Meet Valerie Beason
A Licensed Professional Counselor based in Lake St. Louis, MO, who has been helping people since 2015. With a Bachelor's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master's degree in Professional Counseling from Lindenwood University, Valerie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her practice.
Valerie's passion for helping others led her to work with first responders, including firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. In fact, 95% of her practice is dedicated to serving this community. Along with her private practice, Valerie worked with SSM Executive Health in St. Louis to assess over 1900 first responders for their mental wellness screenings. She has also given several mental health presentations to various first responder support groups and taken her expertise on the road to many fire districts and departments in the metro-St. Louis area and around the state of Missouri.
Valerie is a true advocate for first responder's mental health and serves as the President of the National Advisory Council on Mental Health for Fire Wife Life, LLC. She also sits on the statewide committee for Senate Bill 24, which is the Missouri First Responder Mental Health Act.
Valerie's unique perspective on first responder culture comes from growing up with a father who served as a volunteer firefighter and was the fire prevention officer at his department. With firsthand knowledge of what it's like to live with and support first responders, Valerie brings empathy and understanding to her practice.
Valerie’s mission is to help improve the quality of life and enhance resiliency for first responders by offering quality awareness and support services to reduce workplace trauma's physical and psychological effects.
Meet the Board
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Diana Jenkins
Diana Jenkins is a highly experienced and skilled professional with a background in business development and management. With strong leadership skills, Diana is seeking a challenging position that provides growth opportunities.
Diana's work experience includes serving as a Business Development Representative at SSM Health Care-Behavioral Health and Senior Services, where she cultivated and maintained relationships with physicians and key decision makers. She has also served as the Director of Behavioral Health Geriatric Psychiatry-DePaul Health Center, where she developed, administered, and monitored budgets.
Diana holds an MBA from Webster University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Saint Louis University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Marketing minor from Indiana State University. Diana is a member of several professional organizations, including the Continuity of Care Marketing Association, the Breakthrough Coalition, and the Professionals in Retirement Living Communities. She has also served on the Senior Services Task Force.
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Michele Merkel
As a valued member of our board, Michele Merkel brings a wealth of experience as a business owner and a valuable perspective to our discussions.
She is also a seasoned designer and manager at JM Kitchen & Bath. With over three decades of experience in the industry, she has honed her expertise in kitchen and bath design to help clients bring their dream spaces to life.
In addition to her design work, Michele also manages projects, overseeing the entire process from start to finish to ensure seamless execution and timely delivery. Her strong communication and organizational skills enable her to navigate even the most complex projects with ease.
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Karah Waddle
Karah Waddle is an accomplished professional with over 20 years of experience working with non-profit organizations and large healthcare systems. She has a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Health Science degrees. Karah is also the Vice President and Managing Partner of her company.
Karah is a passionate entrepreneur and manages five women-owned businesses, each with a unique niche that requires expertise in contract management and compliance. She is a skilled executive and has performed dual roles in operational and strategic development, delivering excellent results in her career.
Through her recent work with non-profit organizations, Karah has successfully curated grant and contract management systems, implemented numerous large scale projects, and driven successful attainment of new grant and contract award funding. She has also provided oversight of a multi-state healthcare service delivery platform achieving maximum financial and quality performance.
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James Dodds IV
James Dodd is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in managing a successful business. Having resided in St. Charles County for 25 years, he places great emphasis on giving back to the community and supporting first responders.
With a strong commitment to social responsibility, James brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his work. In addition, he has an extensive network of professional connections developed over more than four decades.
James also has experience serving on serving on the Lake St. Louis Community Association Board of Directors, which further underscores his ability to navigate complex business environments.