This year, 281 leaders graduated from a FOCUS program. They represent all ages and career levels - from high school students to CEOs - and came together from a wide range of sectors, industries and backgrounds. In addition to challenging themselves as leaders, we hope each graduate gained a deeper understanding of our St. Louis region and how they can play a role in making our community stronger.
Please join us in welcoming them to the FOCUS alumni community of more than 11,000 graduates!
Aramide Ayorinde, Family Care Health Centers
Kae Barnett, Bridge 2 Hope
Doneisha Bohannon, BJC HealthCare
Michael Brockland, SWMW Law LLC
Lisa Capone, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Candice Carter-Oliver, Confluence Academy
Tiffany Charles, Commerce Bank
Kira Cobb, Entrepreneur Business Basics
Rebecca Cornatzer, S. M. Wilson & Co.
Kristin Croce, Polsinelli
Kanika Cunningham, St. Louis County
Shaughnessy Daniels, Great Rivers Greenway District
Susan Dealis Gobbo, STL Mosaic Project
Heather Dell, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Ed DeVault, Edward Jones
Christopher Fan, BJC HealthCare
Deanna Finch, United 4 Children
Gina Fromme, Humane Society of Missouri
Delesha George, Deaconess Foundation
Chris Gordon, Southern Illinois Univ. Edwardsville
Mary Jo Gorman, Gorman Advisory
Mandy Greeno, Nestlé Purina PetCare
Katrina Harrison-Peoples, Area Resources for Community and Human Svcs.
Kate Hatfield, City of Frontenac
Amanda Hettinger, Thompson Coburn LLP
Melissa Hoffmeister, JACOBS
Lydia Huston, Kwame Building Group Inc.
Jordan Iverson, Bayer Corporation
AJ Jackson-Jennings, St. Louis Community Foundation
Jassen Johnson, Renaissance Development
Lalage Katunga, Genentech
LaTonya Keaton, CoBank
Shannon Koenig, Housing Authority-St.L. County
Dan Lawrence, KPMG LLP
Adam Layne, City Treasurer's Office
Laura Lyon, Heartlands Conservancy
Andrew Marti, Saint Louis Zoo
Kim Mason, First Unitarian Church of St. Louis
Jason McClellan, Washington University in St. Louis
Matt Miller, Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis
Brian Nolan, Carmody MacDonald P.C.
Allen North, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Ken Patrick, Ameren
Virgil Pearson, Harris-Stowe State University
Kate Polokonis, STEMSTL
Erica Randall
Malachi Rein, Building Energy Exchange St. Louis
Ros Robinson, Ranken Technical College
David Sandler, Muscular Dystrophy Association
Toni Schneider Finch, Washington University in St. Louis
Jeff Shaw, Harris-Stowe State University
Kristen Slaughter, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri
Julie Scott Soffner, Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation
Andrea Spates, CareSTL Health
Chris Stephen, Emerson
Christine Stewart, St. John's Community Care
Dawn Suggs, St. Louis American Newspaper
Kim Tate, EZRA Coaching
Cort VanOstran, Gray Ritter Graham, P.C.
Francine Voss, Panera, LLC
Ashley Wiehle, FleishmanHillard Inc.
Travis Wools, Protective Life
Rebecca Anderson, St. Louis Public Schools
Chrissy Beck, Missouri Charter Public School Association
Elizabeth Brennan, Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Ricqui Brooks, St. Louis County Library
Deb Cox, Rung for Women
Adrienne Eaglin, Special School District of St. Louis County
Beth Elders, American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis
Samantha Ferguson Knight, LifeWise StL
Teri Garrett, Citi
Cheryl Gusewelle, Ameren
Hema Kagitha, RGA Reinsurance Company
Nava Kantor, Gladiator Consulting
Heather Kemper, Miriam Learning Center
Vanessa Kerner, KCI Technologies LLC
Rebecca Miller, Washington University in St. Louis
Angela Niesen, St. Louis Children's Hospital
Kynedra Ogunnaike, St. Louis Public Schools
Aimee Pullen, Special School District
Alexandria Reed, Jump Company
Brittany Ross, Central States Water Resources Group
Cat Shoemaker, Citi
Theresa Sieber, BJC HealthCare
Dr. Ava Smith, Confluence Academy
Tara Spates Tucker, Novus Health
Nicole Springer, Webster University
Kathy Tate, Circus Harmony
Dara Taylor, Missouri Historical Society
Mary Colleen Waters, Missouri Baptist Medical Center-BJC Healthcare
Lisa White, Citi
Margarett Wolf, Millipore Sigma
Rochelle Beasley-Smith, Bunzl
Maheen Bokhari, Centene Corporation
Nikki Bommarito, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Barbara Davis, City of St. Louis Treasurer's Office
Caressa Davis, St. Louis Development Corporation
Tashara Earl, Shades of Color
Elizabeth Eisele, St. Louis County
Kiki Gao, Behavioral Health Response, Inc.
Natalie Gemberling Webb, LifeWise STL
Catina Harris, Enterprise Bank & Trust
Courtney Harris, Washington University in St. Louis
Queenie Ivory, Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
Avital Kadosh, Jewish Community Center
Cynthia Kirkpatrick, Moneta Group
Annie Kuhl, Saving Sight
Laura Kuhl, St. Louis Public Library
Kelly Laura, The Wilson School
Maggie Leffel, McClure Engineering
Ida Martikainen, Collaborative Strategies, Inc.
Bailie Moore, Lambert Global
Kelly Moore, International Institute of St. Louis
Larina Murray-Haley, DashLiving
Rebecca Osburn, BJC HealthCare
Sara Paracha, Forward Through Ferguson
Charrise Rainey, Divine Purpose Home Care Services
Christina Renz, Missouri Historical Society
Moji Sidiqi, International Institute of St. Louis
Michelle Wells, Bond Architects
Mon Trice Williams, Citi
Jimmy Abbott, Regions Bank
Patrick Battaglia, Logan University
Josh Brettmann, Millipore Sigma
Juwanna Brown, St. Louis Development Corporation
Myron Burr, University of Missouri-St. Louis
DeAna Carter, Kwame Building Group Inc.
Lin Cheng, Millipore Sigma
Justin Diller, Edward Jones
Paige Dunk, Washington University in St. Louis
Ashley Edwards, BJC HealthCare
Chelsea Filbert, MasterCard International
Kiara Fite, FamilyForward
Madeline Galdamez, St. Louis Public Schools
Curtis Griggs, ConsulTech
Ronita Herron, Almost Home
Meghan Jendusa, St. Louis County Children's Service Fund
Emily Johnson Pickel, Busey Bank
Abbey Jones, BJC HealthCare
Yatina Katunga, First Community Credit Union
Rabia Khan, Ameren Missouri
David Maia, City Academy
Stephanie Matt, Edward Jones
Shelby McNeil, Ameren Missouri
Travis Newberry, City of Wildwood
Jordyn Norde, Rx Outreach
Sophia Ochs, Hoffmann Brothers
Jill Salinas, Special Education Foundation
Hannah Talley, City of Warson Woods
Kristina Vidovic, Nine PBS
Lewis Washington, The Boeing Company
Katie Buck, Missouri Historical Society
Ashley Cook, Angels' Arms
Erica Driver, The Little Bit Foundation
Elizabeth Eikmann, Washington University in St. Louis
Deionna Ferguson, Polsinelli
Dr. Brian Gant, Maryville University
Spencer Gould, Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Gwendolyn Harris-Cockrell, Special School District of St. Louis County
Katie Hayes, Graybar Electric Company
Danna Hilleren, Great Rivers Greenway
Skylah Hunter, Access Academies
Gunnar Johanson, Stinson LLP
Sarah Jones, Notion
Tyler Joy, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
Christopher King, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Joy Kuhlo, Horizon Housing Foundation
Courtney Lee, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Tysha Long, World Wide Technology
Theresa Martin, Edward Jones
Robert Mason II, DoubleWolf Enterprises LLC
Emily McCurren, Ameren Missouri
Stewart McDowell, BHR
Calencia Mitchell, BJC HealthCare
Sofia Moore, African Diaspora Council
Lauren Morton, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Gianna Nawrocki, American Association of Orthodontists
Robert Nelson V, Prosperity Connection
Aaron Seidel, St. Louis County Libraries
Steward Stiles, M.Ed, St. Louis Voices Academy of Media Arts
Mary Tomlinson, Gorilla 76
Rulin Olivia Zhang, BDO USA
Participating Schools/Organizations
Affton High School
Behavioral Health Response
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis / St. Louis Internship Program
Chaminade College Preparatory School
Confluence Preparatory Academy
Cor Jesu Academy
Crossroads College Preparatory School
Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri
Kirkwood High School
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
Nerinx Hall
Pattonville High School
Saint Louis University High School
St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School
Ursuline Academy
Vitendo4Africa
Kito Bess, St. Louis County Justice Services Department
Susan Elliott, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Barry Falke, American Red Cross
Lance Franklin, Washington University in St. Louis
Meg Holmes, M I N+ Architecture
Rory James, Saint Louis Zoo
Jeremy Lo, Kairos Network
Lisa Lockett, Forest Park Forever
Regina Marsh, St. Elizabeth Adult Day Care Center
Ken Matheny, MacroFinancial Advisers
Tesha Robinson, Friendly Academy
Tony Smee, Saint Louis County