The Pella Wellness Consortium is hosting Lyndsey Fennelly, a motivational speaker, former standout Iowa State University basketball player and successful businesswoman, to a conversation about her mental health journey.

The event is at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, at Central College Graham Conference Center and open to the public and includes a resource fair with local organizations and businesses sharing information about mental health services from 6:30 – 7 p.m. and 7:45-8:15 p.m. An American Sign Language interpreter will be on site.

The former All-American basketball player is a passionate advocate for mental health education and care. Fennelly will share her own struggles with mental health and how she has learned to live it.

“The Pella Wellness Consortium wanted to launch the new year focused on mental health,” says Kristi Leonard, chair of the Pella Wellness Consortium and assistant dean of students at Central. “We must acknowledge that health and wellness programs include mental health. Lyndsey has a wonderful and compassionate journey that she will share.”

Fennelly graduated from ISU with a bachelor’s degree in sport management. She continued to coach basketball and teach basketball skills. She is a mother of two children and is married to Iowa State assistant basketball coach Billy Fennelly.

She has served as the color commentator for Mediacom Connections, a cable television company that broadcasts Iowa State’s women’s basketball team’s home games. She is with the All-Iowa Attack program as a skills trainer, while serving as the color analyst for the Iowa State women’s basketball road games. She continues to provide leadership, counsel, training and speaking opportunities to organizations, teams and programs.

The Pella Wellness Consortium hosts events open to the public to increase awareness about health and wellness concerns facing local residents. Fennelly’s program is sponsored by the Pella Community Foundation, Vermeer Charitable Foundation and Central’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council.