Programs
Alumni



At FOCUS St. Louis, we believe that everyone possesses thepower to be a leader and that even the most difficult issues are solvable. Through our experience-based leadership programs
and civic issues education, we help people better understand our region and build their capacity for change.
Yemi Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D.
Dr. Akande-Bartsch has more than 20 years of experience in designing and facilitating leadership training, development, and coaching programs. Prior to assuming the role of President and CEO in 2014, she served as Vice President of Leadership and Alumni Programs for FOCUS. Previous positions include serving as Senior Director of Civic Education for the Cleveland Leadership Center and Managing Partner at YsA Group, a leadership training and development company. She was a lecturer at The Boler School of Business and Assistant Professor of Communication and Theatre Arts at Ohio’s John Carroll University, and was the host of a weekly radio show called Making the Case on Cleveland’s WJCU 88.7 FM. She also worked in the field of International education for many years.
Dr. Akande-Bartsch holds a doctorate in communication (with specialty in intercultural, organizational, and political communication) from the University of Oklahoma. She earned two master’s degrees from the University of Oklahoma, the first in human relations and organizational development, and the second in public relations, journalism, and mass communication. She earned her bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo.
Dr. Akande-Bartsch currently serves on the boards of directors for the Sheldon Arts Foundation, Greater St. Louis, Inc. and the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy. She is also a member of the Association of Leadership Professionals, the International Leadership Association and a graduate of Missouri Leadership Challenge. She has been recognized with the Royal Vagabond Leadership Award, YWCA Leader of Distiction, St. Louis Business Journal’s Most Influential Business Women and Diverse Business Leader Awards and as St. Louis American Foundation’s Non-Profit Executive of the Year.
Beth Casagrand
Beth Casagrand rejoined the FOCUS team in August 2024 as Leadership Program Director. In this role, Beth serves as Director for the Emerging Leaders and Youth Leadership St. Louis programs.
Beth Casagrand is a returning FOCUS staff member, having previously served on the team from 2011-17. They bring to the table nearly 15 years of experience in programming and events in the nonprofit sector. Beth most recently served as the Director of Community Programs at Tower Grove Park, where they managed all rentals, volunteering and education. Their other experience includes directing institutional events for the University of Health Science and Pharmacy, as well as serving as the Youth Programs Director for Globalhack.
Beth holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the Southern Illinois University of Carbondale and a bachelor’s degree in English and Sociology from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Shalia Ford
Shalia serves as the Senior Director of Leadership Programs, overseeing initiatives to develop a diverse cadre of regional leaders. A seasoned nonprofit professional with over 20 years of experience, she is exceptionally skilled at designing transformative leadership programs and known for creating brave and inclusive spaces that foster community and nurture authentic connections.
Shalia holds a Master of Business Administration from Fontbonne University and a Bachelor of Science in African American Studies from the University of Minnesota. She is a proud graduate of Women In Leadership – Class 52.
Shalia’s dedication to leadership and service has earned her recognition as one of the Small Business Monthly’s 2024 Wonder Women and the 2023 Exemplary Leadership Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter. She serves on the board of Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis.
Shalia currently resides in St. Louis County with her husband and son.
Madeline Hauck
Madeline Hauck joined the FOCUS team in August 2025 as the Program Coordinator. In this role, she provides comprehensive program support and administrative coordination for all of FOCUS’ civic leadership programs.
Madeline brings nine years of experience in education and nonprofit programming, including teaching high school French and adult ESL, as well as facilitating youth financial literacy and career readiness programs. She most recently served as the Director of Impact & School Support for Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans, where she built partnerships with local schools and employers to bring career exploration opportunities to New Orleans’ high school students.
Madeline holds a master’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in French from Truman State University.
Becky Rasmussen
Becky Rasmussen has served as Director of Marketing and Communications since 2014.
Before joining FOCUS, Becky served as Managing Editor for the Missouri Athletic Club. Prior to this, she held the position of Deputy Director for AMR Management Services, an association management company based in Chesterfield, Mo. Her background includes print and digital publications, email marketing, social media strategy, website development, event coordination and nonprofit administration.
Becky is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism and earned her MBA from Western Governor’s University. She is an alum of the FOCUS Youth Leadership St. Louis program.
Erin Wright
Erin Wright joined the FOCUS team in July 2025 as Manager, Community Engagement and Alumni Experience. In this role, Erin assists with program recruitment and alumni relations efforts, as well as providing overall administrative support.
She brings a strong operations background, most recently serving as Chief of Staff for Roanoke Construction and previously as Development Coordinator for Operation Food Search.
Erin earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Wellesley College. She currently serves on the Friends Board at Operation Food Search.
Matthew Blakely

As Vice President, Corporate Citizenship & Inclusion, Matt Blakely leads RGA’s global philanthropic, volunteerism, inclusion, and sustainability efforts, advancing initiatives that directly contribute to RGA’s business strategy by fostering inclusive workplaces, strengthening communities, and promoting long-term environmental responsibility. Matt joined RGA in 2020 and has nearly 30 years of experience working with private and corporate foundations and corporate social responsibility and inclusion programs.
Matt is a 2020-21 graduate of FOCUS Leadership St. Louis and has served on the boards and advisory committees of many large and small nonprofit organizations.
Missy Kelley

Missy Kelley is a seasoned professional with over 22 years of experience in strategic growth roles within Fortune 500 companies in the consumer-packaged goods and pharmacy benefits management sectors. Her expertise lies in driving innovation, market expansion and strategic planning. Missy’s strategic insights and leadership capabilities have been instrumental in creating lasting impacts on both the corporate and public sectors. Her unique blend of corporate experience and non-profit leadership has enabled her to approach challenges holistically, fostering innovation and growth across different contexts. The two pillars of her professional journey that she cherishes most are strategic planning and collaboration. Engaging with diverse minds, each contributing their unique expertise and insights not only enriches the strategic process but also fosters a sense of shared purpose and camaraderie, which Missy holds dear. In 2018, the St. Louis Business Journal recognized Missy as one of the Most Influential Business Women awardees.
Stephen Lee

Stephen Lee is currently a Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Ameren Corporation leading the legal department of over 45 legal professionals in support of Ameren Corporation’s various power companies. Prior to joining Ameren in 2020, Stephen was a Managing Counsel at BP for over 19 years leading the downstream legal team in the Americas.
Stephen graduated with a B.S. in Business Logistics from the Pennsylvania State University in 1993 and a J.D. from Case Western Reserve Law School in 1996. He currently serves on the Board of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis and is an Advisory Board member at the Pennsylvania State Law School. Stephen and his family currently live in Creve Coeur, MO.
John McClelland

John McClelland joined Acropolis in 2003 as a Portfolio Manager. He works directly with clients developing and implementing personal financial plans and investment strategies, as well as advising on estate and tax planning, retirement planning, insurance and banking needs, and trust administration. Prior to Acropolis, John worked for six years as a fixed-income research analyst at A.G. Edwards & Sons.
John holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in finance and accounting, from Washington University. He earned his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation in 2006. John has served on the finance committees and board of directors at the Sheldon Arts Foundation and New City School. Originally from Bozeman, Montana, John has been a resident of St. Louis since 1998 and has three children. He is a 2014 graduate of Leadership St. Louis.
Sara Stock

Sara Stock is founder and CEO of Stock Legal, and co-founder of Legal Back Office. Her legal practice focuses on general corporate work for small- to medium-sized businesses and commercial real estate transactions, advising clients in all aspects of the business lifecycle. Sara’s joint MBA and law degree uniquely position her to provide the highest quality legal advice seasoned with a solid understanding of her clients’ business objectives. She left an equity position at a large St. Louis law firm to join KWS Law, and later to form Stock Legal, because she felt she could better serve her target clients – small- to medium-sized businesses – from a small- to medium-sized law firm. Sara is passionate about these types of clients because they surround her in her personal life. Sara’s mom and dad ran the family trucking company out of their home while Sara was a child, and Sara’s dad and brother continue to run this successful business today. In 2018, Sara cofounded Legal Back Office, which provides back office services to small- to medium-sized businesses.
Sara is chair of the Middle Market and Small Business Committee, a committee of the American Bar Association, and sits on the YWCA Board of Directors, the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Development Board of Directors, and the Gateway 180 Board of Directors. She is also an active member of ACG St. Louis, and sits on the advisory board for a number of institutions, including banking organizations and local companies.
Joseph Blanner

As Equity Partner at McCarthy, Leonard & Kaemmerer, Joe Blanner primarily focuses his practice on construction law, municipal law, real estate, and commercial and general civil litigation. He represents property owners, design professionals, general contractors, subcontractors and materials suppliers in contract negotiations, project execution, collections and litigation. He also practices in the real estate area negotiating property purchases, commercial leases and represents a variety of subdivision homeowner’s associations. Prior to becoming an attorney, he studied at Saint Louis University School of Law and is admitted to practice in the Missouri Circuit Courts, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Joe has received an impressive array of awards and honors, including the Roy F. Essen Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, St. Louis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, and the City of Eureka Citizen of the Year Award. He has been involved with various charitable and community organizations, serving as board and committee member and volunteers.
Emily Brasel

Emily Brasel is the Vice President of Internal Communications at BJC Health System, one of the region’s largest employers, with 44,000 employees, 24 hospitals, and hundreds of clinics, service organizations and physician offices in Missouri, southern Illinois and eastern Kansas. Prior to her current role, she led internal communications at Wells Fargo Advisors. She also has held communication leadership roles at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and Bank of America.
Emily earned a master’s degree in management and leadership from Webster University and a bachelor’s degree in public relations and communication from Illinois State University. She is a graduate of Leadership St. Louis (class of 2015), and the Greater Missouri Women’s Leadership Challenge (class of 2017).
Rebecca Brown

Rebecca Brown is the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and University Governance, where she serves as a thought partner to the Chancellor and the cabinet. She is also a designated strategic liaison to various constituencies internal and external to the university. As Board Secretary, Rebecca is responsible for working alongside the Board of Chair and Chancellor on matters of university governance. Most recently her professional efforts have focused on restoration of trust in higher education through championing academic freedom, free expression, institutional neutrality, student access, and preparation of graduates for engaged lives and meaningful careers. She is a frequent speaker on governance best practices and combatting hate and antisemitism on college campuses.
Rebecca’s career in higher education also includes roles as Associate Counsel in the Office of General Counsel at Washington University, Associate Dean for Career Services in the School of Law, and Chief of Staff of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. She holds a J.D. from Washington University and a B.A. in Communications from Purdue University. Rebecca has also served as a litigation associate with an international law firm and as in-house counsel for a subsidiary of a Global Fortune 500 company.
Ginny Burns

Ginny Burns serves as the Executive Director for Knowledge Finance, a division of MOHELA. Burns serves as Director of Borrower Experience and Processing for the Authority. She is responsible for the overall Borrower Experience of the Authority, including the Customer Advocacy Team, Training, Specialty Servicing, Loan Servicing and Quality Assurance Group. Burns joined the Authority in 2013. For the 28 years prior, she served as the Vice President-Manager of the Student Services division of Commerce Bank. She has over 36 years of experience in the student loan industry. Burns holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Communication and a Master of Arts in Business Management from Lindenwood University, located in St. Charles, Missouri. She serves on the Missouri Association of Financial Aid Personnel Board.
Jason Chretien

Jason Chretien currently serves as Associate Vice President of Organizational Strategy and Business Operations. In his previous role as Chief of Staff and Associate Vice Chancellor at Washington University, he oversaw operational initiatives for the CAO divisions, supporting the chief administrative officer in developing and implementing innovative solutions to resolve institutional challenges and support strategic directives. His knowledge, skills, and abilities have developed through a varied and challenging career in higher education to include progressive roles in Finance, Technology, and HR. He holds a B.A. in Accounting and M.S. in Tax Law. Prior to Washington University, Jason spent more than 25 years at Tulane University where he started as an Assistant Vice President for Human Resources and was later appointed Senior Assistant Vice President. He also serves as Chairman of the Board for the Tulane Loyola Federal Credit Union.
Darryl Collins

Darryl Collins joined Commerce Bank in 2000. With over 34 years in banking, he worked previously at US Bank, Firstar Bank and Mercantile Bank, gaining extensive experience in all aspects of Retail sales, branch management, several years in small business and commercial relationship management, and numerous special projects related to mergers, acquisitions, and charter integration. Currently, he serves as Regional Director for the Retail division of Commerce. This includes responsibility for all aspects of Commerce Bank’s 40-branch network in the St. Louis Metro area.
A SWIC alumnus, Darryl received his Associates degree in 1982, then moved on to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where he earned his B.S. in Business and Mass Communications in 1984 and returned to complete his MBA course work in 2002. His board affiliations include serving as past President of CFT (a.k.a AIB), SWIC Foundation, St. John Home and Community Care, Collinsville Chamber, the SIU-E Athletic Advisory committee, the Deaconess Foundation, Norman J. Stupp foundation, the SIU-E School of Business Alumni Advisory Board, and the Leadership Council, Southwestern Illinois. He is a 2013-14 graduate of the FOCUS Leadership St. Louis program.
Vanessa Cooksey

Vanessa Cooksey leads the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, the largest public funder of the arts in St. Louis awarding more than 8,000 grants totaling over $150million since its inception in 1985 (racstl.org). Over the last three decades, Vanessa has held marketing, communications and philanthropy leadership positions with a variety of companies including Mary Kay Cosmetics, The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office, Cartoon Network, Anheuser Busch, Wells Fargo and Washington University in St. Louis.
She is known for her ability to build results-driven partnerships, facilitate dynamic collaborations, create high-performing teams and effectively convene diverse stakeholders. She has received over 50 awards during her career, earned degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Webster University and is an Eisenhower Fellow.
Jessica Erfling

Jessica Erfling is a strategic leader, community advocate, and relationship builder with more than 15 years of experience advancing people-centered initiatives, organizational growth, and cross-sector collaboration. As Chief of Staff to the Enterprise Leadership Team at Edward Jones, she’s a member of the Managing Partner’s Office and serves as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, shaping enterprise governance and decision-making. She leads the effectiveness of leadership forums across the Enterprise Leadership Team and Advisory Board, translating complex discussions into clear priorities, aligned decisions, and accountable execution that advances the firm’s long-term strategy.
Prior to joining Edward Jones, Jessica served as Chief Executive Officer of Covenant House Missouri, where she expanded services for youth experiencing homelessness and strengthened organizational sustainability and growth. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to connect people, ideas, and institutions to drive meaningful impact. A proud alumna of Leadership St. Louis, Jessica remains actively engaged in strengthening the St. Louis community through leadership and civic involvement.
David Erickson

David Erickson, CFA, is the Chief Investment Officer for Ascension Investment Management (AIM). He oversees the administration, management, and coordination of all investments, and has 32 years of investment industry experience. Prior to joining AIM in 2009, he served as Chief Investment Officer at the University of Wisconsin Foundation in Madison, Wisconsin. He previously served as Vice President and Investment Strategist for Strong Capital Management in Wisconsin, and in leadership roles with PNC Bank/PNC Capital Markets, Chemical Bank, and Firstar Bank. David earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He is a CFA charter holder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of St. Louis. He serves as a board member of the Henry J. Predolin Foundation, a family foundation supporting education, medical research, and the homeless. Married to Kathy for 32 years, they have three children.
Yinka Faleti

Yinka Faleti is a Nigerian-born American immigrant who has built a remarkable career of public service and leadership. A West Point graduate and U.S. Army Captain who served two tours in Kuwait, Faleti transitioned from military service to law, working as an attorney at a global law firm and state prosecutor in St. Louis. His professional journey includes leading fundraising at United Way, raising $300MM to support the Greater St. Louis region, and servicing as Executive Director for Forward Through Ferguson. In 2020, he ran for Missouri Secretary of State, becoming the first African American man to inspire over one million votes in the state’s200-year history.
Currently a venture partner with Ascend Venture Capital, Faleti is also the founding board chair of Veterans for All Voters, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on electoral reform.
Barry Falke

Barry Falke joined American Red Cross as a Regional CEO in October of 2022. In this role, he leads a team of 90 employees and 2,500 volunteers to advance all Red Cross mission in a 199-county area that covers the states of Missouri, Arkansas, and portions of Illinois and Kansas.
As a native of Fresno, California, Barry graduated from California State University Fresno with a B.A. in Organizational Communication. He also completed an M.A. in Theology from Fresno Pacific University and followed up with an MBA in Global Leadership and HR Management from Warwick Business School in Coventry England. When he’s not busy at the American Red Cross, Barry enjoys travel, spending time with friends and family, meeting new people and expanding his personal network.
Dawn Gipson

Dawn Gipson is currently Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Centene Corporation, where she is responsible for analyzing employee metrics and developing policy recommendations and educational programming that advance the company’s inclusive culture. Before joining Centene, Dawn worked at FleishmanHillard for 19 years, where she did communications strategy, program planning, events management, and DE&I strategic development. As the D&I Champion for the company’s Global Headquarters, some of the initiatives launched during her tenure included a focus on inclusive policies to drive results in talent and employee engagement, a mentoring program for high school students, and the launch of an LGBTQ+ employee resource group. Dawn’s work at FleishmanHillard was recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2018, when she was a recipient of the Diverse Business Leaders Award.
Dawn is a member of the St. Louis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta and co-chair of the regional leadership development team, along with serving as Chair of the St. Louis Delta Foundation. In 2016, she became a certified yoga instructor, and she works to bring practices to underrepresented communities, including people of color and those with differing abilities. Born and raised in St. Louis, Dawn received her bachelor’s of journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She earned her master’s of fine arts with a concentration in graphic communications from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Reggie Hill

Reggie Hill is the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Career Advancement at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL), bringing over 18 years of experience in enrollment management. He is responsible for overseeing enrollment, registration, recruitment, student support services, athletics, financial aid, workforce integration, and marketing strategies. Previously, Hill held leadership roles at the University of the Ozarks, Saint Leo University, and Florida Polytechnic University. His research interests focus on organizational change in higher education and college access. Hill is originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, where he continues to mentor young individuals on the importance of higher education. His hobbies include reading, writing, and collecting books.
Norma Jackson

Norma Jackson is the Chief Opportunity and Attorney Development Officer at Thompson Coburn LLP. Driven by passion, experience, and creativity, she leads the firm’s attorney professional development and diversity initiatives across all levels, working in partnership with clients, community organizations, and legal networks nationwide. Norma is a strategic thought leader and trusted advisor who collaborates closely with practice group leaders, committee chairs, and the Management Committee to advance the firm’s talent development and diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities. With a strong background in human resources management, she plays a key role in the training, retention, and advancement of attorneys. Her commitment to service extends beyond the firm. Norma serves on the Boards of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis and the Friends of the Kathy J. Weinman Shelter, supporting survivors of domestic violence. She is also a board member of the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals (ALFDP), a national organization dedicated to advancing inclusion in the legal industry.
Jackie Janus

A Leadership St. Louis graduate, Jackie Janus has more than 15 years of experience at leading strategic communications firm FleishmanHillard. Jackie has both B2B and B2C background, including media-strategy chops, executive visibility, thought leadership, and issues-management experience. As a member of the St. Louis office’s leadership team, Jackie helps manage a 35-person corporate reputation practice group and profit center, where she is responsible for new business, recruitment, staffing, employee engagement, and more. In addition to her client and management responsibilities, Jackie helped create and oversees her office’s learning and development program. Last year, she was selected for the inaugural FleishmanHillard Senior Leader Institute, a yearlong MBA-like program for some of the firm’s top leaders.
Beyond work, Jackie also volunteers her time as a board member for the YWCA Metro St. Louis. Before joining FleishmanHillard, Jackie developed a strong journalism background as a reporter and anchor at KOMU–TV 8 (NBC) in Columbia, Missouri, and she delivered the news for Pepper & Friends, a daily variety talk show. In addition, she has radio broadcast experience from KBIA 91.3 FM, the National Public Radio affiliate in mid-Missouri. Jackie holds a master’s degree in strategic communications from the University of Missouri–Columbia’s School of Journalism. She graduated with honors from the University of Missouri–Columbia with a bachelor’s of journalism degree in broadcast news and a bachelor’s of arts in history.
Tim Jurado

Tim Jurado is a dedicated financial advisor at Raymond James, committed to helping individuals and families build confident financial futures. He graduated from Fontbonne University, where he developed a strong foundation in finance and relationship-driven service. Tim further expanded his leadership and community impact through the FOCUS St. Louis Emerging Leaders program, gaining valuable insight into regional leadership and civic engagement. Passionate about giving back, he is actively involved with the United Way and participates in the American Cancer Society’s emerging leader initiatives. Through both his professional work and community involvement, Tim strives to make a meaningful difference by empowering others, fostering strong relationships, and supporting causes that strengthen the community.
LaTonya Keaton

LaTonya Keaton is a Regional Vice President for CoBank, one of the largest private providers of credit to the rural economy, delivering loans, leases, and other financial services to agribusiness and rural infrastructure companies in all 50 states. In this role, LaTonya leads a team of five Relationship Managers, who support Grain, Farm Supply, and Food and Agribusiness customers in a five-state region. LaTonya has significant experience with public, private, and municipal entities and has in-depth knowledge of board governance. Currently, she serves on the board of Center of Work Empowerment & Education (CWEE) and the USDA Rural Community Economic Development subcommittee. She actively engages in the strategic planning processes, policy development, and the organizations’ community engagement. In March 2022, LaTonya was honored as one of the Top 50 Women in Asset Based Lending by the ABF Journal. LaTonya is a Doctoral of Business Administration candidate at Franklin University. She holds a Master in Professional Accountancy from Georgia State University, a Master in Business Administration from Butler University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Notre Dame.
Melissa Lackey

Melissa Lackey is Group President of Standing Partnership, a full-service strategic marketing consultancy. In addition to running the firm, Lackey works closely with senior executives to help grow their businesses — whether it’s removing obstacles to growth and mitigating risk or designing marketing strategies to attract and retain customers. She is also frequently called upon to help organizations navigate crises and issues and effectively manage change.
As a 2005-06 graduate of FOCUS Leadership St. Louis, Lackey brings leadership and business acumen to several St. Louis-area boards of directors, including the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Gateway Region YMCA (former board chair) and SSM Health Foundation (former board chair). She has also served as partner relations chair for the Americas region board of WorldCom Public Relations Group.
Lackey has been a recipient of Enterprising Women Magazine’s Enterprising Women of the Year award, YWCA Metro St. Louis Leader of Distinction, St. Louis Titan 100 and the St. Louis Business Journal’s Most Influential Business Women award. Under her leadership, Standing Partnership has been recognized as a top 50 Inspiring Workplace in North America and one of Small Business Monthly’s Winning Workplaces and Fastest Growing Small Companies.
David LaValle

David LaValle, a senior vice president and senior partner, leads FleishmanHillard’s Public Affairs practice at the St. Louis headquarters. He has developed and managed a wide array of corporate reputation, crisis, issue-based, and public affairs campaigns for a range of corporate and non-profit clients. David spent 10 years in Washington, D.C. in both the public and private sector beginning his career as deputy chief of staff and legislative director to two Members of Congress from Missouri. He received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., and a master’s degree in international business from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. He lives in Kirkwood with his wife Tricia. They have two grown daughters living in Pittsburgh and New York City.
Eric Madkins

As Vice President of Community Development for Regions Bank, Eric Madkins is responsible for developing partnerships with business groups both internally and externally to assist in successfully identifying community development lending opportunities, investments and services in low and moderate income communities. He is also responsible for corporate compliance for community reinvestment act activities for Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and has dual master’s in business management and communications from Webster University. He is a 2018-19 graduate of FOCUS Leadership St. Louis. His community involvement includes serving on the boards of directors for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, St. Louis Community Foundation, St. Louis Metropolitan Equal Housing and Opportunity Council and Epworth Children & Family Services. He also serves on the steering committee for the Regional Business Council’s Young Professionals Network Leadership 100 and UMSL’s Alumni Association Governing Board.
Christina Moore

Christina Moore joined Saint Louis University in July 2024 as Senior Associate General Counsel. In her previous role at Husch Blackwell, Christina represented clients in a wide variety of healthcare litigation, including insurance questions, reimbursement disputes, regulatory matter, and Department of Justice investigations. Most of her career has centered on healthcare even in her pre-law days: prior to attending law school, she served as a chief accountant and finance director at a healthcare startup, numerous physician practices, a home health organization, and a major for profit hospital corporation. She saw firsthand the challenges and complexity of the healthcare industry and worked to align the details of patient care with proactive compliance, organizational growth, and cost efficiency. Most of Christina’s legal practice has also focused on healthcare, giving her a 360-degree view of the industry. While serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Missouri for nearly a decade, she often handled medical malpractice matters, healthcare fraud, and qui tam actions. She later accepted an in-house counsel role on the medical campus of a large private university, guiding the medical school, health Sciences College, and nursing school, as well as a physician practice of more than 500 providers.
Kathy O’Neill

Kathy O’Neill is currently president and CEO of O’Neill Advisers, LLC, a consulting firm working with organizations throughout St. Louis and beyond to enhance the leadership capabilities of executives and emerging leaders, while also supporting workforce development initiatives in the region.
Kathy worked for 38 years in the banking industry. She spent more than 36 years in various leadership roles with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the national Federal Reserve System. When she retired in August 2024, she was Chief Operating Officer of the Eighth Federal Reserve District and the National Leader of the Federal Reserve System’s functions supporting the U.S. Treasury. After retiring from the Federal Reserve, from September 2024 to December 2025, Kathy became the President of the St. Louis Market at CommunityAmerica Credit Union. This role included oversight of retail banking operations, civic and community engagement, as well as philanthropy in the St. Louis region.
Kathy continues to serve her community as a director and trustee on several non-profit boards including The United Way, The Urban League, and Webster University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and completed the Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management’s Women’s Senior Leadership Program.
Sekhar Prabhakar

Sekhar Prabhakar is the Co-founder of CEdge Inc, which supports several federal and commercial customers. He has worked as a senior technical staff member for high-tech companies such as Sun Microsystems & Sybase. He has received numerous awards for his commitment to the company’s excellence and philanthropy. Sekhar was recognized as one of the most inspiring CEOs by Industry Tech Outlook magazine to watch in 2020. He was one of the honorees for Who’s Who Diversity in Color 2019. He was selected as one of 14 CEOs for the 2019 C-Suite Award honorees by the St. Louis Business Journal. In 2018, Sekhar was recognized as Technology Leader of the year (finalist) by Gateway to Innovation St. Louis, Top 100 St. Louisans by St. Louis Small Business Magazine, and Small Business Person year in 2018 and 2019.
Sekhar holds a master’s degree in computer science from City College, New York. He serves as a board member on several nonprofits, including ITEN (Information Technology Network), VBRC (Veterans Business Resource Center), NAF (National Academy Foundation) & MAPO (Metro Area Professional Organization). He served as a mentor at Ameren Accelerator and Capital innovators. He serves as a co-chair for the St. Louis Working Group, a part of USGIF as a co-chair for Small Business, leading the K-12 committee.
Dr. Jody Sowell

Dr. Jody Sowell serves as the seventh president in the 156-year history of the Missouri Historical Society. Appointed to the position in July 2022, Jody is hardly new to MHS or to St. Louis. He has worked at MHS for 16 years and has lived in St. Louis for 19. Jody has served in several roles in his time at MHS. As Oral Historian, he conducted interviews with test pilots, air hostesses, and NASA’s first aerospace nurse for an exhibit about St. Louis’s aviation history. As Public Historian, Jody became one of the primary spokespeople for the institution, leading tours, giving presentations, and recording Here’s History segments for KDHX radio. As Director of Exhibitions & Research, Jody and his team opened eight of the 10 most visited exhibits in MHS’ history, including the exhibit that commemorated St. Louis’ 250th birthday. As Managing Director of Public History, he led the education, programing, publications, communications, evaluation, public history, and exhibits teams. As President, Jody will oversee one of the biggest transformations in MHS history with three new core galleries planned for the decade ahead and with plans to share more of the MHS collection than has ever been shared before.
Prior to MHS, Jody was an academic and a journalist. He was assistant professor of journalism at the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism and has served as an adjunct professor at Fontbonne University, Washington University, and Saint Louis University. He continues to teach at SLU, which is where he earned his doctorate in American Studies. Jody started his career as a journalist, working as a reporter for the Dallas Morning News and as an editor at the Columbia Missourian.
Jody regularly speaks about the power of public history, how to connect people to their shared past, and how St. Louisans can use their past to help build a better future for the region. He appears every week on KMOV’s CBS Sunday Morning in his popular STL History Minute segments.
Kate Cerny

Kate Cerny is a dedicated student leader at Cor Jesu Academy with a passion for serving others and making a meaningful impact in her community. As a leader for the Pink Ribbon Good Fall Fundraiser, she helped raise both funds and awareness for individuals and families affected by cancer while strengthening her skills in collaboration, organization, and advocacy. Through her involvement in National Charity League, Kate has completed more than 100 hours of community service this year, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to supporting local organizations and charitable causes. She has also expanded her leadership experience through Youth Leadership St. Louis and by serving on the Engineering Club Board. Collectively, these experiences have strengthened her leadership, deepened her compassion, and reinforced her commitment to her community.
Leon Nevils

A St. Louis native, Leon Nevils is a Senior at McCluer South-Berkeley High School. With multiple leadership roles like President of Black Student Association, 12th Grade representative, MAHEC Certified Student, FOCUS Youth Leadership St. Louis Graduate, and 2025 St. Louis Internship Alumni. He is passionate about bringing change and help for those in need. Along with that change he makes sure no one is left behind or not allowed to show their ability to thrive in any environment and feel comfortable to express their opinions. These abilities through training have strengthened and brought out the ability to lead with communication and understanding in any situation with the ability to contribute to any idea for the betterment of everyone.





