2011-2012 Board Of Directors

Tricia Hager
Seminar Chairperson
missourileadership@gmail.com

Ambassador Year: 2002
High School: Pleasant Hope High School
College: University of Central Missouri - BS in Psychology - 2004
Job in real life: University of Missouri - Kansas City - Counseling Psychology PhD student Academic Advisor - College of Arts & Sciences - UMKC
Previously Held Seminar Positions: JuFa - 2003-2004, Assistant to the Chairperson/Vice Chariperson - 2004-2010, Chairperson - 2011
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Seeing the change that comes across in the ambassadors over a three-day period; it's remarkable to see how much they grow in such a short amount of time and what they learn about themselves as individuals!
Trivia About Tricia: Coming soon...
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: MLS!

Jimmy Hart
Vice Chairperson
missourileadership@gmail.com

Ambassador Year: 1998
Seminar Nickname:Jambo
High School: St Marys High School (KS)
College: The University of Tulsa
Job in real life: Public Relations Coordinator at Rogers State University
Previously Held Seminar Positions:SuFa
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Warm Fuzzies
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Youth sports

Chris Hager
Reporting Board Secretary

Ambassador Year: 1999
High School: Lamar High School
College: Texas A&M Class of 2005 History and Economics
Job in real life: Systems Administrator
Previously Held Seminar Positions: JuFa 2000-2003, SuFa 2004-2005, Assistant Director of Staff 2006-2007, Director of Staff 2008-2010
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Seeing the Ambassadors come in nervous and uncertain on Friday and then watching them leave confident and ready to lead on Sunday!
Trivia About Chris: Coming soon...
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Coming soon...

Cindy Morehead
Director of Finances

Seminar Nickname: CJ
Ambassador Year: Never went! I got involved through my sons, who both attended seminar.
High School Graduation Year: 1975
College: CMSU BS Horticulture
Job in real life: Florist and Herb Grower
Previously Held Seminar Positions: Sufa and overall trouble maker
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Seeing the ambassadors transform and the JuFa's and SuFa's grow with them
Trivia About Cindy:Life is a party and I'm the host!
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Bingo fundraising......we meet so many interesting people and count a lot of money!

Kelsey Stuff
Director of Public Relations

Ambassador Year: 2003
Seminar nickname: kstuff
High School: Hannibal/Liberty High School
College: NW Missouri State University
Job In Real Life: Special education teacher (junior high)/elementary teacher
Previously Held Seminar Positions: Ops JuFa, Group JuFa and SuFa
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Making rain!
Trivia About Kelsey: I have double jointed arms
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Special Olympics

Rachel White
Director of Recruitment and Travel and Co-Director of Operations
missourileadership@gmail.com

Ambassador Year: 2003
High School: Tarkio High School
College: Baylor University, B.S. in Forensic Science & Biology (2009); University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, M.S. in Forensic Genetics (2011)
Job In Real Life: Forensic Scientist
Previously Held Seminar Positions: JuFa 2004 - 2006, Director of Recruitment 2007 - Present, Co-Director of Operations 2008 - Present
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Reuniting with some of my best friends!
Trivia About Rachel: I have absolutely no balance and can't even ride a bike.
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: I love volunteering with my church, especially vacation Bible school. The little kids are such a joy to work with!

Trent Hoover
Co-Director of Operations

Ambassador Year: 2011
High School: Brookfield High School
College: I will be going to Truman State University and majoring in nursing in the Fall of 2013
Job In Real Life: N/A - Student
Previously Held Seminar Positions: Ops JuFa - 2012
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Seeing potential leaders come in, and after three short days, leave as true leaders and strong individuals that are ready to lead and change the world with M.L.S.'s principles in mind.
Trivia About Trent: I watch Food Network and like cooking
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Volunteering at my local food pantry. Seeing the expressions on the faces of the people who truly appreciate what we do for them keeps me coming back!

Maria Holt
Director of Programs & On-site Programs Coordinator, Seminar Webmaster
missourileadership@gmail.com

Ambassador Year: 2004
High School: Southern Boone County R-1
College: Mizzou - Business Management. Currently enrolled in Mizzou MBA program.
Job In Real Life: Marketing Coordinator for EPIC Systems, Inc. St. Louis, MO.
Previously Held Seminar Positions: JuFa 2005 - 2009, SuFa 2011
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Knowing that the Ambassadors who transform before my eyes every year will go home and make a real difference in thier schools and communities.
Trivia About Maria: My sister Jessica also attended seminar and has come back on staff each year. We look pretty similar, except she is blonde and I am brunette. Look for us at seminar again this year!
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Blood drives. I have organized a few and participated in many and I always feel so good knowing that I am saving people's lives by just donating blood. Small things that cost you nothing can make a big difference in someone else's life!

Trisha Daugherty
Co-Coordinator "Dinner With a Pro"

High School: Kingsville High School
Job In Real Life: Cosmetologist/Salon Owner
Previously Held Seminar Positions: Group JuFa/SuFa and BOD member
Favorite Thing About Seminar: I love everything about the seminar!
Trivia About Trisha: I can lick my own elbow :)
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Other than seminar, I love working with Alex's Lemonade and Animal's Best Friends

Kristin Imhoff
Co-Coordinator "Dinner With a Pro"

Ambassador Year: 2007
Seminar Nickname:Kapn' Krazy Kristen High School: California High School
College: Mizzou
Job In Real Life: Going to grad school at UMKC full-time and continuing the job hunt in the mean time
Previously Held Seminar Positions: PMA Jufa, Sufa
Favorite Thing About Seminar: The Diversity Panel!
Trivia About Kristin: I've been to Burkina Faso, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Puerto Rico, and Alaska. I love traveling!
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: My favorite past volunteer opportunity was at the orphanage in Africa. However, I love getting involved with social work student organizations on campus because they present diverse opportunites ranging from book drives, Relay for Life, serving food, and doing food drives.

Ruthie Finet
Co-Coordinator "Dinner With a Pro"

Laura Giebler
Director of Seminar Staff

Seminar Nickname: Giebs/Gibbs
Ambassador Year: 2006
High School: Owensville High School
College: Johnson University----Major: Honors History/Biblical Studies
Job in real life: Philosophy Teacher's Assistant & Hall Resident Assistant
Previously Held Seminar Positions: Groups Jufa 2007, Moderator Understudy/PMA Jufa 2008, Moderator Jufa 2009, PMA Lead 2010, Sufa 2011, Director of Alumni 2012
Favorite Thing About Seminar: I love seeing the ambassadors leave, and I don't mean that in an awful "let's get them out of here" way. I love that when we are done with the seminar I can see that our ambassadors are ready to take on their community and they have such a passion to make this world better.
Trivia About Giebs: Too many times I can take real life situations and compare them to TV shows such as Reba, Psych, How I Met Your Mother, and the occasional Jersey Shore
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: I teach Wednesday night class at a small local church. I teach elementary school girls. They are absolutely wonderful. I love watching the kids learn

Nii Abrahams
Co-Director of Alumni

Seminar Nickname: Big Nii
Ambassador Year: 2008
High School:Carl Junction
College:Missouri State Univeristy- Communication with Emphasis in Ethical Leadership/ Sociology minor
Job in real life: Student- Student Orientation Leader, Career Center employee, MSU tour guide
Previously Held Seminar Positions: PMA JuFa 2009, Moderator understudy 2010, Moderator 2011, Moderator and Assistant Alumni Director Springfield area 2012
Favorite Thing About Seminar: The family atmosphere. I love adding new members to our family every year!
Trivia About Nii: I secretly want to be a Disney Channel Star/ Be in a boyband
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Working the optimist dinners and events are a blast. Speaking with older adults on their experiences and sharing with them yours, is quite an insightful and unique opportunity!

Lindsey Baumeister
Director of Grants & Corporate Donations

Ambassador Year: 2009
High School: Crest Ridge High School
College: UMKC
Seminar Nickname: The Baumeister
Job in real life: Sales Associate - American Eagle Outfitters
Previously Held Seminar Positions: Assistant Director of Alumni, Assistant Moderator, Moderator
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Watching the weight of everything click in the minds of the ambassadors during reflections.
Trivia About Lindsey: I collect comic books!
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: Optimist bingo!

Zach Thompson
Co-Director of Alumni

Ambassador Year: 2008
Seminar Nickname: Zach Attack
High School: Southwest Livingston
College: Mizzou
Job in real life: Student
Previously Held Seminar Positions: Jufa 2009-2010, SuJufa 2011, Assistant director of alumni 2011-2012
Favorite Thing About Seminar: Seeing a change for the better in peoples lives
Trivia About Zach: If I pressed play on my itunes and just left it alone, it would play for over a week straight
Favorite Volunteer Opportunity: MLS/Optimist Fireworks Stand; It's always a lot of fun!

Ralph Howe
Optimist Representative
missourileadership@yahoo.com

Ralph joined the Board of Directors as a liaison between MLS and the West Missouri Optimist District in 1999. Ralph’s primary mission has been to educate Optimist clubs of MLS’ purpose and potential for high school sophomore students, in addition to assisting with securing sponsorship monies for nominated students. Many Optimist clubs wish to know who their local student attending MLS is, so that they can contact the student and parents to attend a club meeting following their seminar experience. Ralph has attended countless West Missouri District Optimist functions and meetings to ensure the continued support of MLS and has taken the lead on many alumni based fundraisers throughout the years.

Beverly Shelton
GFWC Representative
missourileadership@yahoo.com

Beverly attended her first seminar in 1986 as a guest speaker for “Lunch With a Pro”. Beverly is currently involved with the Board of Directors meetings, serving as MLS Chairman for the GFWC of Missouri to secure GFWC club support throughout the state. The GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs) also provide an invaluable support to MLS each year as Beverly recruits club members in her GFWC district to provide DOZENS & DOZENS & DOZENS of homemade cookies for the students and staff at the seminar each year.

©2012 MLS