"I never forget that we are sowing winter wheat which the coming spring will see sprout and other hands than ours will reap and enjoy."
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton
It's always exciting to receive "progress reports" from more than 500 Leadership Academy alums and LEAD participants. We are proud to share their accomplishments. (Note: The number in parenthesis represents year of participation in the Leadership Academy.)
Makita Abraham
Truman State University (‘08); Intern ('10)
Makita works in Constituent Relations in Governor Jay Nixon's office.
Caitlyn Adams
University of Central Missouri (‘07)
Caitlyn is the Operations Coordinator for Missouri Jobs with Justice.
Beth Adkins
Lincoln University (‘06)
Beth graduated summa cum laude from Lincoln in December 2008, with BS degrees in Computer Information Systems and Studio Art. She is currently a computer information technologist for the Missouri Lottery.
Doris Agwu
University of Missouri (‘04)
Doris graduated in May, 2008, with bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Psychology (with a minor in business) from the University of Missouri where she served as president of the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students and the African Students Association.
Candice Alcaraz
Truman State University ('12)
After completing the Leadership Academy in 2012, Candice sought out an opportunity to shadow a Judge in Chicago, IL. This fall she is interning on a judicial archives project. Her long term plan is to attend law school.
Lisa Althoff
Lincoln University (‘99)
In 2010, Lisa was appointed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to serve as executive director of the Missouri Women’s Council.
Karissa Anderson
Southeast Missouri State University (’12)
Karissa recently graduated from Southeast Missouri State University. She will begin an internship with the American Red Cross at the end of January as participating in professional development activities. She is also on the lookout for any full-time development/fundraising career opportunities.
Rachel Anderson
University of Missouri (’06)
Rachel is an Associate Consultant at Morgan Samuels, a consulting and executive search firm in Los Angeles, CA.
Kelly Anthony
Truman State University (‘99); Amethyst Award winner 2005
After working on campaigns against constitutional amendments to define and limit marriage in at least three states (including California and Florida), Kelly has settled back in Missouri and is an organizer for Missouri Jobs with Justice in St. Louis.
Nazgol Bagheri
University of Missouri - Kansas City ('12)
Nazgol was selected to attend the National Women's Studies Association women's leadership conference in Oakland, CA in November 2012. She is an Interdisciplinary PhD candidate focusing on Geography and Sociology. Nazgol was featured in UMKC's independent student news paper "University News."
Laurie Bainter
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘03)
Laurie is the director of student persistence at College Bound, an organization in St. Louis dedicated to breaking the generational cycle of poverty through equal access to higher education. She is responsible for the creation and development of the collegian program, and currently mentors 34 college students at 20 schools around the country.
Kaitlyn Baker
Lincoln University (‘09)
Kaitlyn graduated from Lincoln University in December, 2009, and is a customer service representative at Central Bank.
Leanna Bales
UMSL Women LEAD, 2011
Leanna is now a graduate student at UMKC pursuing her MFA. Recently, she became an associate editor at UMKC's literary magazine "Number One".
Jumoke Balogun
University of Missouri – Kansas City (‘08)
Jumoke is pursuing a master’s degree in history at American University in Washington, DC, with the end goal of getting her Ph.D. She is also working as a researcher for John Dean, of Watergate fame, transcribing recently declassified Nixon tapes at the National Archives.
Regina Banks
Lincoln University (‘98)
Regina is the Senior Legislative Aide to CA State Assembly member Michael "Mike" Davis of the the CA 48th district.
Brandy Barker
Missouri State University (‘02)
Brandy works at Fleishman-Hillard-St. Louis in the Public Affairs division, where she is a key team member in the word-of-mouth and grassroots practice. In her spare time, Brandy is a volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
Jenny Barker-Devine
University of Central Missouri (‘99)
May 2013, Jenny celebrated the publication of her first book: On Behalf of the Family Farm: Iowa Farm Women's Activism Since 1945 (University of Iowa Press, 2013), which explores farm women's leadership and unique forms of feminism. Jenny is an assistant professor of History at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill.
Heather Barnhart
Lincohn University (‘13)
This fall, Heather will start graduate school at Lincoln University to earn a Masters in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting.
Rebecca Bax
Lincoln University (‘08)
Rebecca has been promoted to interim primary investigation chief for Missouri Protection & Advocacy Services, a non-profit public interest law firm with a mission to ensure quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
LeAnn Beaty
Missouri State University (‘02)
LeAnn is the Director of Eastern Kentucky University's Master of Public Administration program.
Stephanie Bell
University of Missouri - St. Louis ('03)
Stephanie is the Director of Tourism for the City of St. Genevieve, Mo
Vianey Beltran
Truman State University ('10)
Vianey is the Assistant Director of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro St. Louis, Missouri.
Kailea Bogner
University of Central Missouri (‘13)
After attending the Leadership Academy, Kailea did a summer internship with Missouri Congresswomen Vicki Hartzler (R - 4th District) in Washington, DC. She is currently interning at the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office in the Victim Advocates' Office.
Liana Boone
Truman State University (‘02)
Liana is a CPA with Grant Thornton in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pearlina Boyd
Missouri State University (’00)
Pearlina recently completed a pro bono paralegal/community liaison position with the Immigration Law Project at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, and will start law school at Southern University Law Center this Fall.
Crystal Brigman
Missouri State University (‘07)
Crystal was promoted to lead organizer for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri in February. She also recently joined the local board for the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri, and was appointed vice chair of the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Community Development for Springfield, Missouri.
Latonya Brooks
University of Central Missouri ('08)
Latonya graduated from Valparasio University School of Law with her Juris Doctor in May 2012. She passed the Missouri Bar in 2012 and worked as a contract attorney for Bryan Cave until December 2012 when she opened her own law practice in Troy, Missouri.
Cassie Brown
Lincoln University ('09)
Cassie graduated and is currently the acting manager at The Buckle. Though she’s not sure it’s what she wants to do forever, it’s good experience and she’s enjoying it for now.
Mary Grace Bruntrager
Truman State University ('10)
Mary Grace will be graduating this May (2013) with a BA in History. After graduating, Mary Grace will be joining the City Year Corps in Chicago. City Year promotes community activism for the students in hopes of combating high school drop out rates. She will be tutoring 7th through 9th grade for one year this Fall (2013).
Rhoda Bryan
Lincoln University ('10)
Rhoda graduated summa cum laude from Lincoln University in May, 2011, with a B.S. in education and a minor in social science. She teaches 7th and 8th grade social studies in Williamsburg, Mo.
Tameka Bryant
Lincoln University (‘07)
Tameka Bryant is a Credit Sales Manager at Wells Fargo in Memphis, Tn., and is pursuing her M.A. in Marketing at the Memphis campus of Webster University.
Maria Buller (Puck)
University of Central Missouri (‘02)
Maria is doing public relations and marketing on a contract basis for non-profit organizations in the Kansas City area.
Joy Bulen
Truman State University (‘11)
Joy graduated from Truman State University in May 2012 with a BA in Psychology and Sociology. She is an Admissions Counselor at Truman State University and plans to attend law school.
Kailey Burger
Truman State University ('09)
This fall, Kailey will start her final year of law school at Washington University. Over the summer, she participated in the New York City Law Department's Summer Honors Internship Program, working in the Family Court division.
Kimberly Burgess
Truman State University (‘07)
Kimberly graduated from Mizzou Law School in May, passed the bar, and recently accepted a position as an immigration services office with US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Jennifer Byrd
Missouri State University (‘02)
Jennifer is a reporter at Pensions & Investments in Chicago.
Chynna Byrd
Truman State University (‘13)
After graduating from the Academy in May, Chynna secured a summer campaign internship doing research for Ceceilia Berkowitz, candidate for New York City mayor.
Amber Cabrera
University of Central Missouri (’08)
Amber Cabrera is working toward finishing her Master's in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Florida this year. She is currently working with GeoPlan, a GIS data management research facility, as well as for the City of Gainesville as a Strategic Planner for the Office of the City Manager.
Lauren Calef (Terry)
Missouri State University ('10)
Lauren is working on her Master's in Early Childhood and Family Development with a graduate certificate in Child Forensic Psychology. She desires to work with single and teen moms in their role as parents of young children.
Annetta Canady
UMSL Women LEAD ('10)
In October, Annetta became a claims examiner for the Veteran Benefits Administration. Her primary role is to process applications for VRAP, a 12-month program that provides veterans with an opportunity to obtain employable skills by attending college or training in a trade.
Tracey Cannon
University of Missouri - St. Louis ('06)
Tracey recently started a new job as the director of data, research and evaluation for the Normandy School District.
Chyanne (Lockhart) Cardarella
University of Central Missouri (‘03); 2007 Amethyst Award Winner
Chyanne earned her MBA from Baker University in July, and recently got a new position in management at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. She was also appointed to the State Board of Central Communications Credit Union as a Supervisory Member.
Antionette Carroll (Dickens)
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘07), Amethyst Award ('13)
In addition to being awarded the 2013 Amethyst Award at the 21st Century Leadership Academy dinner on May 23rd, Antionette was recently named the Marketing and Events Manager of the Diversity Awareness Partnership.
Anne Case-Halferty
University of Missouri (07)
Anne is Project Coordinator, Office of Service-Learning and Fellowships Office and the MU Advisor for the 21st Century Leadership Academy.
Evelyn Chamberlain
Missouri S & T (‘04)
After finishing her doctorate in Civil (Environmental) Engineering in December 2008, Evelyn and her husband moved to Indiana. She is currently working full-time as a domestic engineer, following the birth of her son in January 2010.
Marcia Chatelain
University of Missouri (‘99); Amethyst Award Winner 2009
Marcia just launched her own public speaking and consulting practice: "Marcia Chatelain, Speaking of..." at . She is an assistant professor of History at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Ann Chisholm
University of Missouri - St. Louis ('05)
Ann remains active in the politics of her hometown, Ferguson, Mo. Her granddaughter Jessy (a 2010 Shear Fellow) has big plans for Ann’s political future.
Jessy Chisholm
University of Missouri–St. Louis (‘10)
Jessy will start a master's program in healthcare administration at Saint Louis University this fall.
Carolyn Chrisman (Lumsden)
Truman State University (‘01)
Carolyn has completed her Master's of History Degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and continues to teach social sciences to Kirksville students in grades 6-8. She was recently accepted to the Fulbright-Hays Group program as one of twelve American teachers to live and study for five weeks in China. Carolyn continues to serve on the Kirksville City Council and was recently elected chairwoman of the Kirksville Downtown Improvement Committee.
Shawnta Clark
University of Missouri - Kansas City ('12)
Shawnta has been awarded a graduate assistantship with the UMKC Multicultural Student Affairs Office for the 2012-2013 school year.
Stephanie Clark
Lincoln University (‘06)
Stephanie will graduate in December with a master's degree in Mathematics Education from Lincoln University. She currently chairs the LU Women’s Leadership Academy, from which Shear Fellows are selected each year. Stephanie fulfilled a lifelong dream in March when she took a trip to Ireland.
Amber Clifford-Napoleone
University of Central Missouri (‘00)
Amber completed her Ph.D. in American Studies and graduated with honors from the University of Kansas in July 2007. She is currently teaching anthropology and serving as Nance Collections Curator at the University of Central Missouri.
Rebecca Cliffton
Missouri State University (‘06)
Becky is a Domestic Relations Office for the Green County Family Court.
Alma Collins
Lincoln University (‘08)
Alma was inducted into the Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society, and was chosen as a Thurgood Marshall Leadership Institute Scholar. She was one of three students at Lincoln to receive the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Scholarship, and has been selected as a member of the Lincoln University Women’s Leadership Academy.
Taylor Collier (Hahn)
Missouri S & T (‘07)
Taylor is in med school at Mizzou and is particularly interested in public health issues.
Caroline Coulter (Muller)
Southeast Missouri State University (‘02)
Caroline is an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel for the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Vanessa Crawford
Truman State ('04)
Vanessa is the Executive Director for Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates (MIRA) in St. Louis.
Megan Cripps
Southeast Missouri State University ('10)
Megan received a fellowship from the Peggy Browning Fund, an organization that supports interests in labor and employment law, to support her summer legal internship at the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission in Washington, D.C. This fall, she will begin her second year at the Michigan State University College of Law.
Chase Crowell
Missouri S & T (‘06)
Chase graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and works at Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita, Ks., where she does structural design engineering on a naval aircraft.
Sylwia Dabrowska
Truman State University (‘08)
Sylwia graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in May 2012. After a brief stint in Washington DC as an Attorney-Advisor for the Social Security Administration, she moved back to Des Moines, Iowa, in May 2013 and is in-house counsel for Wells Fargo in the Consumer Lending and Consumer Protection division.
Jennifer Davis
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘07)
Jennifer is an assistant county attorney with the Harris County Attorney's Office in Houston, TX, where she represents the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
Lovey Davis
University of Missouri–St. Louis (‘02)
Lovey is working as a Legal Investigator with the City of St. Louis in the City Counselors office. Recently, she was elected as the 3rd Vice President of the Urban League Federation of Block Units, a non-profit organization she has been affiliated with for over 20 years.
Shante Davis
University of Missouri – St. Louis (‘05)
Shante is a grant writer and researcher at Almost Home, Inc. in St. Louis.
Jenny Barker Devine
University of Central Missouri (‘99)
Jenny graduated in May 2008 with a Ph.D. in history from Iowa State University. She is an assistant professor of history at Illinois College, a small liberal arts school in Jackson, Il.
Robin Dieken
University of Missouri (‘08)
Robin graduated in May 2009, with a bachelor’s in Social Work from Mizzou and plans to take a year off before going back to graduate school.
Miranda Dorn
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘06)
Miranda teaches 9th grade English and 11th and 12th grade creative writing at Maplewood-Richmond Heights High School. She is also pursuing a master's degree at UMSL.
Melissa Douglass
UMSL Women LEAD ('11)
Melissa graduated in August and works as a youth services specialist for St. Louis County Government.
Olivia Drumm
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘01)
Olivia is attending graduate school at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, where she is pursuing a M.S. in Art Therapy.
Julie Eager (Crow)
Missouri S & T ('98)
Julie is an engineer with Bechtel Marine Propulsion in upstate New York, where she does work related to the US Navy.
Annaly Eimann
University of Missouri - St. Louis ('13) & UMSL Women LEAD, 2012
Annaly is a Fulbright Scholar from Namibia who completed her master's degree at UMSL prior to the Leadership Academy. She is currently enrolled in the doctoral program in early childhood education at UMSL.
Emily Elam
University of Central Missouri ('10)
Emily is entering her first semester at St. Louis University School of Law.
Lindsay Epstein
Missouri S&T (‘03)
After a chance meeting with her new boss on a flight from San Francisco to Washington, DC, Lindsay switched into a consulting job working with utility companies on emergency planning.
Caroline Erickson
University of Missouri–Columbia (‘07)
Caroline completed the Peace Corps and returned to the US in January 2011. She is living in New York City, where she working at Planned Parenthood of New York. Caroline accepted a promotion to Program Coordinator of an evidence-based program at Planned Parenthood in NYC.
Carissa Ewing (Sims)
Southeast Missouri State University (‘02)
Carissa lives in Kansas City with her husband and is a recruiter for a non-profit hospital. She is contemplating graduate school.
Jamilah Fagbene
Lincoln University (‘04)
Jamilah is a confidential assistant to the Under Secretary for Rural Development at the USDA. She earned a master’s in public administration from American University in December 2008.
Jennifer (Drake) Fantroy
Truman State University ('05)
Jennifer just celebrated her five year anniversary of relocating to the Washington, DC area, where she lives with her husband and three-month old son. She is the senior manager for state support at The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
Angela Filbeck
Missouri State University (‘12)
Angela won 70 percent of the vote in the August Democratic Primary for Greene County Commissioner, but was defeated in the General Election by the incumbent, Roseann Bentley.
Lacey Filley
Lincoln University (‘06)
Since March of 2009, Lacey has been the Group Sales Manager position at Big Surf Waterpark at the Lake of the Ozarks, where she lives with her husband and son, Ty. Lacey volunteers her extra time with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and ACS CAN, the nation's leading cancer advocacy organization.
Mayra Flesner
University of Central Missouri (‘04)
Mayra and her law partner just celebrated the very successful one year anniversary of their firm, the ―Law Offices of Flesner & Dyer, LLC,‖ in St. Charles, Mo. Mayra reports that the firm goal for Year 2 is to establish a non-profit arm to focus on pro bono work, providing free or reduced rate services to low income persons.
Renessa Foronda
Truman State University ('04)
During 2012, Renessa ran several half marathons and raised almost $500 for Run 10 Feed 10, a fundraising initiative that provides meals to people in need.
Elizabeth Fracica
University of Missouri-Columbia ('10)
Lizzie was accepted to the Mayo Medical School, which is affiliated with the Mayo Clinic. She is contemplating earning an MPH with Mayo as well.
Heather Frey (Mullanack)
Missouri State University ('06)
Heather obtained her MPA with an emphasis in local government management. She has begun her job search and is looking to make connections in North Carolina.
Lauren Gepford
University of Missouri-Kansas City ('11)
Lauren was a city management intern for the City of Raymore during the summer of 2011, and worked for the Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services. She chairs the UMKC College Democrats and was recently elected as National Committeewoman for the Young Democrats of Missouri. Lauren will earn her bachelor's in political science from UMKC in May.
Brittany Gholson
Southeast Missouri State University ('10)
Brittany leaves July 11 for India where she will be an Idex Fellow, working to expand sustainable social enterprises in schools near Hyderabad.
Ashley Gilpin
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘08)
Ashley is a political consultant for the Missouri Democratic Party. She worked on Gov. Jay Nixon’s Legislative Victory Fund Campaign to recruit and assist democratic candidates for the 2010 election.
Ellie Glenn
Truman State University ('07)
Ellie has been appointed by Governor Nixon to be the legislative liaison for the MO Dept. of Health. She is also enrolled at the Truman School of Public Affairs, and anticipates graduating early in December of this year with an emphasis in Public Policy Analysis.
Leddy Glenn-Ludwig
University of Central Missouri (‘01)
Leddy is a high school special education teacher for the Shawnee Mission School District in Kansas. She completed her teaching certification in K-12 special education in May 2012. In 2011, Leddy completed her Master's of Arts in Speech Communication, her thesis was entitled: "Has Hip Hop changed its tune? Analyzing the stereotypes adolescent African American girls are hearing and seeing in Hop Hop music and videos".
Jessi Glueck
Southeast Missouri State University (‘07)
Jessi is the assistant manager at the Barnes & Noble cafe in Cape Girardeau. She also works part-time as a substitute librarian for the Riverside Regional libraries in Southeast Missouri, and as the manager of the local ice cream shop.
Maria Gonzalez, Ph.D.
University of Missouri-St. Louis ('10)
Maria is a Visiting Professor at the University of San Diego. She is also involved with the United Nations of San Diego, and Survivors For Solutions, an organization committed to "abolishing all forms of sexual exploitation for all humans through awareness, education, peer counseling and support, and incorporating the Survivor voice into public and private policies."
Claire Gorman
University of Central Missouri (‘05)
Claire earned her law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami Gardens, Fl.
Anna Gourdin
Southeast Missouri State University (‘05)
After reading about the Next Step program on the Leadership Academy e-mail list, Anna applied and was selected! Sponsored by the Running Start organization, Next Step is a bipartisan professional development program designed to foster the advancement of the next generation of women political leaders.
Alicia Green
UMSL Women LEAD, 2010
Alicia graduated from UMSL May 2012 with her bachelor's in accounting. She is now pursuing her master's in accounting at SIUE. Alicia still plans on attending law school and practice tax law. Recently, she was a juror on a case downtown St. Louis, which has inspired her to pursue a law degree.
Christin Green
Missouri State University (‘07)
Christin has been accepted to the George Washington University Public Policy graduate program where she will pursue an emphasis in gender and social issues.
Tamila Gresham
Missouri State University (‘08)
Tamila is a co-founder of The Box Scene Project, a fan-based nonprofit committed to achieving equal representation for LGBT, disabled, female, minority actors, characters, and issues on network television. To date, The Box Scene Project has raised nearly $71,000 for charity and successfully campaigned for the release of a cut scene the founders thought could be pivotal to the story line of Glee characters, Kurt and Blaine.
Melissa Gundel (Austin)
University of Missouri (‘08)
Melissa is working at a small animal practice in Stanley, KS.
Jessica Gunder (Shaw)
University of Missouri (‘03)
After a two-year clerkship with U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber in St. Louis, Jessica relocated to Washington, DC, in fall 2009, to work for the Department of Justice.
Erin Hamilton
University of Missouri - Kansas City (‘07)
Erin graduated in May 2009 with a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. She is a Women's Advocate at Hope House in Independence.
Elise Hammond
University of Missouri - Columbia (‘09)
Elise works as Administrative Assistant at the Missouri Public Utility Alliance in Columbia, Missouri.
Holley Hansen
Truman State University (‘99)
Holley is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics and Government at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. For the 2009-2010 academic year, Holley was a Visiting Professor of Political Science at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where she also served as the Director of the Women's Studies Program.
Kanwal Haq
University of Missouri - Columbia (‘11)
Kanwal will graduate in May 2013, and has decided to take a year off before applying to medical school. She is currently looking for fellowship(s) related to social justice issues and health policy.
Crystal Hardy (Sellers)
University of Central Missouri (‘03)
Crystal is a teacher for the State Fair Career and Technology Center, a high school vocational technical program administered through State Fair Community College. She teaches Agriculture Education to Jr. high and high school students at two schools and is also the advisor for the FFA.
Natascha Harried
University of Missouri-St. Louis ('09)
In December 2010, Natascha started a new position as a case coordinator for the Riverbend Head Start in Alton, Il., working with prenatal moms and children up to 5 yrs old.
Amy Moore Harris
University of Missouri-Columbia ('06)
After graduating from the University of Missouri School of Law in May 2010, Amy clerked for Judge Justine Del Muro of the Jackson County Circuit Court for almost two years. She is now an associate at Walters, Bender, Strohben, & Vaughan, P.C., a civil litigation firm in Kansas City, Missouri.
Brittany Harris
University of Central Missouri ('09)
Brittany received her master's degree in student affairs from the University of Oklahoma and is an Upward Bound Math and Science Counselor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Rachel Harris
Southeast Missouri State University (‘08)
Last summer Rachel completed an internship with a law firm in Cape Girardeau and worked on a nonprofit merger case. She is a law student at Mizzou.
LaShonda Harvey
University of Missouri – St. Louis (‘99)
LaShonda works for Hampton Inn Hotels, providing revenue support for nine hotels in the Chicago area.
Rachel Hassani
Missouri State Universityy ('10)
After running a grassroots campaign for a mayoral election in Dallas, Tx., last spring, Rachel returned to Missouri to help with the tornado recovery in Joplin. She is now back on the campaign trail, serving as Political Director for the Todd Akin for U.S. Senate Campaign.
Courtney Hayes
University of Missouri - St. Louis ('12)
Courtney is serving as a student senator and is the campus outreach chair and fundraising co-chair for Young Activists United at UMSL. She will be participating in the Leadership for Social Change organizer training starting November 2013. Also in November, Courtney joined the leadership team of Jobs with Justice as a student co-chair.
Alana Henderson
University of Missouri–Kansas City (’11)
Next semester, Alana will be an intern in the education department at Curious
Theatre Company, a non-profit theatre company in Denver, Co.
Rebecca Henderson
University of Central Missouri (‘04)
Rebecca is preparing for the Florida bar exam and volunteering at Hillsborough County Animal Services (the local animal shelter). After she passes the exam in July, she will be licensed in three states: Missouri, Illinois and Florida. She is also in the process of applying to volunteer with the Tampa Guardian ad Litem Program.
Bethany Henry
University of Missouri-Columbia ('10)
Bethany has recently been accepted into the McNair Scholars Program at MU. Before she graduates in 2012 with a degree in Anthropology and History she will finish her year abroad in Mexico, work at the National Park Service Midwest Region Student Academy at Pea Ridge National Military Park, and will be participating in a research project in Canada in the upcoming fall and spring.
Ramanda Hicks
University of Missouri - Kansas City ('09)
Ramanda is working with a newly formed group in Kansas City called “Zone 27.” Its goal is to provide community resources for underprivileged children from birth through college.
Paula Hodges
Truman State University (‘05)
In August 2013, Paula joined the board of the New Leaders Council (NLC) in Rhode Island and is the mentorship chair. Through NLC, she was nominated to participate in a political study tour with the American Council of Young Political Leaders.
Rebecca Holmes
Missouri S & T ('11)
After interning at the 2012 Leadership Academy, Rebecca returned to Rolla for her last semester of school. She will graduate in December and has a full-time job with TEK Systems in St. Louis as a technical recruiter.
Allison Howard
University of Missouri (‘04); Amethyst Award Winner 2007
Allison is finishing up her third year of medical school at Mizzou and plans to be a radiologist.
Loretta Dunn Hunter
Missouri S & T ('06)
Loretta is the Director of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs at Nestle-Purina Pet care in St. Louis, Missouri. Nestle-Purina produces pet-related products and conducts industry-leading research in pet nutrition and for the general wellbeing of pets.
Geri Hughes
Lincoln University ('11)
While she is looking for work, Geri is currently organizing fundraiser(s) for college students, volunteering and applying for seats on Kansas City's Board of Commissions.
Maria Iliakova
University of Missouri–Kansas City (‘09)
Maria has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Barcelona, Spain in the laboratory of Dr. Johannes Jaeger at the EMBL Centre de Regulació Genómica (EMBL/CRG).
Alana Inman (Murray)
Missouri State University (‘98)
Alana manages the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, a branch of the Texas State Library and Archives in Liberty, Texas. Previously, she worked for the Missouri State Archives.
Debbie Irwin
University of Missouri–St. Louis (‘99)
Debbie works as a Community Development Director in the Initiatives Division of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. She was previously the Foreclosure Intervention Taskforce Coordinator for Beyond Housing.
Sara Irwin
Lincoln University ('09)
Sara studied at the Anglo-American University in Prague, Czech Republic. She was inducted into the Alpha Kappa Mu national honors society and succeeded in establishing, and joining, the Lincoln University Psi Sigma Alpha national political science honors chapter. She also attended the Thurgood Marshall Leadership Conference in New York.
Jermecia Jackson
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘12)
Jermecia interned with attorney Hope Whitehead this summer, both in her law office and on her campaign for State Rep. in the 84th District.
Joy Jackson
Truman State University (‘00)
Joy is still practicing law in Columbia and recently got licensed to practice in Arkansas, as well as Missouri and Illinois. She and her husband added a second child—Jackson Patrick Concannon—to their family in April last year. He joins his older sister, Sophia.
Kristin Jackson
Missouri State University (‘03)
For three years, Kristin served as a legislative assistant for Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN), and staffed the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee (the Americas section of the House Foreign Affairs Committee). She is currently living in Madrid, Spain and studying Spanish so she can achieve her long-term goal of promoting micro business development in Latin America.
Sarah Jackson
University of Missouri (‘03)
Sarah lives in Houston and is a Corporate Affairs Manager for the Americas at Trafigura, a global commodity trading company.
Regina James
UMSL LEAD Program (‘12)
Regina was recently inducted into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at UMSL. She was awarded the 2013-14 Harmony Award and scholarship for community leadership and involvement from the College of Fine Arts and Communications, and was a recipient of the 2013-14 Eugene Meehan Scholarship from the College of Arts and Sciences.
Bridgett Johnson
University of Missouri – Kansas City (‘06)
Bridgett is the president of student government at UMKC and served on the search committee for the campus’ new chancellor.
Jenny Johnson
Truman State University ('10)
Jenny has been awarded a summer internship in Midlet, Morocco with NEST, a micro-bartering organization that helps women achieve self-sufficiency by helping female artists create successful small businesses.
Jessica Johnson
Missouri State University (‘07)
Jessica completed an internship at the Department of State and graduated with her Master's of Public Administration from Missouri State University in summer 2009. In August, she started working as a Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) with the Library of Congress. The purpose of the PMF Program is to attract to the Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.
Tiffany Johnson
Truman State University ('07)
Tiffany will start her final year of law school at UMKC this fall. This summer she was a law clerk with Legal Aid of Western Missouri and a private firm: Morrow Willnauer Klosterman and Church.
Yorba Johnson
Truman State University (‘05)
Yorba is a third grade teacher at Meramec Elementary School in Clayton, Mo. This is her fourth year of teaching and her second year in Clayton.
Susan Jones
University of Missouri-St. Louis ('09); Intern ('10)
Susan is an assistant interventionist for the Ritenour School District.
Aruna Josyula, M.D.
University of Missouri (‘98)
Aruna will complete a Family Medicine residency program in Austin, Texas, in December, and has been accepted into a Geriatrics Fellowship in Asheville, NC, starting in January. She is “super excited” to be moving to a new place.
Mary Jane Judy (Groff)
University of Missouri (‘02)
Mary Jane is an attorney in the real estate practice at Polsinelli Shughart PC in Kansas City.
Lina Kahn
Truman State University (‘06)
Lina is at University of Maryland where she is working toward a master's degree in public policy. She is also interning at a research organization in DC called the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Nadia Kamanzi
Missouri State University (‘08)
Nadia recently completed her masters in public policy at the University of Northern Iowa, with an emphasis in health policy. She is currently job hunting in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Arzu Karimova
University of Missouri – St. Louis (‘05)
Arzu has founded Cervia Diagnostic Innovations, with a mission of developing a low-cost diagnostic tool to detect cervical cancer.
Kathie Kearbey
Southeast Missouri State University (‘99)
Kathie is a vocational advisor for the Ticket to Work Program. She is also the treasurer and historian of the Missouri Disability Vote Project. Kathie goes to Jefferson City about four times a year, and often takes others with her to see the capital for the first time. Recently Kathie was one of three panelists for the "Faces of Homelessness" Speakers‘ Panel at the Missouri State Capitol sponsored by the Missouri Association for Social Welfare (MASW) in partnership with the Governor‘s Committee to End Homelessness (GCEH.)
Susie Kekec
Missouri State University ('12)
Susie graduated in May 2012 and relocated to Korea with her fiance the following August. Together they are keeping a great blog on the sights, sounds, and scents of Korea and ordinary life as expatriates.
Emily Kelchen (Kiddoo)
Truman State University (‘06)
Emily recently moved from Wisconsin to New Jersey. While she searches for a full-time position, Emily is keeping busy with contract work from various public interest organizations focused on regulatory and tort reform and studying for the New Jersey bar exam.
Traci Kennedy (Harr)
University of Missouri (’07)
Traci became the administrative coordinator with Missouri
Health Connection. She is working with Mindy Mazur, former Chief of Staff in the
Secretary of State‘s Office, who Traci met during her Sue Shear Fellowship in 2007.
Abrahama Keys
University of Missouri (‘04)
Abrahama is the coordinator of the membership department at the St. Louis Science Center. She also continues to be passionate about politics.
Ann Marie Klues
LEAD Program (‘10)
Ann Marie is doing an internship at the Missouri History Museum as an Educational Interpreter. She gives school tours for K-12 students who visit the Museum.
Ellen Komaromi
Lincohn University (‘13)
Ellen followed up her Leadership Academy experience with a 6 week trip to Europe. This fall she will start her second semester in the nursing program at Lincoln University.
Ashley Kremer (Phillips)
Truman State University (‘05)
Ashley is a self-employed attorney in Columbia, Missouri. When not working, she is busy raising three young kids at home.
Amy Kucharo
University of Missouri-Kansas City ('10)
Amy just started a new job as a delivery consultant for Cerner Corporation, a healthcare information technology company in Kansas City.
Michelle Landers-Ochsner
Truman State University (‘08)
Michelle completed her Masters in Public Policy Administration at UMSL in August 2012. After graduation, she promptly joined the Sue Shear Institute staff as an Administrative Aide.
Laura Lasher
Truman State University ('08)
Laura graduated from Truman State University with her master’s in accounting in May 2009. She now lives in St. Louis and works for KPMG, a big-four accounting firm.
Casey Lawrence (Exendine)
University of Central Missouri (‘06)
Casey works for the Missouri Secretary of State's Office of Records Management. She was recently awarded a capital fellowship to attend MU's Truman School for Public Affairs and will start working on her master’s degree this fall.
Brianna Lennon
Truman State University (‘06)
Brianna resides in Columbia, Missouri and is working at the Missouri Secretary of State's Office as an Elections Counsel.
Mary Grace Lewandowski
University of Missouri – St. Louis (‘00)
Mary Grace is working at East-West Gateway in the Transportation Corridor Improvement Group on the Great Streets Initiative.
Cherie Lewis
Southeast Missouri State University (‘00)
Last October, Cherie accepted a position on the Investment Advisory team at the trade desk for Renaissance Financial, where she was worked for over three years. She also moonlights at the Center of Contemporary Arts (COCA) part-time as an event manager.
Tiwan Lewis
Lincoln University ('05)
Tiwan is the administrator for the Salvation Army’s Feeding America Program in Jefferson City. She has also began a hunger awareness campaign and food drive for elementary school students. This summer she will be researching grants and fundraising opportunities for the Salvation Army Food Pantry.
Sarah Linneman
University of Missouri - Kansas City (‘08)
After the 2008 Leadership Academy, Sarah spent a semester abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. In addition to taking classes, she had an internship teaching environmental science to high school students in the township Khayelitsha.
Cori Lock
Missouri S&T (‘00)
Cori is a software engineer on the SolutionWorks Team for Cerner Corporation in Kansas City.
Natalie Lorenz (Bachmann)
Southeast Missouri State University (‘08)
Natalie graduated top in her law class from SIU School of Law in Carbondale, IL in May 2012, and started work the Monday after graduation at Mathis Marifan & Richter in Belleville, IL. She took the IL Bar exam this summer, and plans to take the MO exam in February.
Melinda Love
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘02)
Melinda works full-time at the Gateway Foundation in St. Louis, goes to school, and serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Social Work (NASW) - Missouri Chapter.
Meghan Lowery, Ph.D.
Missouri State University (‘06)
Meghan is the Director of Organizational Development Consulting at Psychological Associates in St. Louis, and continues to publish and present research on women in the workplace.
Lauren Maddock
Missouri S & T (’07)
Lauren is an engineering analyst with the St. Charles County Highway Department.
Carrie Maher (Freese)
Missouri State University (‘01)
Carrie is the business development manager of the Life Sciences Division for the Midwest Region of Chicago-based Gerson Lehrman Group, an independent primary research firm serving business and investment leaders. Prior to the move, Carrie worked for Cerner for five years.
Nabihah Maqbool
University of Missouri (‘08)
In addition to her studies, Nabihah is serving on the Muslims Students Organization board and is trying to put together information sessions to discuss the ongoing events in Gaza. Last semester she attended a Students Against Genocide conference in Washington, DC, and recently she had an opportunity to see the MLK historical sites in Atlanta.
Amanda Marchegiani
Southeast Missouri State University (‘08)
Amanda graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications in the option of Public Relations. After working as an intern with the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, she has accepted a permanent position with them working with the newly appointed VP of Communications Director.
Angela Marino
Missouri State University (‘02)
Angela is the Vice President of Resource Development at the United Way of Greater St. Louis.
Mackenzie Martin
University of Central Missouri (‘13)
Mackenzie is the founder of Young Women for America, an outreach program at the University of Central Missouri that encourages women to become leaders on and off campus, including seeking elective office.
Julie Massey
Missouri S&T (‘04)
Julie is an administrative support assistant in the Perry Lake Project Office of the US Army Corps of Engineers. She married her partner of nearly nine years, Ramona, in August, following the Supreme Courts' decision to extend federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples.
Carol Marshall
Southeast Missouri State University (‘00)
For the past five years, Carol has been working for the FBI as a victim specialist. She currently lives in Louisville, Ky.
Dimonique McGruder
Truman State University ('12)
Dimonique was a field organizer for the Missouri Coordinated Campaign which helped re-elect U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill. She plans to graduate in May 2013.
Tatiana McKinney
University of Missouri (‘08)
Tatiana will finish up her Fellowship at the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy in Washington, DC, in early August. She been accepted into the Sarah Lawrence Graduate Program in Women's History but plans to defer for a year so that she can save up a little more money. In the meantime, she has applied for several fellowships and jobs.
Julie McKitrick
Southeast Missouri State University (‘03)
Julie is an order fulfillment specialist at Solutia in St. Louis.
Kristen McMillen
University of Missouri - Kansas City (‘10)
Kristen graduate cum laude in May 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in German/Mass Communications. She recently attended the Summer Olympics in London, and is looking forward to her upcoming nuptials.
Alisha Mehrhoff
Lincoln University (‘08)
Alisha is a scholarship student in the JD/MBA program at Oklahoma City University with an anticipated graduation date in May 2012. She graduated magna cum laude in May 2009, with bachelors of science degrees in History and Political Science. She is interning for the General Counsel of the Oklahoma House of Representatives until May 2011.
Kayla Meine
University of Central Missouri ('11)
Kayla is starting her junior year at UCM in the fall. She is the President of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, Vice President of UCM’s Pre-Law Association, and is an active member of the Mock Trial team.
Jheel Mehta
University of Missouri - Kansas City (‘07)
Jheel completed her work at the Permanent Mission of India to the U.N. and graduated with an M.A. in Asian Studies from Seton Hall University this past May. She recently joined SAP as a Knowledge Management Consultant in Newtown Square, PA.
Bridget Yirakpoa Member-Meneh
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘07)
Bridget graduated from UMSL in May and was an intern at the Sue Shear Institute this fall. She was hired recently by Kelly Services and had the opportunity to visit her family in Nigeria this December.
Claudia Mercado
Missouri State University (‘98)
Claudia is the assistant director of the Office of Student Activities at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, Il. In addition, she is nearing completion of her dissertation in educational leadership and policy at the University of Kansas. She and her partner welcomed their first child in January 2009.
AJ Mercer
Missouri S&T ('98)
Since Feb. 2010, AJ has been an engineer at the Batesville, MS, location of GE Aviation, a world-leading provider of jet and turbo prop engines, components, and integrated systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation. She was recently promoted to Operations Coach.
Katina Metzidakis
Sue Shear and Leadership Academy Intern (’03)
Katina graduated from Cardozo Law School (Yeshiva U in NYC) in May 2008 and now lives in Santiago, Chile with her Chilean husband. She works in investment banking at JP Morgan, focusing on equity research in the Southern Cone and Andean Region. She has also helped organize the Chilean rounds of the International Law Moot Court competition.
Dianna Meyers
Missouri S & T (‘05)
Dianna finished her ceramic engineering degree in May 2009, and now works in IT Consulting at Accenture in St. Louis.
Rachel Meyers (Ohmer)
Truman State University (‘04)
Rachel graduated from Truman with a master’s of accountancy in 2006 and works for RubinBrown, a public accounting firm, in the assurance services department. She got married in November 2008, and lives with her husband in St. Louis.
Paula Mihalcik, PhD
Missouri University of Science and Technology (‘00)
Paula continues her work as a program analyst for the National Guard Bureau. She recently returned to the Midwest after getting married, and now telecommutes from Camp Robinson to Washington, DC.
Chelsea Miller
LEAD Program (‘10)
In November 2012, Chelsea was promoted to client relations coordinator at Cass Information Systems in St. Louis. She started the MBA program at UMSL in January, 2013, and just returned from a study abroad experience in China.
Tina Miller
LEAD Program (‘10)
Tina is pursuing a graduate degree in Organizational Management with a focus on Leadership at Ashford University.
Victoria Moger
Missouri State University (‘05)
After living in Lexington, Va., and managing the colonization efforts of a new chapter of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, Victoria returned to Missouri State for graduate school.
Beth (Groenke) Morrey
Missouri S&T (’07)
Beth graduated with her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from UMKC School of Dentistry in May and works as a dentist at the Community Health Center of Central Missouri in Jefferson City.
Alexis Morris
Truman State University (’11)
This summer, Alexis did a physics/engineering research experience for undergraduates (REU) at Yale University and presented her research findings at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium in Conn., and the 21st McNair Symposium at UC - Berkeley. Alexis is a senior chemistry major at Truman.
Liz Morrow
Lincoln University (‘01)
Liz is the registrar at Lincoln University in Jefferson City.
Lynn Mwaniki
University of Central Missouri ('09)
Lynn has completed her MA in Sociology from the University of Central Missouri. This summer Lynn will be returning to Kenya to teach college classes, and looks forward to helping young women accomplish their dreams.
Kelly Myers (Kobarg)
University of Missouri ('99)
After several years as an attorney with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Kelly recently started a new position as General Counsel for the Iowa Department of Economic Development.
Kelli Nagel
Southeast Missouri State University ('08)
Kelli is in her second year of a dual degree program, pursuing a J. D. and M. A. of International Affairs at Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, WI. This summer she is interning for the U.S. State Department Bureau of Western Hemispheric Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico.
Katie New
University of Central Missouri (‘06)
Katie graduated with Pro Bono Honors from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law in May 2011. She passed the Missouri Bar Exam in July and is licensed to practice law in Missouri.
Mary Hoemann Newell
University of Missouri (’98)
Mary is in her 10th year of clerking for Supreme Court Judge Mary Rhodes Russell, who she met at the Leadership Academy in 1998. She plans to end her clerkship in August 2013, and is looking forward to whatever opportunities lie ahead. Mary lives in Liberty, Missouri, with her husband and three children.
Kelly Newsome
University of Missouri - Kansas City (2004); Amethyst Award Winner 2010
Kelly graduated with her Juris Doctor from Georgetown Law School and a Master's in Economic Law from Science Po Law School in Paris, France, in October 2013. She is working as a litigation associate at Cadawalader, Wickersham, & Taft LLP in New York.
Alexandria Niemoeller
Missouri S &T ('08)
Alexandria is active in lobbying efforts for the American Cancer Society, particularly in support of the Show-Me Healthy Women program, which provides funds for cancer screenings for low-income women and minorities.
Jessica (Nelson) Nobles
University of Central Missouri (‘07)
In May, Jessica was elected to represent the business division on the faculty associate at Lewis and Clark Community College. She is starting a PhD program in community college leadership at Missouri Baptist University in January, 2014.
Sandra Ostad
University of Missouri - Columbia (’07)
Immediately after completing the Leadership Academy in May, Sandra went to Kigali, Rwanda, where she learned about the genocide and interned as a gym teacher at an all-girls Catholic boarding school.
Rachel Owens (Melichar)
Missouri State University (‘00)
Rachel is an account executive for Elizabeth Arden Prestige Cosmetics, and works with stores in Kansas, western Missouri, NW Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma. In addition to her work, she is a National Officer for Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.
Jessica Pace
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘08)
Jessica is from St. Louis but lives in LA. She is a strategic communications coordinator at California Calls, an organization committed to reforming tax and fiscal policy to support systemic, progressive solutions to California's fiscal crisis. Jess' focuses on innovative ways to further traditional grassroots organizing using email and social media. In her free time she attends live art events.
Rachel Padgett
Southeast Missouri State University (‘07)
Rachel graduated in May 2008 with a B.S. in Education and a teaching emphasis in social studies.
Lauren Palmer
University of Missouri (‘99)
Lauren is the assistant city manager for Manhattan, Ks.
Amanda Trainor Patrick
Southeast Missouri State University (‘04)
Amanda is the membership, marketing and trade show coordinator for the Railway Supply Institute in Washington, DC. She was recently selected for the Leadership Academy for Young Professionals sponsored by ASAE, The Center for Association Leadership.
Christina Parle
University of Central Missouri (‘12)
This fall, Christina will be a senior at UCM where she is president of the Student Government Association. A McNair Scholar, she is also doing an internship in the Office of Vice Provost of Student Engagement and Experience.
Jeanne Patrick (Norris)
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘04)
Jeanne teaches AP Biology and Anatomy at Gateway IT where she is the sponsor of Interact Club, a community service group, and the Saturday Scholars Program which gives students the opportunity to have first-hand medical school experience at Washington University. She was recently accepted to the Teacher Researcher Partnership at Washington University, where she will work with a life sciences research lab while developing inquiry curriculum for her classroom. She and her husband celebrated their first wedding anniversary in 2011.
Angela Pearson
University of Missouri - Columbia (‘13)
This summer, Angela attended a journalism camp in Palo Alto, California, where she served as an editor, teacher, and mentor to nine high school journalism students. She also worked at UMB Financial Corporation as a corporate communications intern.
Cindy Sandoval Perez
Southeast Missouri State University (‘09)
Cindy will graduate in May 2012 with an accounting major and finance minor, and has accepted a position in the audit group at Pricewaterhouse Coopers in St. Louis.
Hannah Perkins
University of Missouri -St. Louis ('11)
Hannah has been working as a research associate at the Health Communication Research Laboratory at Washington University in St. Louis since June 2012. She oversees the field research team for a NIH-FDA joint funded study of the effects of graphic warning labels on tobacco cessation. Hannah will be assisting with new research this summer on behalf of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Roan Peters
University of Missouri (‘06)
Roan spent 2011 in Bogotá, Colombia, teaching English on an AIESEC exchange. Currently, she is teaching English to college students and professional in Latin America, and this fall she will begin teaching Spanish I, German I and German II at Perryville High School in Perryville, MO.
Alexis Petri
University of Missouri-St. Louis ('09)
Alexis is nearing the completion of her doctorate in Urban Leadership and Policy Studies in Education at UMKC. She was recently elected president of the board for Hogan Preparatory Academy, a public charter school, after three years as vice-president.
Jessica Post
Truman State University (‘01)
Jessica is a regional candidate advisor with EMILY's List.
Angie Postal
University of Missouri - St. Louis (‘12)
Since completing the Academy in 2012, Angie has completed her Masters in Public Policy Administration at UMSL and is the Director of Public Policy for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region.
Michelle Prince
UMSL Women LEAD, 2010
Michelle will graduate in May 2013 with a B.S. in elementary education. She was selected as a Teach for America Corps member for 2013, and will be teaching in Houston, TX. Michelle was recently accepted into the Golden Key Honor Society.
Derecka Purnell
University of Missouri-Kansas City ('11)
Derecka was recently appointed by City Councilwoman Melba Curls to serve as co-chair of the Emerge KC Leadership Board, which strives to mobilize and encourage people to become civically engaged and promote positive initiatives in the community. She was also selected as a member of the Teach for America Kansas City Corps for next fall.
Farheen Qurashi
University of Missouri - Kansas City (‘06)
After serving for a year as the Jack Rutledge Legislative Director (JRLD) of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) outside Washington, DC, Farheen is back at UMKC to finish her last year of medical school.
Sukmeke Rainey Watkins
Lincoln University (‘99)
Sukmeke recently started a new job as a legislative coordinator for the Chicago Transit Authority, working primarily with the Illinois State Legislature.
Wendi Raulie
University of Central Missouri ('05)
Wendi is the Assistant Center Director at the ELS Language Center on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Il. ELS is an international company that teaches English to non-native speakers so they can attend American Universities. She is also traveling to other ELS centers training new registrars.
E'Terrica Reeves
UMSL Women LEAD, 2011
Terri has secured a summer job as a field manager for The Grass Roots Campaign, a non-profit organization that works to mobilize young voters.
Stacey Henry Reliford
University of Missouri ('00)
Stacy is the field government relations director for the American Cancer Society in St. Louis, where her focus in on local “smoke-free” community initiatives. She was recently appointed by the mayor to a 3-year term on the City of Kirkwood’s Human Right’s Commission.
Ivana Ristovska
University of Missouri – St. Louis (‘08)
Ivana worked as a field organizer for Congressman Russ Carnahan’s re-election campaign in 2008.
Chantal Rivadeneyra
UMSL Women LEAD ('10)
Following a successful study abroad experience at Ecole de Management in Strasbourg, France, Chantal graduated from UMSL with a double major in information systems and international business this December. She was working part-time as a project coordinator at Express Scripts while finishing her degree, and went to full-time after graduation.
Kelley Robinson
University of Missouri–Columbia (‘07)
Kelley is living in Washington DC and working with Choice USA - a non-profit that promotes reproductive justice through youth based and community organizing.
Sarah Robinson
University of Missouri – Kansas City (‘05)
Sarah is a real estate agent in Kansas City.
Shakea Roper
University of Central Missouri (‘07)
Shakea graduated with an MSW from Mizzou in May 2009. She earned her BSW (Bachelors of Social Work) at the University of Central Missouri in May 2008.
Judith Rowland
Missouri State University (’09)
Judith graduated is pursuing a masters in development studies at the London School of Economics as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.
Lauren Ryan
University of Missouri- Columbia (’07)
Lauren is working on the Athena Breast Health Network, a multi-million dollar collaboration involving the five University of California Medical Centers. It is the first attempt of its kind (and scale) to tailor breast care and cancer prevention based on a women's personal health history.
Mary Jo Ryan
University of Missouri ('08)
Mary Jo is currently serving as a representative for the Loretto Community at the United Nations Non-Governmental Organizations Branch. Her position focuses on women’s issues and she is serving on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
Amy Davis Salladay
Truman State University (‘98)
Amy is an attorney at law in Columbia, Missouri.
Zhanna Saparova
University of Missouri - Kansas City (’03)
Zhanna is the Assistant Director with the Office of International Student Services at the University of St. Thomas in St Paul, MN. She and her husband had their first child, a boy, in May 2010.
Amanda Sasek
University of Central Missouri ('10)
This summer Amanda assisted Dr. Shari Bax as the Assistant Academic Coordinator for both Missouri Boys State and Missouri Girls State. She also attended the American Democracy Project National Convention in Orlando, Florida. At the convention Amanda served as a presenter on Peer-to-Peer Voter Registration Initiatives alongside another Sue Shear Fellow, Kayla Meine. This fall she will be a teacher's assistant for an American Government class and will continue to tutor government classes.
Christy Schlosser
Truman State University (‘04)
Christy completed a master’s degree in public communication from American University, and now works as a market research project manager at Applied Research in Kansas City, Mo.
Kellie Schmidt
Lincoln University (‘04)
Kellie received a masters in nursing leadership in December 2008, and is the assistant director of nursing (ADON) at a nursing home in Jefferson City.
Jesse Sendejas
University of Missouri – Kansas City (‘04)
Jesse serves as an Assistant City Attorney in Kansas City. She’s co-Vice Chair for the Public Service Committee of the Young Lawyers Section of KCMBA, and volunteers as team leader for Lawyers in the Classroom, DEBATE-KC urban debate league. Jesse is also a Big Sister and acts as an Inn Master for the University of Missouri– School of Law Inns program which mentors law students.
Jessica Polk Sentell
Missouri State University (‘08)
After finishing her MPA in May 2009, Jessica moved to Washington, DC, with her new husband to start a Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The purpose of the PMF Program is to attract to the Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.
Mahin Shahlari
Missouri S & T (‘07)
Mahin graduated in May with a PhD in chemical engineering and has since been working as a Sr. Formulation Chemist at Northern Technologies International Corporation, located in the Minneapolis area.
Kim Shields
Missouri State University (‘00)
Kim is a government consultant with LexisNexis.
Jamie Schockley
University of Central Missouri (‘09)
Jamie completed the coursework for her masters in Public Administration at KU, and was selected as a 2012 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Local Government Management Fellow. She currently works for the City of Olathe, KS in the City Manager's Office.
Patrice Shumate (Hutton)
University of Missouri (‘05)
Patrice is a social service coordinator in St. Louis, providing social services for seniors and persons with disabilities in low-income housing.
Danielle Siembieda
University of Missouri-Columbia (‘99)
Danielle lives in Oakland, California and works as an Art Practitioner specializing in New Technologies, Eco Art and Interactive Strategies. She recently received a grant for her studio practice, The Art Inspector, to conduct Eco Makeovers on artists' studios. She will create an Energy Smart Exhibition as well.
Candace Simpson
University of Missouri -Columbia (‘03)
Candace is currently working as a product specialist with Schaeffer's Investment Research in Cincinnati, OH. She is also volunteering for Judge Nadine Allen.
Melissa Sinden
University of Missouri (‘01)
Melissa lives in Washington DC and is the Senior Director of Government Relations for the American Academy of Audiology. Prior to her current position, Melissa worked for the American Chiropractic Association.
Natalie Soltys
Truman State University (‘07)
Natalie is living in New York City and pursuing a master's in Media, Culture, and Communication at NYU.
Emily Spacaj
UMSL Women LEAD ('11)
Emily has been awarded the Driemeier Scholarship and the Study Abroad Scholarship and will study at the Amsterdam/Dieman Campus in Holland January - July 2013.
Churie Spreng
University of Missouri–St. Louis (‘09)
Churie became the first Shear Fellow to be elected to the Missouri Legislature when in November 2010, she won a seat in the Missouri House. She represents the 76th district in St. Louis County.
Brittany Stegeman
Lincoln University ('10)
Brittany is working on her Master of Education in Counseling - Student Affairs at the University of Nebraska - Omaha. She has been appointed as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of the Metropolitan Omaha Education Consortium.
Rebekah Stewart
Lincoln University ('00)
Rebekah is a TRiO Upward Bound Project Director at The Ohio State University, where she wrote a successful $1.2 million grant to secure funding for the university for the next 5 years. Rebekah is the President-Elect at TRiO for the 2011-2013 term and is a 3rd year PhD student in Higher Education Administration.
Tamika Stone
Lincoln University (‘13)
Tamika is a paid intern with the Missouri Department of Public Safety - Crime Victim Services Unit, and a youth specialist at the Juvenile Detention Center for at-risk youth in Cole County. She is also a "Big" with the local Big Brothers Big Sisters Chapter.
Suzanne Struglinski Broadfield
University of Missouri (‘98); Amethyst Award Winner 2008
Suzanne has been elected to a three-year term on the Board of Governors at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. She is the press secretary for legislative affairs at the National Resources Defense Council.
Monica Swindle
University of Missouri-St. Louis ('08)
Monica earned her master's degree in English and a graduate certificate in Gender Studies from UMSL in May 2010. She is currently teaching composition at St. Louis Community College at Meramec and serves as a lecturer and the program assistant/webmistress for the Gender Studies program at UMSL. For the Gender Studies program, Monica has secured a grant in collaboration with Dr. Kathleen Nigro to design and implement international online gender studies courses in collaboration with gender studies faculty from around the world. She also has a peer-reviewed article, "Feeling Girl, Girling Feeling: Girl as Affect," forthcoming this June in the journal Rhizomes: Cultural Studies in Emerging Knowledge.
Cynthia Tharp
Missouri S & T (‘01)
Cynthia is the Curator of Collections at the Chemical Corps Museum at Fort Leonard Wood and an adjunct professor at East Central College. She is a May 2009 graduate of the UM-SL Master’s program in History and the 2008 Alumna of the Year from Missouri S&T. In addition, she is the 2010 and 2011 Committee Chairperson for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life in Phelps County, Mo.
Hallie Thompson
University of Missouri - Columbia ('11)
A Ph.D student at MU, Hallie recently presented a paper at the International Society of Root Researchers conference in Dundee, UK, and also has a paper under review for publication. She was recently accepted into the Griffith's Leadership Society for Women at MU.
Heather Lasher Todd
Truman State University (‘01)
Heather is the Public Information Officer for the American Medical Association based in Washington DC.
Gannet Tseggai
University of Missouri (‘02)
Gannet is doing philanthropic work at Target, which focuses on education, in Minneapolis.
Jenna Tune
Missouri S & T (‘06)
Jenna finished her master’s degree in geological engineering in 2009, and planned to move from her hometown of Rolla. She had a baby in December 2008 - a boy - and reports that “being a mom is definitely my greatest accomplishment to date.”
Kathleen Turner
Lincoln University (‘01)
Kathleen is a PhD candidate in English at Northern Illinois University where she is also a teaching assistant in the English department. In addition to teaching composition and literature classes at NIU, she is also an adjunct instructor at a nearby community college. She completed a graduate certificate in women’s studies, and is currently working on her dissertation about depictions of marginalized women in film and literature.
Danielle Uding
UMSL Women LEAD, 2010
Danielle graduated from UMSL in December. She is a process specialist at Landis + Gyr, where she focuses on environmental health and safety/HR.
Michelle Wade, Ph.D.
Missouri State University (‘03)
This fall, Michelle is starting a new job as an assistant professor at West Chester University in West Chester Pennsylvania. She is the secretary for the Midwest Political Science Association's Women's Caucus and the treasurer of the National Women's Caucus for Political Science.
Rachel Waldemer
University of Missouri–Kansas City (‘09)
Rachel was one of 60 students awarded a Fellowship worth $5,000 by The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She graduated in May with a bachelor of science degree with majors in Biology, Chemistry and Spanish. She is a student in the MD-PhD program at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign.
Traci Walker
Missouri S & T (‘99)
Traci is a Senior Contract Specialist in the Office of Administration, Executive Office of the President (EOP). Traci recently completed a 9-month USDA Graduate School Executive Leadership Program, and she is pursuing a master’s of science in organizational leadership from Regis University- College for Public Leadership.
Ashley Warren
University of Missouri (‘06)
Ashley is the Student Government President of her medical school, A.T. Still University-Kirksville. Her long-term plan is to do family medicine with a specialty in pediatrics in rural Missouri, ideally in her hometown of Richland, Mo.
Rachel Watson
University of Missouri-St. Louis ('10); Intern ('11)
Rachel recently completed her second summer year teaching English in Miami through the Breakthough Collaborative program.
Lisa (Schroeder) Wayne
Truman State University (‘03)
Lisa got out of the Army in June, 2011, and now works as a registered veterinary technician at the Animal Emergency Clinic and the St. Louis Cat Clinic. She is getting ready to start working on a specialization in emergency and critical care medicine that will take the better part of the next two years. Meanwhile, she is also taking care of her menagerie: three cats and two dogs.
Ali Weinel
University of Central Missouri ('10)
Ali is an intern at the City Manager's office in Lee's Summit, MO.
Sarah Welch
Missouri S & T (‘00)
In February, 2013, Sarah was elected Secretary of the Boulder County Republicans, making her a de factor member of the State Central Committee. She is also the GOP Secretary for Colorado's Second Congressional District. Sarah testified to the Colorado House Judiciary Committee in support of the Civil Union bill in February 2013.
Amanda Wells
Missouri S&T ('11)
Amanda says she is doing great “thanks to the Academy!” After spending an afternoon in the basement of the Governor’s Mansion with gubernatorial staffer Deborah Price (see the recap of the Academy for more), Amanda is an intern in the Governor’s office for Boards and Commissions.
Amy Williams
University of Missouri-Columbia ('10)
Amy graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law this past May with her J.D. This fall, Amy will be attending Utrecht University in the Netherlands for LLM program in International Human Rights and Criminal Justice. She is a 2012-2013 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.
Corinna Willis
Lincoln University (‘08)
Corinna is the president of the Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society at Lincoln. She graduated with a B.S. in Agriculture in May 2010.
Emma Wilson
Missouri State University ('11)
Emma is a reporter at the Ozarks Public Radio station, KSMU, where she produces stories on local history for the station's "Sense of Place" series. You can hear her story on renowned artist (and Kewpie Doll creator), Rose O'Neil at KSMU's "Sense of Place" website.
Kate Winzenburger
Southeast Missouri State University (‘06)
Kate graduated from Southeast in May 2008, and is pursuing a masters in social work with school certification at SIU-Carbondale. She is a student worker at the Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cape Girardeau, and is doing a practicum at Union County Counseling Services in Anna, IL.
Missie (Brittain) Wolfe
Truman State University (‘99)
Missie is a research psychologist for the Center for Army Leadership at Fort Leavenworth, KS.
Shelly Wood
Southeast Missouri State University (‘07)
Shelly is the project coordinator for the Southeast Missouri Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. This fall she is starting a masters program in environmental studies with a focus in sustainable development and policy.
Lauren Yoggerst
Southeast Missouri State University (‘04)
Lauren is finishing up her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Eastern Illinois University and is cautiously optimistic about entering the job market.
