Our Story Staff Board 25th Anniversary
Programs Overview HFA Maternal Child PAT Camp Children's Weekends Christmas Store Horse Riding Community
Education Corner Changed Lives In Their Own Words
Volunteering Employment
Home Visiting Services Missouri Collective Impact Services Programs Offered at WKO
Affiliates Partners Funders
Creating strong families, ensuring healthy children

Who Runs the Place?

Click on individual names to see a short bio, or go directly to Staff Bios page.

Leadership
Staff

Tabitha Asberry
Administrative Assistant
tabithaasberry@wholekidsoutreach.org

Chaz Pendley
Administrative Assistant
chazpendley@wholekidsoutreach.org

Susan Winter
Development Assistant
susanwinter@wholekidsoutreach.org

McKay Doran
Marketing and Communications Specialist
mckaydoran@wholekidsoutreach.org

Kenny Cowin
Center Staff
kennethcowin@wholekidsoutreach.org

Tyler Kuntz
Center Staff
tylerkuntz@wholekidsoutreach.org

Megan Long
Center Staff
megmmm69@gmail.com

Tyler Long
Center Staff
tylerlong@wholekidsoutreach.org

Healthy Families America Program

Grace Crowley
Outreach Specialist
gracecrowley@wholekidsoutreach.org

Kelley Mullins
Outreach Specialist
kelleybettes@wholekidsoutreach.org

Julie Martin
HFA Supervisor
juliemartin@wholekidsoutreach.org

Pilar Dawe
Outreach Specialist
pilardawe@wholekidsoutreach.org

Nursing Program

Susanne Canterberry
Staff Nurse
susannecanterberry@wholekidsoutreach.org

Parents as Teachers

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Sister Anne Francioni

Sister Anne Francioni, SSND, RN, MA arrived in St. Louis in from her home in New Orleans where she had worked at St. Michael Special School, Touro Infirmary, and Children's Hospital of New Orleans. She continued her vocation as a pediatric nurse in two St. Louis children’s hospitals. From there she accepted the role as nursing and residential program director at St. Mary’s Special School where she worked with children who had significant and varied developmental challenges. Later came her call to serve God as a School Sister of Notre Dame. It was then she was led to southeast Missouri to assist other Sisters who were working in the area. She will tell all who ask her:

After meeting the children and seeing the way of life in this area, I knew I wanted to stay!

Since receiving permission from the School Sisters of Notre Dame to start Whole Kids Outreach in 1999, Sr. Anne has served as WKO's Executive Director and as an agent of change in the service region helping families work toward better futures for their children.

Staff Bios

 

Susan Rhea

Clinical Director
susanrhea@wholekidsoutreach.org

A native of Reynolds County, I have been a Registered Nurse since 1983, graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with an Associate of Arts in Nursing and became certified as a high-risk OB nurse in 1999. I spent 18 years working in Labor and Delivery, and came to Whole Kids Outreach in 2003 as a Maternal Child visiting nurse. My passion is to work with pregnant moms and babies and I love that I can put my knowledge and experience in Obstetrics and Labor and Delivery to help our families and their babies.

Stacia Moe

Center Director
staciamoe@wholekidsoutreach.org

I come from a background of horses and have a degree in Equine studies. After I bought my dream farm and landed in Missouri, WKO found me for their horse program in 2004. Over the years, I grew, as WKO grew, into the position I have today. WKO is a very special place. WKO not only helps families but helps the animals which come our way. Most of the animals have their own special story - of neglect, sadness or “being thrown away.” I will go the distance for each one of the children and animals that have found their way to WKO. I am the lucky one that helps heal and restore the love, kindness and compassion back into those amazing souls!

 
 

Connie Pendley

Outreach Program Director
conniependley@wholekidsoutreach.org

After working 14 years at a school district, I came to work for Whole Kids Outreach in 2004. Whole Kids Outreach offers the opportunity for every employee to grow and fulfill their dreams with knowledge and support. I am constantly in awe of how Whole Kids Outreach continues to grow by providing health education, support and resources throughout the many programs like Healthy Families American, Parents as Teachers and Nurses for Newborn. WKO mission is to "Build Strong Families, Ensure Healthy Children" and seeing all the families that have been affected by WKO and our Outreach Specialists only inspires me to do better in my life each and every day.

Lynn Lawson

HR/Finance Manager
lynnclark@wholekidsoutreach.org

I am a native of the Carter County/Reynolds County area, and first came to work at Whole Kids Outreach in 2002. After a departure in 2009 I was drawn back into the mission in 2017. It turns out, WKO never left my heart, because I have a passion to see families in our community flourish.

 
 

Kim Maynard

Administrative Support Supervisor
kimberlymaynard@wholekidsoutreach.org

Jeanine Delong

HFA Supervisor
jeaninedelong@wholekidsoutreach.org

I am a retired school teacher, spending 27 years in the classroom working with children. Whole Kids is an opportunity to continue my calling to teach and empower others. I am very excited to help parents make sure their children are prepared and have the building blocks to be successful in school. Parents are the first teachers and what they do influences their children’s future. I believe, “Knowledge is power.” Working together we can make a difference and a brighter society for all.

 
 

Debra Martin

HFA Supervisor
debramartin@wholekidsoutreach.org

I am a former substitute teacher of 14 years. I have always loved teaching and helping children further their knowledge. I was drawn to WKO because of their passion to educate families. They want to help them to be healthy and succeed. I am married and we live in Bunker, MO with three of our children. We also have one daughter who is currently attending college at SMS-West Plains and will soon be transferring to SMS-Springfield. I enjoy watching my children participate in different sports such as volleyball, basketball, and rodeo. We travel a lot with our children, but we also love spending time with family and friends on the Current River and camping.

Carla Vowell

Outreach Specialist
carlavowell@wholekidsoutreach.org

Hi! I’m Carla Vowell! I am an outreach specialist, and have been with Whole Kids Outreach since 2019. I love my job because I love being a support and resource to our families.

 
 

Katherine Long

Outreach Specialist
katherinelong@wholekidsoutreach.org

I am proud to say I was born and raised in the Ozarks. I chose to raise my children here where they could enjoy the same rivers, cultures, and emphasis on family that I grew up with. I live in Howell County with my 12-year-old son.  My four adult children still live in the area. I have also been blessed with two grandsons, granddaughter, and another grandchild on the way. I worked for 15 years in the fight to end domestic violence in our communities. My favorite part of my work has always involved children. I believe the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, and I’m proud to be part of the Whole Kids Outreach community that puts this into practice every day. I will continue to work hard to ensure that our next generation receives the best start we can give them. 

 

Kathy Shoemaker

Outreach Specialist
kathyshomaker@wholekidsoutreach.org

I started with WKO in the summer of 2023. I am originally from the Van Buren area but moved to Winona in 1997. I have two sons. I taught school and love working with children. My favorite thing is teaching someone a new skill, and you see in their eyes or body language that they get it. WKO gives me the opportunity to continue serving children and their families. I am humbled and proud to work for WKO and the families that we serve.

Debbie Williams

Parent Educator
debrawilliams@wholekidsoutreach.org

I have been working with children for over 20 years, from prenatal to 18 years of age. I enjoy working with not only the children but the families as well. That has led me to become a Parent Educator for Parents As Teachers for the last 3 years. WKO’s mission to “Build Strong Families, Ensure Healthy Children,” has combined all I love to do into one job, working with the entire family as a whole.

 
 

Tyler Kuntz

Center Staff
tylerkuntz@wholekidsoutreach.org

After I graduated high school, I decided to join the Army and serve my country. I did that for a while and then started a family and moved back to Missouri. One day someone told me there was a maintenance job opening at Whole Kids Outreach. I had gone there as a kid but never really thought it was a place where I'd be able to work. But I got hired a couple weeks later. I enjoy working at Whole Kids Outreach because I'm not doing the same thing every day and I get to be outside, learn new things, and be happy to come to work every day. I may not be serving my country anymore but I can serve and give back to my community and I know that every day I come to work and get things done it lets everyone else focus on their part of the mission by helping families grow together and keep children healthy.

Megan Long

Center Staff
meganlong@wholekidsoutreach.org

 
 

Voluntary Boards

Board of Directors

Katherine Walsh, Board Chair/President, Asst. Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General of MO

Christy Shawan, Board Vice President, V.P. St. Francis Medical Partners, SW

Elizabeth Blaich, Board Treasurer, Attorney, Summers and Blaich, P.C.

Anna Goldkamp, Board Recording Secretary, Teacher, St. Louis Special School District

Sr. Janet Crane, Chaplain, Mercy Hospital of St. Louis

Brett Carney, Director of Production Planning, World Wide Technology

Ruth Ehresman, Nonprofit Consultant, Vision for Children at Risk

David Haddox, Laborer, Ervin Gildehaus and Sons Contractor

Stephanie Morgan, Co-founder of WKO, Licensed Massage Therapist, Mercy Hospice

Christy Roberts, Office Manager, Robert’s Pallet Co.

Emily Summers, Accountant, Southern Ozark Accounting, LLC

Kevin Walde, Orthodontist, Walde Miller Orthodontics

Advisory Board

Courtney Atkinson, Orthodontist—Poplar Bluff Orthodontics

Kathie Askren, Principal, Edward Jones, retired

Lynette Ballard, Mission and Formation Specialist, Mercy Hospital St. Louis

Lauren Blaich, General Dentistry, Dental Arts Group

Travis Blaich, General Dentistry, Dental Arts Group

Tricia George, Administrative Assistant—McCormack Telephone

Lisa Haddox, Librarian, St. Louis County Library

Fathom Hefner, Inventory Manager, Hefner Furniture and Appliances

Cindy Kemper, Cytotechnologist, Christian Hospital Northeast

Maryann Lavender, WKO Outreach Specialist, Retired

Michael Montgomery, Civil Engineer, Horner & Shifrin

Jim Morgan, CEO, Subsurface Constructors

Matt Phillips, Senior Account Executive, First Choice Insurance

Claudia Preuschoff, MD, Pediatrician, St. Francis Healthcare

Donna Schmitt, Attorney, Armstrong Teasdale, LLP

Jeff Shawan, Chief of Government Affairs, St. Francis Healthcare

Nathalie Williams, Professor—Retired, Past WKO Program Director