December 27, 2007
Contact: Bev Pfeifer-Harms
Director of Communications
314.345.5500 office

Missouri Foundation for Health Announces Five Board Members, Elects Officers

St. Louis - Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) announces four new members to its Board of Directors, along with the re-election of a current member. At the same time, the Board also elected its 2008 officers. The 15-member Board of Directors provides oversight of all MFH activities and grant-making. Directors may serve a maximum of two three-year terms.

The four new board members are: Brenda A. Battle, of Bridgeton; Gretchen Garrison, JD, of St. Louis; Dorothy M. Munch, DO, of Poplar Bluff; and Janna L. Stewart, JD, of Ava. Re-elected to the board is George F. Gruendel, PhD, of Salem.

"Each of these directors brings a passion for community service and to help improve the health of all Missourians," said Dr. James R. Kimmey, president and CEO of MFH. "We look forward to having their knowledge and individual expertise help guide the Foundation through the years to come."

The 2008 officers for Board are: Chairperson, Steve M. Pu, DO, of Kennett; Vice Chairperson, Will R. Ross, MD, of St. Louis; Secretary, Bruce Horwitz, PhD, of Columbia; Treasurer, K. "Beth" Johnson, CFA, of University City; and Member-at-Large, Corinne Walentik, MD, MPH, of St. Louis.

Additional information on the recently elected board members:

Brenda A. Battle, of Bridgeton - A registered nurse, Battle has broad health care experience that includes public health service, managed care and administration of a national health care organization. She currently is director of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Center for Diversity and Cultural Competence, and working to eliminate health disparities in the metropolitan area. She has been a member of MFH's Community Advisory Committee since 2003. Battle also is a board member of the American Heart Association and the National Conference for Community Justice-St. Louis. She is a member of the Missouri League of Nursing Home Administrators and a graduate of Leadership St. Louis.

Gretchen Garrison, JD, of St. Louis - A lawyer currently with Gray, Ritter & Graham PC, her practice has included a strong focus on health care and nonprofits. Garrison previously was a partner with Stinson, Morrison, Hacker LLP, as well as associate general counsel for Blue Cross Blue Shield in St. Louis, general counsel for the Missouri Department of Health and an assistant attorney general in the Missouri Attorney General's office. She also participated in the statewide taskforce to draft regulations for Missouri's new managed health care act. Garrison is a member of the Missouri Bar Association, BAMSL Appellate Practice Committee, and the Women's Lawyers Association.

George F. Gruendel, PhD, of Salem - Gruendel, who first was elected to the MFH board in March 2007, has 38 years experience in management. He continues to provide consultant services and training in human resource development. As executive director of Dent County Healthy Communities, he facilitated a community-wide effort to identify and develop solutions to community health issues as part of a project funded by the National Rural Health Association and the U.S. Department of Health. He also served as a consultant to the Missouri Department of Mental Health to develop a comprehensive mental health plan for southeast Missouri. He is an adjunct professor at Webster University in Rolla and Ft. Leonard Wood.

Dorothy M. Munch, DO, of Poplar Bluff - With more than 20 years experience in family medicine, Munch currently is in solo practice at Poplar Bluff Wellness Clinic. She is a member of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians, the Missouri State Medical Association and the American Osteopathic Association. She previously served on the Butler County Health Department Board of Trustees and also worked there in the family planning program. Munch also served on Missouri's SAFE-CARE Advisory Council, has been a sexual assault/abuse examiner for 10 years, and recently completed two terms on the Poplar Bluff Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors.

Janna L. Stewart, JD, of Ava - Until her recent retirement to south central Missouri, Stewart spent more than 25 years in health care, public health and public policy work in Alaska. Most recently she was a criminal justice planner for Alaska's Department of Public Safety. She was involved in health care and mental health issues as both a prosecutor in rural Alaska, a lower court judge in Anchorage, and a judicial educator for the statewide court system. Stewart also was chair of the state's Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and worked extensively on public policy related to child welfare, delinquency, mental health and substance abuse issues. She also has been a public speaker on legal issues related to her work.

Established in 2000, MFH is the largest non-governmental funder of community health activities in the state. MFH is in its sixth year of grantmaking, having issued more than $265 million in grants and awards to date. It is dedicated to serving the uninsured 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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