Issue link: http://accesshealth.uberflip.com/i/1162524
PAGE 12 September 2019 Toniann Richard CEO Toniann Richard is CEO of the Health Care Collaborative (HCC) of Rural Missouri. With help from her staff, executive board and partners, HCC is one of the country's foremost rural health networks. The nonprofit also owns and operates four federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in Buckner, Carrollton, Concordia and Waverly. Multiple state and federal funds, regional foundations, various partners and investments support HCC and its Live Well Community Health Centers. Toniann, who began her journey at HCC in 2007, has raised close to $20 million in grant funding that directly fuels programs that close access barriers to care for the underserved. In less than a decade, Toniann has managed to grow her staff from 2 FTEs to almost 100 FTEs. Toniann, her husband Pat and daughter Grace reside in Oak Grove, Missouri. Learn more about Richard's journey on page 8. Meet the Board Darrel Box LRHC CEO Darrel Box is CEO of Lafayette Regional Health Center (LRHC). He attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he received a B.S. in pharmacy. Darrel began his journey with LRHC in 1993 as the director of pharmacy and served in various capacities before receiving his master's in healthcare administration from the University of Minnesota in 2001. Soon after, he joined LRHC's senior leadership team. Currently, Darrel chairs the Community Health Foundation (CHF) of Lafayette County, serves on the executive board of Health Care Collaborative (HCC) of Rural Missouri and is an alderman on the Buckner City Council. Dr. Bonnie Branson Retired Professional Dr. Branson retired from the University of Missouri- Kansas City School of Dentistry where she served as director of external rotations. She is licensed in dental hygiene and has a Ph.D. in education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Her expertise in dental public health is documented with a certificate in public health from the University of Iowa and numerous experiences in the field. She served as full professor and has 40+ years of experience in dental education. She has served as a board director for oral health coalitions, faith-based community health centers and state dental hygienists' associations. She has been a program developer for numerous public health programs, the most notable being a statewide fluoride varnish and screening project that reaches more than 90,000 children per year. She has been funded by regional grant agencies to provide oral health promotion programs and health care delivery in long-term care facilities. Marsha Corbin Board Chair Marsha Corbin has served as Executive Director for Old Trails Regional Tourism since September 2013. Prior to this position, she worked for University of Missouri Extension with the Healthy Lifestyle Initiative in Lafayette County. She received the Healthcare Foundation of Greater Kansas City 2013 Healthy Lafayette Award for her work with farmers markets, local food pantries, and walking and biking trails. Marsha has been on the HCC Board of Directors since 2014, and currently serves as board chair. Prior to her employment with Old Trails, Marsha served as a volunteer leader in the Show-Me Scenic Byway project, the predecessor to the Old Trails Partnership. Her previous work experience included 17 years in the title insurance industry. She attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, majoring in agriculture business. She and her husband Kent live on the family's Century Farm in Dover and raise cattle and crops with their two sons. Linda Crowell Community Representative Linda started in health care in 1972 at the Kelling Clinic & Hospital. She served as administrative assistant and in human resourcesfor 14 years. Linda later joined the team at Lafayette Regional Health Center (LRHC), where she worked for 30 years. She served as director of patient accounting and later as director of physician clinics. Linda retired from LRHC in 2017. "I truly enjoyed my 44 years in the health care field and saw many changes during that time," she said. Linda studied at Wentworth in Lexington, Mo., and later pursued a bachelor's in health care at St. Thomas University. She lives in Odessa with her husband, Bill. Hobbies include yoga, traveling and spending time with grandchildren. Tom Emerson LCHD Administrator Lafayette County Health Department (LCHD) Administrator Tom Emerson has worked for the department since 1992. The first eight years he served as multi-county sanitarian for Lafayette and Johnson counties. In 1999, he came to LCHD full time as environmental public health specialist and handles communicable disease epidemiology duties. Emerson brings 20 years of public health experience, as well as a strong vision for inter-agency cooperation to achieve goals that improve all aspects of health in Lafayette County. Suzanne Gladney Attorney Migrant Farmworkers Assistance Fund Suzanne Gladney founded and supervises the Migrant Farmworkers Assistance Fund (MFAF), serving migrant farmworkers who pick fruit and vegetable crops in Missouri. She held the position of managing attorney for Legal Aid of Western Missouri (West office) for more than 36 years. She specializes in immigration law and advises community agencies serving immigrants. She is a frequent speaker on immigration and migrant farmworker issues and is active in a number of community, cultural and social justice organizations. Charlie Grom Lexington, Missouri, Police Chief Charlie is a 30-year veteran of law enforcement, having spent his first 26 years in the State of California and the past 18 months as Lexington, Missouri's police chief. His career has allowed him to work in many different capacities that support community collaboration. Realizing that law enforcement's role is not limited to crime suppression, Charlie is also focused on community health and safety that results from teamwork and partnerships. In California, he was part of a large countywide coalition addressing the homeless population, identifying causes, needs and resources for those displaced from housing. He was a key participant in developing a local Child Interview Center for victims of abuse and neglect. He has worked for more than 15 years with the local mental health community, most recently as co-chair of the Lafayette County Mental Health Board. As co-chair of the MO River Crisis Intervention Team Council, Charlie strongly advocates for the crisis intervention model of de-escalation for individuals in mental health crisis. Holly Mefferd Lexington 4-Life Properties Office Mgr. Board Secretary Holly Mefferd is the properties and office manager at the Lexington 4-Life Center. She began working at the 4-Life Center in January 2014 where she oversees all the financial and maintenance responsibilities for the Lexington Senior Center, Inc., Lafayette Square Properties, and the 4-Life Foundation. Holly brings a wealth of experience to her position as a former bank officer at Napoleon Bank and previous office manager for her family's business. As a lifelong resident of Lafayette County, Holly enjoys volunteering in various community-betterment organizations and is passionate about securing health and wellness for rural communities. Holly and her husband are raising two boys in rural Odessa, Missouri. Janice Putnam UCM Professor Dr. Putnam is a faculty member at the University of Central Missouri. She has served in various capacities over the past 21 years, including Professor of Nursing and Health Studies, Honors College Faculty Fellow, Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Interim Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs, and as the Senior Academic Policy and Compliance Specialist/Special Projects for the Provost. The courses she currently teaches include Drugs: Addiction to Recovery, Health Policy, Health Behavioral Theory, and Global Health. Dr. Putnam earned her Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Missouri. Her research examines health and policy issues related to tobacco/marijuana, and the evaluation of health and wellness care provided to vulnerable populations.