20 in their Twenties 2022: Kaitlin E. Knapp

Clinical Program Manager of Healing Arts, Child Life, and Pediatric School, Ascension St. Vincent and Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital Programs

Throughout high school and most of college, Kaitlin Knapp thought she wanted to be an art teacher. After graduation, she discovered Herron’s master’s in art therapy program, which combined her passions: art and psychology. As part of the program, she interned at one of the outpatient clinics on Ascension St. Vincent’s campus. She stayed on and, after graduation, was offered a full-time position as an art therapist working in the adult hospital. From there, she stepped into the manager role when the hospital created the Healing Arts Department. She’s also executive director of the Indiana Counseling Association, president of the Indiana Art Therapy Association and an associate professor with Herron School of Art & Design’s Master in Art Therapy Program.

Proud moment in your career? End-of-life work with patients and families impacted by COVID-19. “Families were not always able to visit their loved ones at the time of their passing, so I took prints of their hands and fingers to share digitally.”

What have you learned about yourself since joining the workforce? “I am my own worst critic. I have a lot of goals and visions for myself and a timeline that I think they should be accomplished in, but I don’t hold any of those standards for anyone else in my life. With that realization, I am trying to become more kind to myself.”

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “I plan to still be at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, but I also hope to have my doctorate in health administration (DHA) so that I might expand our support services to other health ministries across the Ascension network.”

Favorite social media platform: TikTok

Netflix recommendations: “Dark”

Go-to coffee order: iced caramel latte

Morning person or night owl? morning person•

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