on our team and are better able to serve our community because of her care and generosity. She also serves on the boards for The Peyton Riekhof Foundation for Youth Hope and Fishers Youth Assistance. Brooke lives in Fishers with her husband and two children.

Ethan Braden

Marketing Lead

Connector. Messenger. Visionary.

That’s Ethan Braden. He makes us dream bigger. We’re talking scary big. In a good way.

Ethan serves as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Purdue University. Ranked the #5 most innovative school in America by US News and World Report. (Boiler up!)

In 2020, Braden was recognized by the American Marketing Association as its Higher Education Marketer of the Year while his Purdue University marketing and communications team was also named AMA Marketing Team of the Year.

Prior to Purdue University, Ethan worked for Eli Lilly & Company where he served in a variety of senior marketing and sales leadership roles.

Ethan earned his MBA from the University of Notre Dame and his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Spanish from Willamette University (Salem, OR). Ethan lives in West Lafayette, Indiana, with his Boilermaker wife, Betsy, their son, Benjamin, and their daughter, Margaret.