FOCUS Impact Fellows 2016 Inaugural Class About FOCUS St. Louis OUR VISION As the region’s premier civic leadership and engagement organization, FOCUS St. Louis brings diverse leaders together to understand, collaborate and take action on issues of regional importance. Linked by training and civic commitment, these individuals help the communities they serve become more inclusive, engaged and connected, thus increasing their ability to resolve complex social challenges. What emerges is a more vibrant civic life that helps to support and sustain a thriving St. Louis region. OUR MISSION FOCUS St. Louis prepares diverse leaders to work cooperatively for a thriving St. Louis region through its experience-based leadership training, civic issue education and public engagement initiatives. OUR VALUES Quality Leadership • Civic Involvement • Equity Community Collaboration • Regional Perspective OUR HISTORY FOCUS St. Louis was created in July 1996 through the merger of two of the region’s strongest and most influential nonprofit organizations – The Leadership Center of Greater St. Louis and Confluence St. Louis. In 2011, FOCUS also incorporated the Coro™ Fellows Program in Public Affairs and Coro™ Women In Leadership program. The strength of the organization lies in the leadership programs and the corps of trained program graduates who share a commitment to affect positive community change. As a neutral convener and facilitator, FOCUS also seeks to encourage vigorous dialogue on a wide variety of public policy issues that are critical to the health of our region. Through discussion forums, educational sessions and digital media, FOCUS engages citizens to discuss issues and consider action that will lead to positive community change. The Old Post Office 815 Olive Street, Suite 110 St. Louis, MO 63101 (314) 622-1250 www.focus-stl.org Class of 2016 3 FOCUS Impact Fellows FOCUS Impact Fellows, our eighth leadership development program, was launched in 2016 with support from the William T. Kemper Foundation. While each of the FOCUS leadership programs exposes participants to a wide range of issues in the region, Impact Fellows is unique in its focus and application of leadership skills, offering emerging and experienced leaders the opportunity to work together to address a specific issue. Participants will gain a deeper level of understanding of the selected community issue, meet and work with the area’s top experts and key players, and apply leadership competencies and innovative thinking to move the issue forward. In addition to producing a tangible outcome, project and/or solution, participants will gain considerable training and experience in change management, problemsolving, group dynamics, systems thinking and learning to lead transformation. While the FOCUS Impact Fellows program is new for the St. Louis region, similar programs in other cities have had significant success in facilitating positive and sustainable change on issues ranging from economic development to health to education. Program Leadership Felicia Pulliam, J.D. Director, FOCUS Impact Fellows Director, Policy & Community Engagement [email protected] (314) 657-4026 Yemi Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D. President & CEO, FOCUS St. Louis [email protected] (314) 657-4019 Nikki Whetsell Program Coordinator [email protected] (314) 657-4022 4 FOCUS Impact Fellows FOCUS Programs & Initiatives A Continuum of Leadership Programs FOCUS meets our participants where they are, with leadership programs for every stage of an individual’s life and career. Each year, more than 360 people graduate from one of our eight leadership programs: • Youth Leadership St. Louis • Emerging Leaders • Coro Women In Leadership • Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs • Diversity Leadership Fellowship • Leadership St. Louis • FOCUS Impact Fellows • Experience St. Louis Beyond the change they experience in themselves, FOCUS leaders go out into the world with a deeper sense of commitment to the St. Louis community and the ability to create change. And upon completion, each program graduate joins a vibrant network of 8,000+ alumni leaders. Civic Engagement Initiatives Beyond our core leadership programs, FOCUS hosts a number of civic engagement programs and events throughout the year. Community Conversations & Policy Forums: With a reputation as a neutral convener, FOCUS hosts forums and discussions on issues facing the region, designed to bring together stakeholders and leaders to work toward solutions. Bridges Across Racial Polarization: Since 1993, the Bridges program has helped guide people who want to build trust and friendships across lines of race and culture. Connect With St. Louis: The Connect With St. Louis initiative, with events each spring and fall, works to engage young professionals to become involved in the city they call home. Breakfast Connections/City Success: Great connections are made through FOCUS St. Louis, and we strive to offer a variety of networking events, both before and after work, for busy professionals. Customized Training: FOCUS offers a wide array of customized programming for businesses and organizations, on topics including leadership development, workforce diversity, regional issues and more. To learn more, visit www.focus-stl.org. Class of 2016 5 Stay Engaged with FOCUS Take Advantage of Your Membership As a participant in FOCUS Impact Fellows, you receive a complimentary oneyear individual-level membership while you are enrolled in the program. This membership entitles you to all the benefits of a paid membership, including access to our online member and alumni directory, the biweekly Connections newsletter, invitations to all FOCUS events and access to members-only events, discounts and special offers. Take advantage of this opportunity to experience the benefits of membership, while connecting with the FOCUS network. If you have any questions regarding your membership, do not hesitate to contact us at (314) 622-1250 or [email protected]. At the end of your complimentary period, you will have the opportunity to renew, with annual memberships starting at just $60. Attend a FOCUS Event During your FOCUS Impact Fellows experience, you are invited to attend any of our member, alumni or community events. From discussion forums and tours to What’s Right with the Region, FOCUS events are a great way to meet alumni leaders from across all programs and build on your learning and growth. For information on upcoming events, watch your email inbox for regular updates or visit www.focus-stl.org/events. Follow Us /focusstl @focusstl company/focus-st.-louis 6 FOCUS Impact Fellows Melanie Adams is the Managing Director for Community Education and Events for the Missouri History Museum. Her professional career includes working at the University of California-Berkeley, California State University-Northridge, Washington University in St. Louis, and as a consultant for nonprofit organizations. Melanie participates in a variety of community organizations. She is a graduate of the Coro Women In Leadership Program and Leadership St. Louis program of FOCUS St. Louis. She has served on the Americorps St. Louis board, the FOCUS St. Louis board, and the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation. She currently serves on the Special Administrative Board of the St. Louis Public Schools, the Black Leadership Roundtable and the Association of Midwest Museums. Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in English/African American studies from the University of Virginia, a Master’s of Education degree in Higher Education & Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies from the University of Missouri St. Louis. Kelly Annis is the principal of Branch Communications, a consultancy providing marketing strategy and communications services to clients in the real estate and legal industries. Like many, Kelly had to leave St. Louis to gain a finer appreciation for her hometown. While away, Kelly became a member of the Urban Land Institute and learned to appreciate great urban design. She also recognized the value of the historic and authentic urban fabric that made up her hometown. Returning to St. Louis in 2000, Kelly joined a midsized business and real estate law firm and led the firm’s marketing activities for 11 years. In 2011, Kelly formed Branch Communications, took her employer on as her first client, and re-joined ULI, quickly becoming active in the St. Louis District Council. Kelly became Director of ULI St. Louis in 2012. Her work for ULI today has expanded to include marketing and design services for ULI’s national office and over 10 other district councils across the U.S. Kelly has a B.A. with Honors from Drury University. She has also completed a number of certificate programs through the Urban Land Institute and recently earned a Chancellor’s Certificate in Economic Development from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Class of 2016 7 Bill Bayer is on the senior leadership team of US Bank Community Development Corporation, overseeing the federal and state syndications division and new business initiatives team. Previously, Bill acted as vice president of new business initiatives, researching and evaluating new financial structures, partnerships and opportunities to strengthen USBCDC’s overall community development platform. During his 7+ years at USBCDC, Bill has also served as a New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) and Historic Tax Credit (HTC) project manager, investing more than $140 million of tax credit equity in support of businesses and real estate developments in low income communities across the country. In St. Louis, Bill has been instrumental in financing the redevelopment of the former St. Louis Centre Mall and its adjoining One City Center office tower, which are major components of the Mercantile Exchange (MX), an emerging residential, shopping, and entertainment district in downtown. He currently sits on the board of the National Blues Museum, which opened April 2016. Prior to joining USBCDC, Bill worked for 7 years in the audit and tax departments at Ernst & Young. He holds a B.S. in Accounting, a B.A. in Communications from Saint Louis University and is a certified public accountant. Katie Carpenter has spent the past two years rediscovering St. Louis after returning from Iowa where she completed a master’s degree in Public Administration. After graduating from Drake University, Katie began work at Iowa Homeless Youth Centers where she ran a pilot program in partnership with United Way focused on college retention for homeless youth. She returned to St. Louis to accept a position as Program Manager for COCAbiz, a division of COCA-Center of Creative Arts that pairs art and business. Katie currently serves as a board member for Perennial, an organization focused on building a creative culture of sustainability. 8 FOCUS Impact Fellows As director of government relations for BJC HealthCare, Leann Chilton manages the public policy and external affairs for one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States, delivering services to residents primarily in the greater St. Louis, southern Illinois and midMissouri regions. Leanne works collaboratively with elected and appointed government officials at the state, local and federal levels on behalf of BJC’s hospitals and service lines including inpatient and outpatient care, primary care, community health and wellness, workplace health, home health, community mental health, rehabilitation, long-term care and hospice. With more than 27,000 employees and over $4.5 billion in net revenue, BJC HealthCare is the largest employer in the St. Louis region. Chilton serves on the Executive Committee of the Missouri State Chamber, the MOBIO Board, St. Louis Regional Chamber Public Policy Council, the Women’s Policy Network and the St. Louis Metropolitan Hospital Council. She has an MBA from Washington University and completed a residency at the JFK School of Government at Harvard. Leanne, a Chicago native, has called St. Louis her home since 1985. Patrick Clarkin is an Independent Insurance Broker at the Charles L. Crane Agency since 2003, a full-service national insurance brokerage. Patrick specializes in Property & Casualty/Health Benefits Insurance for startup and established businesses. Patrick serves on the Executive Committee and as a Regional Director for St. Louis with the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA). In his position, Patrick promotes high standards of conduct among the MAIA members, encourages a greater public understanding of the insurance business, and represents the interest of its members and their clients in the Missouri Legislature. He also serves as Co-Chair for the Multicultural Society of United Way-St. Louis and is a past board member of the Socidad/Hispano Americana of St. Louis and the Bolivian Society. Patrick resides in St. Louis with his wife, Ninoska. They enjoy traveling and the experiences that come from exploring different cultures. A lifetime athlete, Patrick participates in triathlons and is an active practitioner of Aikido. Class of 2016 9 Desiree Coleman is Vice President of Community Relations at Wells Fargo Advisors. In this role, she provides leadership, strategy and execution of the company’s St. Louis market corporate social responsibility and employee engagement plans. She guides the market in managing company reputation, external visibility, and charitable giving to implement Wells Fargo’s national strategy for philanthropy, volunteerism, civic involvement and community affairs. Desiree earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations at the University of Missouri. She earned a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University and attained a Certificate of Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University. Desiree speaks Spanish and has volunteered for missions work in Cambodia, Guyana and South Africa. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Wyman Center and the Gateway Center for Giving. She resides in St. Louis with her husband and daughters. Beth Damsgaard-Rodriguez has been committed to interfaith work for almost 15 years. She is a well-known leader in organizing interfaith volunteers to complete community service projects to meet the needs of the underserved in many areas of the St. Louis area, including the urban core. Her work in community building has spanned over 30 years, in various positions in the nonprofit arena including serving in the US Peace Corps. Under Beth’s leadership as Executive Director, Interfaith Partnership/ Faith Beyond Walls received FOCUS St. Louis What’s Right with the Region award as well as The Distinguished Community Service Award from the AntiDefamation League. She enjoys bringing diverse groups of people, particularly of various faiths, together for dialogue and to serve others by assisting local neighborhoods to complete their community improvement goals. Beth serves on the St. Louis Advisory Board for International Partners in Mission and is on the Board of Directors for Room at the Inn. She is also a member of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s Community and Faith Community Advisory Board, which she played a key role establishing. 10 FOCUS Impact Fellows Liz Haynes is Director of Special Programs at Maryville University with oversight of Kids Rock Cancer and Maryville Talks Women and Leadership. Liz is a graduate of the University of MissouriColumbia where she received her B.A. in Communication in 2006. After graduation, Liz launched her career at the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter, where she worked in Development for 5 years. Liz joined the Maryville Institutional Advancement staff as Assistant Director of Alumni Relations in July 2011. She was promoted to her current position in late 2014. Liz has served on the board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network and founded the American Red Cross’ young professionals group, Club Red. She has also been an active volunteer with various community theater programs, United Way’s GenNext, the American Red Cross’ Disaster Action Team and has served as a mentor for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri. Liz was nominated to participate in Maryville University’s 2014 Staff Leadership program and currently is a part of Leadership Chesterfield. As a St. Louis native, Tameka Jones has over 10 years of experience providing brand strategy and management for faith-based and non-for-profit organizations. She currently serves at Digital Marketing Manager for The Salvation Army Midland Division, while overseeing her own venture, Firstfruits Creative LLC. Tameka is most passionate about initiating the convergence of modern-day popular culture and traditional Christian culture, while stimulating productive conversation within the digital context. She also enjoys mentoring high school students, supporting local businesses and making her family and friends smile. Class of 2016 11 Missy Kelley is the President and Chief Executive Officer for Downtown STL, Inc. and the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District. In addition to leading efforts to make Downtown a thriving business district, neighborhood and entertainment center, Missy has become the communications lead for Downtown St. Louis, regularly tapped by the media to comment on current events, issues and initiatives that impact Downtown. Prior to joining Downtown STL, Inc., Missy spent over 20 years in marketing and business strategy roles at Fortune 500 companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, Energizer Battery Company and Express Scripts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Truman State University and an MBA from Washington University’s Olin School of Business. Missy currently serves on several boards, including St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation and The Mercantile Exchange. Missy’s volunteer time is devoted to marketing efforts for Miriam School, which serves children with complex learning disabilities. Since 2005, Sue King has served as Executive Director at Covenant House Missouri. Covenant House Missouri, part of Covenant House International, empowers youth ages 16-21 who are disconnected to design their own path from homelessness to opportunity. Covenant House Missouri is the only organization in the region that dedicates 100% of resources to youth who are not in the foster care system. Sue has worked in the nonprofit sector for almost 30 years, and the majority of her work has been with youth who are at-risk and their families. Throughout her career, Sue has been an advocate for the importance of strong, comprehensive mental health services for this population, understanding that mental stability is the foundation of success. Sue holds a B.S. in Social Work from Southwest Missouri State University and an M.S. in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. 12 FOCUS Impact Fellows Steve Lewis has a diverse background as an entrepreneur and corporate executive. Currently, he serves as Vice President of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Missouri. In this role, he directs and manages the organization’s Inclusion Department and has led the Heavy/Highway/ Infrastructure Division with oversight of related activities in labor relations, legislative affairs, safety and public relations, as well as ongoing member and professional development. The AGC of Missouri is also an affiliate of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and represents more than 500 member firms throughout Missouri. AGC of America represents over 26,000 leading firms in the industry through a nationwide network of chapters. Steve is an alumnus of Purdue University and has served as a board member of several professional, civic and charitable organizations. He currently serves on the board of directors of Central Institute for the Deaf and Thomas Dunn Learning Center. Turan Mullins currently serves as assistant dean of students and director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Maryville University. He previously served as assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Programs, as well as an assistant director for enrollment at Maryville. Turan is an established diversity leader on and off campus. As co-founder of The Consortium of Higher Education Professionals for Inclusion and Equity, he collaborates with fellow higher education professionals in Missouri and Illinois to create inclusive and equitable campus environments. He is on the Editorial Board of Insight Into Diversity magazine and served as a Leadership Fellow with the National Association for Campus Activities. Turan also works closely with the Diversity Awareness Partnership (DAP) as a Give Respect Get Respect facilitator. He is on the executive committee of the Friends of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis, and was honored with the 2016 Outstanding Alumni Award from Mathews Dickey Boys and Girls Club. Turan earned his B.A. in corporate communications from Southeast Missouri State University and will receive his master’s degree in strategic communication from Maryville University in 2016. Class of 2016 13 Tom Noack received a J.D. degree in 1981 from the University of Kansas School of Law and a B.S. degree in Business Administration with a minor in Economics, also from the University of Kansas, in 1978. Tom has served as counsel to Commerce Bancshares, Inc. and Commerce Bank for 31 years including the past 2 years as General Counsel. Over the course of his career he has worked in virtually every area of banking and banking law. In addition to extensive work in general banking law and regulation, commercial and retail lending, and bank products and services, he has experience in banking and corporate compliance, corporate governance and securities. Tom currently works closely with and offers legal advice in support of the Board of Directors and Audit and Risk Committee of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. A transfer to the St. Louis region from the Kansas City region, Tom currently resides in Wildwood, Mo., with his wife, Pam, and two young sons, Joah and Justus. Arthur Porter, a native of St. Louis, started his professional career in sales and gained experience in relationship building while working for Southwestern Bell and Hoffmann LaRoche Pharmaceuticals. In addition to having over 15 years of experience in implementing supplier diversity strategies for major corporations, he has worked with countless small business owners and potential entrepreneurs on business plan writing and strategic planning. He serves as the Senior Consultant to top clients including Washington University, Lambert International Airport, the City of St. Louis, and Isle of Capri Casinos. He possesses excellent interpersonal and presentation skills and is a certified business planning instructor for the State of Missouri as well as a certified Leadership Trainer for John Maxwell. 14 FOCUS Impact Fellows Cassandra Ray is the Director of Finance for the Saint Louis Zoo. Cassandra manages a finance team of nine full time staff overseeing a zoo-wide annual budget of over $50 million. Cassandra has vast experience as a consensus builder and has been with the Zoo over 21 years. She received her MBA from Lindenwood University and graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. After graduating from the University of Missouri, she spent the early years of her career at McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics. Cassandra serves as a member of the finance and operations committee of the Francis Howell School District and also serves on the audit committee of the Multiple Sclerosis Society-Gateway Chapter. She resides in St. Peters with her husband, Quentin, and their two teenagers. Stephanie Regagnon is a proven leader in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and sustainability strategies. In her 16+ year career she has created value and reputational benefit for several companies in the agriculture and renewable energy space in Washington, DC, and St. Louis – most recently as the agriculture biologicals engagement lead for Monsanto. In 2016, Stephanie opened her own business, AGR Advisors LLC, to continue her work in connecting people and ideas for purpose and progress. She has been recognized for her work in community outreach by the St. Louis Business Journal as a “40 Under 40” leader in 2012 and by Ameren Corp as a “Community Light” in 2014. As part of Missouri’s Ag Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT), president of the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club and a graduate of FOCUS Leadership St. Louis, she has developed key leadership skills and critical relationships. Stephanie currently serves as chairman of the nonprofit she founded in 2010, Ava’s Grace Scholarship Foundation, as well as a founding member and vice chair of the Young Friends Committee of the Danforth Plant Science Center. Stephanie resides in St. Louis with her husband and daughter. Class of 2016 15 Ruth Sergenian is the Director of Economic Research and Analysis for the St. Louis Regional Chamber. She conducts economic impact studies; designs and analyzes surveys; assesses and monitors industry clusters; and transforms and summarizes demographic, business, and economic data. Her work supports the Chamber’s staff, members, investors, community partners, and the community at large to better understand regional and national economic trends and strengths. Prior to joining the St. Louis Regional Chamber, she worked at RegionWise, a social and economic indicators project at Saint Louis University. Before moving to St. Louis, she was Director of Commercial Real Estate Research for the National Association of Realtors in Washington D.C., where she oversaw the publication of three editions of The National Real Estate Review. Ruth has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY at Stony Brook and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan. Her current volunteer efforts include serving on the Board of the St. Louis Metropolitan Research Exchange and the Research Committee of Vision for Children at Risk. Paul Sorenson, MSW, is a graduate of the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently Grace Hill Settlement House’s Director of Strategic Communications & Planning, developing the agency’s message, program strategy and partner coordination across St. Louis City. Paul is also a social entrepreneur, founding GoodMap to help nonprofits connect to each other online and developing Your Land Bank, a new way for families to become financially stable by utilizing vacant land. Paul was named one of the St. Louis Business Journal’s “30 Under 30” in 2014 and was a 2013 St. Louis New Leaders Council fellow. 16 FOCUS Impact Fellows As Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Affairs at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Greta Todd provides strategic direction for community relations and public health interventions designed to increase access to care and reduce health disparities. Programs include mobile clinics and school-based initiatives reaching 30,000 children per year with dental services, asthma care, injury and obesity prevention programs, immunizations, and preventative screenings. She is also responsible for diversity, inclusion, equity and cultural competence initiatives focused on workforce, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes. Prior to this, Greta served as Director of Government Affairs at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, and as a lobbyist for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. She received her B.A. from Illinois State University and her M.A. from Georgetown University. She is a 2008-2009 graduate of FOCUS Leadership St. Louis and a 2014 graduate of the FOCUS Diversity Fellowship. Greta is a former appointed member of the Kirkwood Human Rights Commission. She was recently accepted as a member of the Regional Health Equity Council, Region VII, which is a national network of the federal Office of Minority Health. Additionally, she is an appointed member of the St. Louis United Way Racial Equity Lens ad hoc committee. Kevin Windham is a young leader from St. Louis, Mo. He plans to graduate from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies in May 2016. After the events in Ferguson, Mo., Kevin began to dedicate himself to racial and social justice: protesting on campus, serving on Southeast Missouri State University’s Task Force on Diversity Education, Student Government, and Black Student Union. He was a member of Cigna’s inaugural Ferguson-St. Louis Internship program and was awarded Southeast Missouri State University’s Distinguished Student Award for creating lasting and positive change in the university community in April 2015. Class of 2016 17 As a current master’s candidate, Jacinta Witherspoon will receive a Master of Arts in Human Resource Development, summer of 2016 from Webster University. In addition to pursuing her second master’s degree, Jacinta volunteers a couple of days per week at City Garden Montessori School, where she serves as a reading companion for students in first, second and third grades. As an active community volunteer, she has served on the Board of Directors, Economic Development and Marketing Committees for the Carondelet Community Betterment Federation (CCBF), as Diversity and Inclusion Chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) St. Louis Chapter, and with FOCUS St. Louis, where she served on the Judging Committee for What’s Right with the Region, FOCUS St. Louis’ Leadership/Alumni Program Committee and Leadership St. Louis Advisory Committee. She is an alumnae of two prestigious leadership programs: FOCUS St. Louis’ Leadership St. Louis (LSL) program Class 38 (2013-2014) and St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative’s Fellows Cohort 9 (2014-2015). Jacinta holds a B.S. in Business Administration-Finance with a minor in Financial Services from the University of Akron and a M.A. in Management and Leadership from Webster University. THE 2016 TOPIC: MOVING FORWARD THROUGH FERGUSON The inaugural class of FOCUS Impact Fellows is using the Ferguson Commission report as a guidepost and framework for their work. You may view/download the complete report at www.forwardthroughferguson.org. 18 FOCUS Impact Fellows 314.622.1250 WWW.FOCUS-STL.ORG
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