Dr. Anna Guzon
YOURWORDS STL, FOUNDER/PROGRAMMING DIRECTOR
Guzon believes in the power of words—to heal, connect, and foster growth. Her nonprofit—which uses tutoring, writing workshops, and collaborative projects—helps young St. Louisans share what they’re going through, which strengthens community bonds across racial, cultural, and economic fault lines in the city. Guzon and the nonprofit’s co-founder, Dr. Steve Handoyo, were moved to act after Michael Brown’s death in 2014. “We wanted to amplify the voices of marginalized youth,” she says. “Instead of other people telling their story, we wanted to allow marginalized people to share their words.” The nonprofit responds to requests from the community and is now expanding its reach into new populations, such as the immigrant community, the LGBTQ+ community, and people living with various disabilities. “Oftentimes, it is an alignment,” says Guzon. “I keep my eyes and ears open and so does the board.” The students give low- or no-cost readings of the work they produce, and YourWordsSTL creates publications of student work that people can take and read on their own time. “We try to create opportunities for the community to listen,” she says. Guzon says the work has increased her curiosity and compassion for everyone she meets. “Every student reminds me that all of us have something deeper,” she says.
Cynthia Chapple
BLACK GIRLS DO STEM, FOUNDER
Chapple describes herself as the student who would sit in the front of the class and immediately raise her hand if she didn’t understand something. “I’ve always been inquisitive,” she says. But at math camp and in other environments, she was often the only woman or person of color. “You get a sense of isolation and let some of that self-doubt take over,” she says. Still, Chapple envisioned herself working in science when she graduated. Then, Ferguson changed everything. “I wanted to give back to the Black community at a time of high grief,” she says. Chapple realized that she could help Black girls learn about careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and provide the tools to overcome any doubt as they pursued these fields. She created Black Girls Do STEM, an educational organization that offers Saturday workshops where Black girls learn about STEM careers through field trips, lectures, and hands-on experiments. Black Girls Do STEM has partnerships with some area school districts, such as Ferguson-Florissant, though the workshops are also open to the community. The program, which launched in 2019, has served 200 girls and is graduating its first cohort in May. “The five [students] who are graduating this year are all thinking about going into STEM,” says Chapple. “To be impacting the learning of so many young Black girls that I see a part of myself in is a pretty eye-opening, joyful experience.”
LEADING THE WAY: BUSINESS
St. Louis CITY SC CEO Carolyn Kindle has given the region a new reason to cheer. Enterprise Holdings, helmed by Chrissy Taylor, recently received a Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award. Penny Pennington leads Edward Jones, a consistent Fortune 100 best workplace. Modern Healthcare recently named SSM Health CEO Laura Kaiser one of the field’s top leaders. And the thriving innovation scene owes much to T-REX’s Patricia Hagen and 39 North’s Emily Lohse-Busch, formerly of Arch Grants.
Dara Eskridge
INVEST STL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
With a background in urban planning and community development, Eskridge leads her organization with an eye on residents’ most pressing needs. Rooted, a new Invest STL initiative, strives to help residents in the West End and Visitation Park pay down debt and accumulate wealth, so they can keep their homes as those neighborhoods develop.
Haley Calabro
ST. AUGUSTINE WELLSTON CENTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The St. Augustine Wellston Center provides clothing, food, and social services to low-income residents of Wellston and other North County communities. “A big reason why I love St. Louis in general is that it’s not just the Wellston Center doing [this] work—it’s organizations and nonprofits everywhere,” says Calabro, a social services professional. “St. Louis does a great job in having services like this, and it’s a blessing to be a part of an organization that has had such long-standing roots and a rich history within the community.” As executive director, Calabro oversees the center’s operations, which includes running the thrift store and food pantry, managing volunteers, implementing feedback from clients, fundraising, grant writing, and more.
Liz Kramer
ST. LOUIS CITY COMMUNITY MOBILITY COMMITTEE, CO-CHAIR
With a region like St. Louis that encompasses a vast range of communities and cultures, how is it possible to inform everyone about the myriad resources and programs available to them? When you have someone like Kramer on your team, the message will get across and be visually engaging. In addition to her work on the Community Mobility Committee, Kramer serves as principal of the Public Design Bureau, which helps produce meaningful and human-centered change.
Dr. Sharonica Hardin-Bartley
UNIVERSITY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, SUPERINTENDENT
Community is at the heart of Hardin-Bentley’s work as a superintendent: “We’re still navigating a global pandemic, but we are trying to get back to the human connection and the joy that comes from educating young people in meaningful ways,” she says. Hardin-Bartley is known for being a true advocate for students. If there’s a need, she tries to create a solution. During the pandemic, the district delivered meals to students. It also has a gently used clothing boutique designed like an actual store. “We want to make sure that students’ basic needs are met,” she says. “Our goal is that there are no barriers to how we educate children.” The Missouri Association of School Administrators recently awarded Hardin-Bartley with the Pearce Award for outstanding leadership. Her biggest joy, though, comes from seeing her former students in leadership roles and realizing their full potential.
Deanna Venker
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
With more than a million residents in St. Louis County, Venker has her hands full, leading and planning all operations across St. Louis County government. As COO and a member of the executive leadership team, Venker wears several hats, ensuring that staff members work effectively among departments.
Krystal Kae Barnett
BRIDGE 2 HOPE, FOUNDER/CEO
Kae Barnett founded Bridge 2 Hope in 2019 to unite families in their pursuit of high-quality education for their children. In addition to mapping out the regional inequities found in public education, the organization helps parents become effective advocates for their kids.
Megan Phillips
MISSOURI BAR, PRESIDENT-ELECT
Phillips has been part of Missouri’s legal fabric for more than 15 years in state appellate and federal trial courts. Previously, she served as co-chair of the Joint Commission on Women in the Profession. Phillips has worked as a judicial law clerk of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri for five years, and she teaches at SLU School of Law.
Tamara Keefe
CLEMENTINE’S NAUGHTY & NICE CREAMERY, CEO
Nearly a decade ago, Keefe left behind a successful job in corporate America to pursue a belief she’d had since childhood: that ice cream has the power to bring people together. Her brand, Clementine’s, now boasts eight locations, a new production facility capable of supplying 50 stores, and Oprah’s seal of approval.
Molly Rockamann
EARTHDANCE FARMS, FOUNDER/CEO
The Ferguson farm Rockamann founded 15 years ago is thriving thanks to her vision of sustainability and her commitment to providing affordable food. The Pay What You Can Farm Stand opened in July 2021 as a way to help all members of the community take home nutritious herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
Spring Schmidt
MISSOURI CENTER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EXCELLENCE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Schmidt heads the team at MOCPHE, a public health institute and member association for licensed practitioners that works to improve Missouri’s public health system and funding. And as director of public health practice at Saint Louis University, she’s on the St. Louis Academic Health Department leadership team, which promotes health through a lens of equity and social justice.
Maria A. Ellis
THE SHELDON’S ALL-STAR CHORUS, FOUNDING DIRECTOR/ GIRL CONDUCTOR LLC, FOUNDER/OWNER
Ellis, who’s always been moved by music, now uses that passion and the power of representation to uplift St. Louis kids. The Sheldon’s All-Star Chorus exists to remove barriers to music and performance for underserved children. “My goal is always to show students what is possible,” says Ellis. “I didn’t grow up seeing many women on the podium and especially not Black women. I love that I get to make that a reality for so many students.” The chorus performs twice a year at The Sheldon and at community events throughout the year. Transportation, uniforms, and meals are provided to participants at no cost, and Ellis is passionate about finding opportunities for youth—including bringing along students when she received an invitation to conduct at Carnegie Hall in 2021. “They could put that on their résumé,” she says, “and they could have the opportunity to perform at one of the greatest venues in the world.”
Monique Thomas
CORNERSTONE CORPORATION, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
In 2020, Thomas took over the faith-based nonprofit, which helps residents of the West End and Visitation Park neighborhoods obtain equitable, affordable housing. Her impact can already be felt. In June, the City of St. Louis’ Planning Commission adopted Cornerstone’s resident-led weCollab plan to influence development and investment in those communities over the next 20 years.
Dr. Sabrina W. Tyuse
SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL WORK
Social work demands having both a deep understanding of the human psyche and compassion for others. For someone who possesses that significant power, expertise has no bounds. Tyuse’s work extends beyond SLU, where she’s taught courses in human behavior and the social environment, as well as social policy for social justice. For years, Tyuse has also helped St. Louisans register to vote and is a member of the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis, the St. Louis Voter Registration Group, and Dance the Vote.
LEADING THE WAY: NONPROFIT
Build-A-Bear Workshop founder Maxine Clark opened the Delmar DivINe as a hub for nonprofits. Alison Ferring has earned countless honors for her years of service to local causes. Rabbi Susan Talve recently founded the Ashrei Foundation to promote economic justice. Michelle Tucker, president and CEO of the United Way of Greater St. Louis, leads an organization that recently entered its second century of providing wraparound services to the region. And Colleen Starkloff, founder of the Starkloff Disability Institute, and CHIPS Health and Wellness Center founder Judy Bentley both recently retired after distinguished careers dedicated to supporting vulnerable St. Louisans.
LaKricia Cox
GIRLS IN THE KNOW, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Cox took her position with the local nonprofit last year to continue its mission of empowering girls and young women, helping them navigate issues such as peer pressure, body image, and personal safety. She previously served as director of programs for The Little Bit Foundation.
Donna Lochmann
STRAY RESCUE, CHIEF LIFE SAVING OFFICER
Lochmann has been rescuing stray dogs for more than two decades, first as a volunteer and now as an employee at Stray Rescue. She drives the streets looking for stray animals that are often scared and sometimes injured. Over time, she’s developed a system: Vienna sausages and a slip lead.
Ronke Faleti
KORÉDÉ HOUSE, FOUNDER
Faleti recently opened Korédé House in the Central West End to provide a space where women can relax and find solace, work remotely, or find childcare. The home is Faleti’s former residence, a place she considered turning into an Airbnb before realizing the house could serve a greater purpose.
Alaina Macia
MEDICAL TRANSPORT-ATION MANAGEMENT, PRESIDENT/CEO
For low-income patients and individuals with disabilities, access to affordable transportation is often essential to attending preventative health care appointments. Macia helps these patients overcome this barrier with her family’s nonemergency medical transportation company.
Natasha Bahrami
GINWORLD/SALVE OSTERIA, FOUNDER
Growing up the daughter of two beloved restaurateurs, it seemed as if Bahrami’s life was all planned out for her: She’d help her parents, Hamishe and the late Behshid Bahrami, at their popular Persian restaurant, Café Natasha, until they were ready to retire. Then, she’d take the reins and continue their legacy. Bahrami, however, realized that the best way to honor her parents was to honor her own passions. She’s now a world-renowned gin ambassador through her bar, The Gin Room, and events and education platform, Ginworld. (She’s also one of nine people in the world to be named to the Gin Hall of Fame.) And she works alongside her partner, Michael Fricker, to expand her portfolio with such projects as Grand Spirits, New Society, and Salve Osteria. By celebrating all that the St. Louis area has to offer, she’s put the city into the international conversation as a world-class beverage destination.
Christina Weaver
THE WOMEN’S CREATIVE, CO-FOUNDER AND OWNER / PROCURE, CO-OWNER
In 2017, a small group of women launched The Women’s Creative to host markets in St. Louis. As the community grew, Weaver helped open Procure by The Women’s Creative at City Foundry STL. Today, the retail concept and incubator continues to build and brighten the community, with nearly 30 local-women-owned small businesses and an emphasis on wellness and self-care.
Indigo K. Sams
CENTER OF CREATIVE ARTS, PRESIDENT/CEO
Although Sams recently took the helm at COCA, she’s hardly a new face at the multidisciplinary community arts center. She first worked there in 1999 as an intern, while earning her degree in urban education from Harris-Stowe State University. She also served as its director of community service before a 17-year stint at Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, where she recently served as vice president for programs and club services.
Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis
CITY OF ST. LOUIS, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH
The infectious diseases physician and public health expert assumed the role of director during the pandemic, in October 2021. During a particularly challenging time, Hlatshwayo Davis led the department in forming the Behavioral Health Bureau to address mental health and substance use disorders, in addition to launching a website for Health Stop St. Louis to increase access to testing, treatment, and information about sexually transmitted infections.
Emily Thenhaus
CHEROKEE STREET COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Cherokee Street has changed immensely over the past decade. Once a Latino-centric enclave, the neighborhood has expanded into an eclectic mix of businesses, events, and residents. Much of the leadership comes from the Cherokee Street CID, established in 2017 to advance the community’s economic, social, and cultural interests. Thenhaus heads a committee that aims to advance the community’s investments, beautify the street, improve public safety, and more.
Kristen Sorth
ST. LOUIS COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, DIRECTOR/CEO
Ten years ago this month, Sorth became the county library’s first female director. The past decade has been full of triumphs for the system, which last year received the prestigious National Medal for Museum and Library Service, and also earned the Missouri Library of the Year award. Sorth has helped usher in a series of new and impactful initiatives, including the popular GrandPad program that supplies older St. Louisans with tablets that help them access the internet and stay connected with loved ones.
Keisha Mabry Haymore
HEYDAYS, FOUNDER/OWNER
Mabry Haymore wears a number of hats: business coach, speaker, author, community builder, supporter of minority- and women-owned businesses. Earlier this year, she brought her passions to life when she opened Heydays, a community space where she says founders and creators can be their most productive, prosperous, and powerful selves. In addition to offering spaces for coworking, events, and more, Heydays has services (including accounting, human resources, sales, and marketing) to help minority and women entrepreneurs scale their businesses. “In short,” Mabry Haymore says, “things are made possible here.” She also hopes to inspire future women entrepreneurs by giving “yourself permission to think big and dream. Validation doesn’t and shouldn’t come from anyone but you. It’s up to you to start, to advocate and ask for your wants and needs, and go get it—whatever it may be.”
LEADING THE WAY: ARTS
Through the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Nancy Kranzberg has helped make Grand Center a hub for St. Louis culture. Emily Rauh Pulitzer continues to shape the art scene in significant ways at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation and beyond. At the Regional Arts Commission, Vanessa Cooksey supports art and artists across the region. Min Jung Kim is bringing a fresh perspective to the Saint Louis Art Museum as the first woman to lead the institution. Marie-Hélène Bernard is poised to lead St. Louis Symphony Orchestra into a new era as Powell Hall undergoes renovation.
Terri Stipanovich
THE COLLECTIVE THREAD, FOUNDER
Stipanovich has been helping women in need for 14 years. Today, she empowers immigrant and refugee women in St. Louis by teaching them a new skill that leads to a living-wage job. The Collective Thread offers free sewing classes and employs those who complete the class to make clothes for local fashion startups.
Deb Freund
TEAM ACTIVITIES FOR SPECIAL KIDS (TASK), EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
An adaptive physical educator from 1990–2012, Freund founded TASK in 1996 to provide athletic and social opportunities for disabled children. Under Freund’s lead, TASK purchased 11.5 acres of land in 2012 that now includes outdoor sports fields, indoor courts, a fishing dock, a kitchen and life skills lab, and more for hosting a variety of clubs, programs, and camps.
AK Brown
FWRDSOCIETY, FASHIONISTA AND ENTREPRENEUR
Brown just wants to make the world more fashionable by uplifting Black and Brown fashion creatives. That’s the idea behind FWRDSociety (formerly Black in Fashion), which provides creatives with media-relation and branding services pro bono. If you’re more into buying fashion than selling it, you can check out Brown’s online TV show, The Fitting Room.
Julie Peters
THE WOMAN’S EXCHANGE OF SAINT LOUIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
St. Louisans might best know The Woman’s Exchange for its iconic cherry dress and other heirloom items. But the organization’s impact runs much deeper. For nearly a century and a half, The Woman’s Exchange has provided women in St. Louis and beyond a place to sell their handmade products, volunteer, and develop their careers in a variety of meaningful ways. “It’s the same things we’ve been doing for 140 years, which is awesome,” says Peters, who’s been with the nonprofit since 2014, including the past four years as executive director. In that time, she’s helped steer The Woman’s Exchange through the pandemic, during which the organization served as a crucial resource for women navigating life-changing financial circumstances, job loss, or health crises. “We want to be a place where women can come and restabilize themselves,” Peters says. Recently, The Woman’s Exchange has emphasized its immigrant training program, providing employment opportunities, professional development, and housing assistance to refugees and families who’ve resettled in St. Louis. The nonprofit’s early entrepreneurship program is also helping women launch companies in a hands-on, supportive environment where they can take advantage of free commercial spaces, as well as insights from local professionals.
Bree Maniscalco
CINEMA ST. LOUIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Last summer, Maniscalco took the reins at Cinema St. Louis, after many years with the organization as development director and a volunteer. With the nonprofit now overseeing the historic Hi-Pointe Theatre, it continues to deliver a range of popular film fests, including the St. Louis International Film Festival, QFest St. Louis, and the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase.
Sheila Suderwalla
ARTISTS FIRST, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
At Artists First, artists of every ability learn to express themselves. The Maplewood-based nonprofit provides instruction and support, as well as social interaction to strengthen community ties. Suderwalla has been the organization’s executive director for the past decade. She is also a social activist and prize-winning artist who’s been nationally recognized for her successes in social work.
GWENDOLYN’S GIFTS,EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/FOUNDER
Kramer’s oldest daughter, Gwendolyn, was born in 2014 with an undiagnosed neurological condition. Five years later, the Kramers founded Gwendolyn’s Gifts to provide support to other families with children in palliative and hospice care. They’ve since donated more than $200,000 to more than 1,000 St. Louis families in honor of Gwendolyn, who passed away in May of this year.
Katie Lee Collier
KATIE’S PIZZA + PASTA OSTERIA, CO-OWNER
Standing inside the newest Katie’s Pizza & Pasta, at Ballpark Village, it’s difficult to imagine a time when Lee Collier was anything but a master of her craft. It wasn’t all that long ago, however, when she was a first-time restaurant owner who’d welcomed guests into her pizzeria without knowing how to fold a pizza box. That was 2008, the year that Lee Collier and her father, the late Tom Lee, co-founded the original Katie’s Pizza in a small storefront on Clayton Road. In her 15 years in the business, Lee Collier has risen to the top of the area’s dining scene. Now, in addition to her three restaurants and thriving frozen pizza and pasta business, Lee Collier is launching a canned cocktail line while preparing to introduce the Katie’s restaurant brand to other markets. The entrepreneur feels grateful for where she’s been able to take her business and the people who’ve helped her make it possible. “The only reason I can do any of this is this team,” Lee Collier says. Reflecting on the pandemic, she says, “I really appreciated and understood that they were fighting for the life of this thing. We conquered it, survived, and now we feel confident and close having gone through this really big experience together.”
Lisa Greening
TURN THE PAGE STL, PROJECT DIRECTOR
Turn the Page STL, the city’s chapter of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, aims to increase the number of kids who are proficient readers by the end of third grade. After a decade as executive director of Ready Readers, Greening brought hundreds of stakeholders together to form the chapter in 2020 with the goal of combating disparities in literacy.
Monique Bynum
BOEING, COMMUNITY INVESTOR
As the community investor for Boeing, Bynum spearheaded the filling of 8,000 backpacks with school supplies and organizing summer internships for Girls Inc. And when she was community director for the University of Missouri–St. Louis Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Accelerator, she helped launch minority- and women-owned businesses across the region.
Melissa Dierker
COMPLETE HARMONY, OWNER/YOGA INSTRUCTOR
A social worker for more than a decade, Dierker received her first yoga certification in 2016 and felt that kids and teens could benefit from doing trauma-informed yoga. Dierker opened Complete Harmony in Maplewood to create a space for youth yoga, creativity, and mindfulness.
Dr. Marty K. Casey
UNGUN INSTITUTE, FOUNDER
Casey is a writer, director, and actor, but she may be best known locally for helping people heal. After the events in Ferguson in 2014, she founded the Show Me Arts Academy, to bring art instruction to area youth. Recently, she founded the UnGUN Institute and co-organized Black SON Day, which focus on solving gun violence.
Julia Ho
SOLIDARITY ECONOMY, FOUNDER
When she was a student at WashU, Ho founded SWAP STL, a free shop that made all of its revenue in a single back-to-school sale of donated items. After she graduated, Ho dedicated herself to activism. Solidarity Economy is the synthesis of her efforts, a network of organizations practicing cooperative economics. And in the same spirit, she helped lead the Mutual Aid Network during the pandemic.
LEADING THE WAY: SUSTAINABILITY
At age 100, Gloria Gordon continues to champion vital causes, including climate change. (Read more at stlmag.com.) Jean Ponzi has earned the nickname “Green Jean,” serving as the Missouri Botanical Garden’s green resource manager. Perennial’s Katie Carpenter is educating St. Louisans about how to live more sustainably. And by paving new trails, both Trailnet CEO Cindy Mense and Great River Greenways CEO Susan Trautman are connecting neighborhoods, reducing emissions, and encouraging St. Louisans to lead more active lifestyles.
Amanda Helman and Susan Logsdon
GOLDEN GEMS AND HIDDEN GEM, CO-OWNERS
These entrepreneurial sisters are on a mission to empower “baddies to live unapologetically and take up space” with their lifestyle brand, Golden Gems. space.” The women’s lifestyle brand, Golden Gems, started in Helman’s living room and has since expanded to three storefronts. And now the duo is bringing that same spirit to their new cocktail bar, Hidden Gem. “There aren’t a lot of women-run bars in St. Louis, and we really wanted to create a safe space, for women and LGBTQ+ folks in particular, to enjoy community and gathering with friends over a great cocktail, a cheap beer, or an N/A beverage,” they say. The positive response, community support, and knowledge that they’re making a difference keep the sisters working to empower more “baddies.”
Charli Cooksey
WEPOWER, CEO
Cooksey founded WEPOWER to work toward solving the St. Louis region’s most pressing systemic challenges, while achieving equity in the education, economic, health, and justice systems. To date, WEPOWER has helped steer millions in public funding toward childcare resources, and invested heavily in small businesses to help scores of St. Louis entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground. “We’re starting to see ways that thriving entrepreneurs and prepared leaders can work together to push for our systems to really transform,” she says.
Lorenza Pasetti
VOLPI FOODS, CEO
Although it was her birthright, Pasetti tried to quit the family business three times in her first 10 years on the job. Now, however, she couldn’t imagine doing anything but leading the storied salumeria, balancing a vision for the future while fiercely maintaining connections to its past. As a result, both Pasetti and Volpi Foods have received myriad local and national accolades.
Sandra Marks
CLAYCO, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
With a background in business development, Marks is working to help make the building industry more inclusive and equitable. Marks is, among other things, the face of Clayco Rising, where she helps make meaningful change in her sector by ensuring minority- and women-owned firms have consistent opportunities available with Clayco and its peer companies.
Leslie Gill
RUNG FOR WOMEN, PRESIDENT
The mission isn’t merely about helping women get jobs. In her role leading Rung, Gill wants to supply women with the tools necessary to embark upon fulfilling careers that will support their families. Rung has helped women enter traditionally male-dominated fields, including geospatial intelligence and emerging tech. This fall, the organization is placing an added emphasis on advanced manufacturing as a career pathway.
LEADING THE WAY: CIVIC
For years, Regional Business Council president/CEO Kathy Osborn has spurred economic development, from connecting skilled workers with quality jobs to providing grants for capital improvement projects. Explore St. Louis president Kitty Ratcliffe recently received a lifetime achievement award from the Professional Convention Management Association Foundation. As president and CEO of FOCUS St. Louis, Yemi Akande-Bartsch works to encourage civic engagement through leadership training, issue education, and other initiatives. And earlier this year, Martha Garcia Kampen became president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, at a time when local leaders are hoping to attract more Latino immigrants to the region.
Dr. Cheryl Watkins
YWCA, PRESIDENT/CEO
Dr. Cheryl Watkins believes one of the biggest challenges facing women in St. Louis is economic stability. Under Dr. Watkins’ leadership, the YWCA works to provide child care services, so women can pursue educational opportunities and, ultimately, life-changing careers. Earlier this year, the YWCA partnered with the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to create an apprenticeship program to address the state’s shortage of child care workers.
Betsy Reznicek
Home Sweet Home, Executive Director
Eight years ago, Reznicek started a furniture bank called Home Sweet Home. “One day, I said that somebody should do this,” she recalls. When she looked around, she realized that the “someone” might have to be her. The group partners with 60 organizations to help those in need acquire furniture, dishes, appliances, and more for their home.
Ashley Swip
3 LITTLE BIRDS 4 LIFE, FOUNDER
When her brother Tyler was diagnosed with a fast-spreading, malignant melanoma in 2010, Swip knew what she had to do. “I wanted to give him one more amazing day,” she says. With the help of the St. Louis Cardinals, Swip arranged for Tyler to attend his final game at Busch Stadium, where he hung out on the field and met his favorite players. That day of smiles and laughter at the ballpark meant so much to her family that, after Tyler’s death that November, Swip wondered if she could create similar opportunities for other cancer patients in the St. Louis region. She founded 3 Little Birds 4 Life as a wish-granting nonprofit. In the 13 years since its launch, the organization has grown to meet a variety of needs for families navigating life-changing medical diagnoses. It hands out gift packs called “Birdie Boxes” to cancer patients. The organization’s Yellow Daisy Project provides families with flowers “to make them feel special and that somebody’s thinking about them,” says Swip, who drives across the region to deliver frozen meals to families who can use an extra hand. “I love helping people, and I especially love helping people feel good about themselves,” Swip says. “Everybody deserves that.”
Susan Colangelo
ST. LOUIS STORY STITCHERS, PRESIDENT/ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Colangelo’s fingerprints can be found all over the region. In 2009, at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, she founded the educational programming group Women and the Kemper. She now leads Story Stitchers, a collective that strives to foster change through art. Earlier this year, in Grand Center, Story Stitchers opened The Center for Youth Arts and Technology, where young people can access resources, including counseling and trauma therapy, build leadership skills, and create music and art.
Charlotte Hammond
CHALLENGE UNLIMITED, CEO
Headquartered in Alton, Illinois, Hammond’s nonprofit provides employment services to people with disabilities. Since assuming leadership of the organization in 2016, Hammond has helped expand Challenge Unlimited’s footprint, securing several government contracts that have increased the number of available jobs for clients and launching a temporary staffing division in St. Louis to assist veterans. She also serves on the board of directors for a variety of local groups, including the Missouri Botanical Garden and Ameren’s Community Voices Advisory Board.
Gabriela Ramírez-Arellano
CORTEX INNOVATION COMMUNITY, DIRECTOR OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The Hispanic/Latino population in St. Louis has risen 40 percent over the past decade, according to the City of St. Louis. Ramírez-Arellano serves as an advocate for the community, addressing language-barrier challenges that Spanish-speaking Latinos may encounter in the city. The nonprofit she co-founded, STLJuntos, shares information, events, and resources to help make St. Louis feel a little more like home.
