Biographies

My name is Asia Wallace. I am a mother of five beautiful children, newly engaged! I am in my 6th year of teaching and my 15th year of volunteering. I am a graduate of Nurse Family Partnership and now serve as a Parent Ambassador. I currently serve as a Tomorrow Builders Fellow with Wepower, helping to pave a way to improve our early childhood education system. I love to read, cook and most of all, make memories with my family. I have a soft spot for children and over the years have made it my mission to uplift them as well as families. I look forward to continuing my mission with PAC.

Interests/Expertise: Early Head Start/Head Start, Child and Family Advocacy

I also have skills, am knowledgeable or have been trained in the following areas: Leadership Skills, Protective Factors, Parent Cafés, Financial Literacy, Empowering Parents/Teaching them to be Advocates for themselves.

I’m based in Liberty, MO and am willing to travel statewide.

Areas of Interest: Teen Parenting, as I was a teen parent.  Positive Youth Development and developing skills to allow personal growth of every person and to gain the abilities to self-advocate.

I have been trained in: It’s That Easy, Becoming a Responsible Teen, Making A Difference, Making Proud Choices, Teen Outreach Program, Foundations, Mental Health First Aid, and Youth Mental Health First Aid.

My areas of interest/expertise are: Parent Leadership Skills; Protective Factors; Parent/Practitioner Collaboration; Empowering Parents/Teaching them to be Advocates for themselves and their Children & Families; and Public Speaking.

I also have skills, am knowledgeable or have been trained in the following areas: the Power of the Parent Voice/Sharing your Story; Parent/Community Cafes; Financial Literacy; Coordinating Resources and Community Events; and have Co-Facilitated Workshops/Presented on a local, state & national level for Conferences. I love to share my Parent Leadership journey to help other parents have hope and to get organizations to see that your background does not have to define you.

I am based in Joplin, but willing to travel to any county in Missouri.

Karese Love is the Northwest Family Partner for the State of Missouri (Bureau of Special Health Care Needs).  Prior to moving to Kansas City, Missouri in 2008, she diligently worked in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) field for six years. She attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City.  For three and a half years, Karese was a classroom Lead Educator for Kansas City, Missouri’s largest licensed ECE facility, Operation Breakthrough.

In January of 2012, she and her family welcomed a daughter, born with Hypoplastic Left-Heart Syndrome (HLHS).  She joined the Missouri Bureau of Special Health Care Needs in February of 2017.  She hopes to continue to broaden her knowledge of Special Needs healthcare practices, while aiding families with peer support and resources.

She looks forward to being an integral part of the Missouri Parent Advisory Council.

Interests: Parent Development, Strengthening Families, Public Speaking, Empowering parents to be advocates for themselves, their children, and their families

I have taken advantage of educational and leadership opportunities, attending multiple classes regarding financial stability, parenting, health, and nutrition. I have served as a policy council rep for Youth in Need Head Start East program and taught Asset program to other parents. Most of all I am an involved parent in my children’s education and my goal is to empower others to be as well.

Interests/expertise: Parent Café’s, Project LAUNCH, community change activities.

My passions include ensuring children are safe and well-educated are two of my greatest concerns. I try to make sure my kids stay heavily involved in school activities, and I do a lot to help out at school. I have taught a parenting class called Safe and Secure Children. I am a board member of Generate Health and am involved in their MCH Making Change Happen Leadership Council and Flourish which is an infant mortality initiative. I service the families in the community with a back to school fair annually. I am dedicated to making changes to our community and ensuring a safe environment for the future. My goals are to make sure parents are connected to each other and resources. I am currently working with Vision for Children at Risk to help families access home visiting services and other resources. Without strong parents, we don’t have strong children, so I want to help spread information to all parents that will help them create safe environments. I’ve participated in the Chicago Parenting Program through Project LAUNCH. I’m always open to opportunities to continue growing as a parent. Recently I spoke in my Making Change Happen meeting about my own personal journey that I experienced. I’m looking forward to this great opportunity and expanding who I am as a parent and a leader.

I am based in St. Louis City and am willing to travel statewide.

My area of interest /expertise are: Family and Community Engagement, Transportation Club Network, Systems Builder, Father Engagement and Adult and Children Book Club Outreach.

I also have been trained in the following areas: Leadership Skills, Parent Café; Dad’s Café Training and Vitality Café Training. I love sharing my story about my Parent Leadership Journey. I have experience facilitating local, state and national workshops and public speaking at conferences plus coordinating resources for parents and children. I am committed to elevating the voice of fathers and the important role they play in strengthening families, children and broader community.

I am located in the St. Louis area.

My name is Turquoise Chavonn Brown, and no that is not my mom’s favorite color. My dad’s name was Timothy and she wanted to name me a name with a “T”. I am an 80’s baby! I have completed so many programs that have enhanced my abilities as a parent child advocate. Things like Step Up to Leadership, Incredible Years, and Parent Café, to name a few. I have four children, two boys and two girls.

My goal is to empower and build parents that can advocate for their children. I want to enhance my abilities by interacting more in the community. I would also like to implement more ImPact programs in the schools.

Thank you.