FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Courtney Z. Stewart
Missouri Foundation for Health
(314) 345-5505
cstewart@mffh.org
Missouri Foundation for Health Welcomes New and Returning Board Members
ST. LOUIS, MO (January 11, 2022) – Today, Missouri Foundation for Health announced the addition of four new members to its Board of Directors. Their terms went into effect at the start of this year.
- Estrella Carmona (Perryville), County Engagement Specialist in Nutrition and Health Education at University of Missouri Extension in Ste. Genevieve
- Edgar Payano (St. Louis), Entrepreneur Development and Outreach Lead at WEPOWER
- Dr. Kyler James Sherman-Wilkins (Springfield), Assistant Professor of Sociology and Faculty Affiliate in the Gerontology program at Missouri State University
- Ashanti Tate (Springfield), Regional Director at Heartland Center for Behavioral Change
Three incumbent members of the Board were reelected for an additional term – Dr. Alan Barnette (Cape Girardeau), Donna Checkett (Columbia), and Dr. Vetta Sanders Thompson (St. Louis).
The Board of Directors plays an instrumental role in the Foundation’s work. The group’s overarching obligation is to ensure that MFH’s resources are deployed in ways that benefit and achieve the Foundation’s mission – to eliminate the underlying causes of health inequities, transform systems, and enable individuals and communities to thrive. The group also works to confirm that all decisions made are consistent with the Foundation’s core values. Members collectively assist in setting the organization’s agenda and priorities and serve as stewards of MFH’s financial assets.
In addition to a commitment to the organization’s mission, the Foundation seeks out Board members that represent the gender, racial, cultural, geographic, and ethnic diversity of our service region. For the 2022 cohort, prospective members were also encouraged to possess one or more of the following – a rural perspective, experience with community engagement, and/or lived experience in regards to how inequities and health disparities can negatively impact individuals and communities.
“I am excited to kick off 2022 with our Directors, all of whom are passionate about achieving health equity in Missouri,” said Dr. Dwayne Proctor, president and CEO of MFH. “We want to make significant strides forward and the diversity of our Board is key to seeing that happen. We welcome our new Board members and look forward to their governance leadership.”
The new year also brought changes to the Board’s Executive Committee. Donna Checkett is now the chairperson, Vetta Sanders Thompson is vice chairperson, Aimee Wehmeier (St. Louis) is secretary, Brian Kinkade (Columbia) is treasurer, and Alan Barnette is member-at-large.
Click here to view a full list of Board members and their bios.
