JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Governor Mike Parson announced fifteen appointments to various boards and commissions.
Bryan Atkins, of Rea, was appointed to the Board of Probation and Parole.
Mr. Atkins served as the Sheriff of Andrew County from 2009 until his retirement in 2020. Prior to being elected sheriff, he served as a Deputy Sheriff for Andrew County. He also formerly served as a member of the Missouri Air National Guard holding the rank of Master Sergeant before being honorably discharged. He is certified by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission, holds certification from the U.S. Air Force Basic Military Training and Crash Rescue Fire School, and graduated from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy.
Spencer Bartlett, of Jefferson City, was appointed to the Administrative Hearing Commission.
Mr. Bartlett joined the Missouri Department of Revenue as Deputy General Counsel in 2017 and was promoted to General Counsel in 2019. Prior to joining the Department of Revenue, he served as an assistant Prosecuting Attorney for the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Mr. Bartlett attended the University of Missouri-Columbia where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas-Austin School of Law.
Kristina Bernskoetter, of Jefferson City, was appointed to the Children’s Trust Fund Board.
Ms. Bernskoetter is currently the Executive Director of the Missouri Head Start Association, a position she has held since 2009. Previously, she has been the Director of Government Affairs for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and Resident Manager for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Missouri. Ms. Bernskoetter serves on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Community Action Network and Region VII Head Start Association. She holds a Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Eric Dove, of Ozark, was appointed to the Dam and Reservoir Safety Council.
Mr. Dove is a Senior Water Resources Engineer for HDR, Inc., an engineering firm located in Springfield, Missouri. Prior to joining HDR, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an Engineering Co-Op Student. He also served in the Nebraska Army National Guard before being honorably discharged. Mr. Dove holds professional engineering licenses in Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. He attended the University of Nebraska where he earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in civil engineering.
Dr. Kimberly Eisenstein, of Columbia, was appointed to the Drug Utilization Review Board.
Dr. Eisenstein has served as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatric Dermatology and Child Health for the University of Missouri Department of Dermatology since 2017. Previously, she was a Research Assistant for the Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Eisenstein is an author and contributing author of numerous professional medical publications. She holds a medical license in Missouri, and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Society of Pediatric Dermatology, and Missouri Society of Dermatology. Dr. Eisenstein received her Doctor of Medicine from St. Louis University School of Medicine and completed her Pediatric Residency Program and Pediatric Dermatology Fellowship Program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Julie Ferguson, of Ballwin, was appointed to the Drug Utilization Review Board.
Dr. Ferguson is currently a pediatrician for SSM Health in St. Louis and serves on the Pediatric Leadership Council for SSM Medical Group. Prior to joining SSM Health, she was an Outpatient Physician focusing in pediatric primary care for Coastal Children’s Clinic in North Carolina. She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and holds certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Neonatal Resuscitation. Dr. Ferguson received her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed the Pediatric Residency Program at the St. Louis University School of Medicine.
Astra Ferris, of Lamar, was appointed to the Missouri Workforce Development Board.
Ms. Ferris is the Chief Executive Officer for the Barton County Chamber of Commerce. Previously, she served as a Commercial Assistant, Regional Marketing Representative, and Banker for US Bank. In 2016, the Joplin Regional Business Journal recognized Ms. Ferris as the Most Influential Woman of the Year and selected her as a 15 Under 40 Honoree. She is certified by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organizational Management. Ms. Ferris graduated from Pittsburg State University and is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration.
Keith Holloway, of Cape Girardeau, was appointed to the University of Missouri Board of Curators.
Mr. Holloway is the founder and owner of Professional Packaging, Inc., a regional pallet brokerage he established in 1992. He is also a commercial real estate investor and manager in Cape Girardeau. Mr. Holloway is a member of the University of Missouri Cape Girardeau County Extension Council, Three Rivers Endowment Trust Board, ERASE Foundation Board, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, and Missouri Forest Products Association. He also previously served on the Board of Directors for the National Wood Pallet Container Association. Mr. Holloway holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration and finance from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Mr. Holloway was originally appointed on March 22, 2021, but the Missouri State Senate did not take a vote during the previous legislative session.
Jamie Johansen, of Lebanon, was appointed to the State Fair Commission.
Ms. Johansen is the owner of both The Hive by Honey Creek and Honey Creek Media, LLC. Previously, she was the editor for ZimmComm New Media and served as a per-course instructor for Missouri State University. She received the National Cattleman’s Beef Association’s Best of Beef Excellence in Agriculture Journalism Award in 2017 and has served on the Missouri State Fair Youth in Agriculture Committee. She also served as the 2019 Missouri Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Chair and is a member of the Missouri Agriculture Leaders of Tomorrow Class 16. Ms. Johansen attended Missouri State University where she earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Applied Sciences in agricultural communications.
Jeanee Kennedy, of Seneca, was appointed to the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
Ms. Kennedy is currently the Vice President of Nursing Services for Freeman Health System in Joplin. Prior to becoming Vice President of Nursing Services, she was an Administrative Director of Regulatory Compliance for Freeman Health System. Ms. Kennedy received her Associate’s Degree in nursing from Crowder College and is certified as a Registered Nurse. She attended American Sentinel University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing along with a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in health care.
Kade McBroom, of Qulin, was appointed to the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority.
Mr. McBroom is the owner and manager of McBroom Farms and Feed Fuel Plus, LLC. He was also the Managing Partner of Malden Specialty Soy from 2015 to 2017. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, coaches youth sports, and is a lifetime member of the Missouri Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow. Mr. McBroom received a Bachelor of Science in communications from Missouri State University.
K. Douglas Mertens, of Columbia, was appointed to the State Technical College of Missouri Board of Regents.
Mr. Mertens was recently the Director of Business Development for Summit Materials, Inc. in Denver, Colorado. Before joining Summit Materials, he was President of Mertens Construction Company, Inc. He has served on the oversight boards of the Fulton Area Development Corporation and Heartland Port Authority. He is a founding member and current board member of the Thompson Foundation for Autism and a member of the Missouri Association of General Contractors. Mr. Mertens graduated from Westminster College with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.
Jamilah Nasheed, of St. Louis, was appointed to the Board of Probation and Parole.
Ms. Nasheed was twice elected to represent the people of the fifth senate district in the Missouri State Senate from 2013 to 2021. Prior to being elected to the state senate, she served as the State Representative for Missouri’s 60th house district. During her time in the Missouri General Assembly, Ms. Nasheed received several awards and recognitions, including Senator of the Year from the Missouri Workforce Housing Association and the Champion Award from the St. Louis Regional Chamber. Ms. Nasheed is a founder of the “In it 2 Win” Coalition, which identifies students who have dropped out of school, or were pushed out, and assists in returning them to the classroom. She was also active in the Fresh Start Program, which assists youth between the ages of 17 and 21 to return to the classroom to earn their high school diplomas. Ms. Nasheed has worked towards a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from Harris-Stowe State University.
Cathy Stepp, of Branson, was appointed to the Petroleum Storage Tank Insurance Fund Board of Trustees.
Ms. Stepp is currently the Executive Director of Ozarks Water Watch. Previously, she served as the Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago, Illinois. She has also served as the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Ms. Stepp has been a member of the Environmental Council of States, Freddie Mac Board of Directors, and Wisconsin Natural Resources Board of Directors. Ms. Stepp studied at both the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Jan Zimmerman, of Kansas City, was appointed to the Missouri Gaming Commission.
Chief Zimmerman has served as the Chief of Police for the City of Raymore, Missouri, since 2012. She began her law enforcement career with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and rose through the ranks, starting as a Police Dispatcher and ending as Major, commanding several patrol divisions. Chief Zimmerman is certified by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission and has completed the Executive Leadership Program at the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Academy. She has earned numerous awards for her service to the community, including four Meritorious Service Awards, five Special Unit Citations, and the Chamber of Commerce “Home Town Hero” President’s Award. Chief Zimmerman attended Park University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice and a Master of Science in Public Administration.
