May 10, 2006
Contact: Bev Pfeifer-Harms
Director of Communications
314.345.5500 office

Foundation Begins Nonprofit Women's Leadership Program

First Class of 12 Chosen For Professional Development

St. Louis -The Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) has named its first class for a leadership development program designed especially for women leading nonprofit organizations in rural communities and small cities. The year-long program, called "Women Executive Directors in Underserved Communities," is the first of its kind in Missouri. It is a partnership between MFH and CompassPoint, a nonprofit organization that specializes in professional development and partially funded by The UPS Foundation and The Walter and Elise Haas Fund.

Members of the first Women Executive Directors class are: Amy Beechner-McCarthy, executive director, Phelps County Community Partnership, Rolla; Cindi Boston, executive director, Pregnancy Care Center, Springfield; Kari E. Clements, executive director, Southwest Missouri Community Alliance, Joplin; Cynthia G. Dean, chief executive officer, Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium, Sikeston; Marilyn M. Garrett, executive director, Community Alliance for Compassionate Care at the End of Life, Springfield; Ellen Hammock, executive director, Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, Springfield; Melinda Ingram, director, Lakes Area Child Advocacy Center, Branson West; Linda J. McQuary, executive director, Children's Advocacy Center of East Central Missouri, Division of Comtrea, Sullivan; Jane F. Pfefferkorn, executive director, Mission Missouri, Sikeston; Deborah S. Sandarciero, administrator, Carter County Health Center, Van Buren; Bonnie A. Schnurbusch, administrator, Perry County Nursing Home & Independence Health System, Perryville; and Diane E. Silman, executive director, Ripley County Family Resource Center, Doniphan.

The program focuses on leadership training, peer and professional support, and provides development professional funding for women executives who lead nonprofit agencies in traditionally underserved communities throughout Missouri. Participants will gather together throughout the year to improve leadership and management skills, establish a sustainable learning community of women executives, and learn how to address daily issues and barriers that can affect their success.

[Editor's Note: Insert appropriate paragraph about relevant organization(s) in your coverage area.

Phelps County Community Partnership is a Rolla-based nonprofit that works with citizens and organizations to match public and private funding, resources, and programs to meet area community needs.

Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium promotes the health and well-being of babies, children and families through education and community programs.

Children's Advocacy Center of East Central Missouri, Div. of Comtrea is one of 13 child advocacy centers in Missouri, serving as a community resource and agency support within a nine-county region.

Mission Missouri is a faith-based organization working to instill dignity and respect to all and to reconcile and restore families.

Carter County Health Center promotes and protects the health of people in Carter County by developing and implementing health services based on assessment needs.

Perry County Nursing Home & Independence Health System provides retirement and health care services promoting dignity, security and independence to the elderly.

Pregnancy Care Center offers free services to bring help, hope and healing to young women in crisis pregnancies.

Southwest Missouri Community Alliance provides leadership to facilitate communication and collaboration in the Jasper/Newton community through the exchange of information, education and resources.

Community Alliance for Compassionate Care at the End of Life is a collaborative of health care professionals, educators and members of religious, business and civic communities throughout the Ozarks region that focuses on end-of-life issues.

Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks promotes breast cancer awareness and provides local resources and support for individuals and families affected by breast cancer.

Lakes Area Child Advocacy Center serves abused children and their families by coordinating investigation and intervention services while also maintaining respect for and dignity of those victimized.

Ripley County Family Resource Center is a collaborative partnership of all community stakeholders to provide a safe, healthy, satisfying environment in which families and students can become more resourceful, responsible, and self-reliant.]

Established in 2000, MFH is dedicated to its mission of empowering people of the communities within its service region, in order to achieve equal access to quality health services that promote prevention and encourage healthy behaviors. It the largest non-governmental funder of community health activities in Missouri, having issued more than $156 million in grants and awards during its four years of grantmaking. It is dedicated to serving the uninsured, underinsured and underserved in 84 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis. For more information about MFH, visit www.mffh.org.

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