Rasmussen steps up as Graham Crisis Center director

The Graham Crisis Center Board announced last week Janna Rasmussen will be stepping into the role as executive director over the nonprofit organization which incorporates the women’s shelter Harry’s House, the area food bank the Food Pantry and the Nifty Thrifty thrift store.

Rasmussen follows former executive director Cathy Partridge, who after joining the center in February 2020, and serving as the organization’s executive director since September 2020, became the CEO of the Graham Chamber of Commerce and Graham Convention and Visitors Bureau officially Tuesday, Feb. 15. Partridge followed former CEO Krisa De La Cruz, who submitted her resignation in January after serving six years in the position.

Rasmussen has lived in Graham for one year with her husband Dan, who serves as the pastor at HighRidge Church in Graham. She found out about the job opening through a friend from her church.

“A friend of mine from church that volunteers at the Crisis Center I guess heard about it or saw a post and she gave me a call and I’ve been looking for a local job here and to be more involved in the community,” she said.

Rasmussen has 20-plus years experience in teaching, administration and operations. She attended Hardin-Simmons University where she received a Bachelor of Behavioral Science degree in Social Studies, with an emphasis in political science.

“I grew up in Arlington. I went to Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, and I’ve been a teacher for several years, and also a preschool director,” she said. “We moved to Mineral Wells because of my husband’s job and so we lived there for 15 years, and then I started working at Mineral Wells High School. Then a year ago, my husband moved to be the pastor at HighRidge church here in town and so I’ve still been working in in Mineral Wells until now.”

For the full story, see the Wednesday, March 23 edition of The Graham Leader.