Program Director
Peggy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has a Master’s of Social Work from Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. She has been working as a social worker in the St. Louis area primarily with youth and families for over 20 years.
She is passionate about programs in our community that help families thrive by providing services, support and resources, and assisting them in making positive life decisions. Contact Peggy: peggy@homecareugaf.com
Marketing & Development Coordinator
From a young age, Niya faced significant challenges that helped shape the person she is today. She attended University City High School and tragically lost her mother when she was just four years old. Both of her grandmothers—on her mother’s and father’s sides—passed away at a very young age as well. Despite these hardships, Niya remained determined to push forward. While pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Entertainment Management at Missouri State University, she faced academic suspension during her sophomore year. Rather than giving up, Niya enrolled in community college for a semester, worked hard, and made a strong comeback to successfully earn her degree.
Niya is aware that many girls grow up without a mother, and she is passionate about showing them that, despite the tears and hardships, success is still possible. She believes that with the right support and self-belief, anyone can overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams. In addition to her personal journey, Niya is deeply involved in her community. She is committed to giving back and helping rebuild the St. Louis community, striving to make a positive impact wherever she can. Contact Niya: Niya.Harris@homecareugaf.com
Program Engagement Coordinator
Coreyn is a proud St. Louis native committed to creating sustainable change in local communities. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Education for Empowerment from the University of Michigan, where she deepened her understanding of social systems and the transformative power of education. A passionate advocate and lifelong learner, Coreyn champions equity and empowerment in all areas of her work.
With a background in nonprofits, policy, and community advocacy, Coreyn is dedicated to empowering individuals and fostering connection. She is excited to support Girls in the Know’s mission to inspire confidence and strength in pre-teen girls and their trusted adults. Contact Coreyn: Coreyn.Mason@homecareugaf.com
Office Administrator
Rachel Meredith is an Office Administrator for Girls in the Know.
Rachel believes that our mission at girls in the know sets up the building blocks of critical thinking for social and academic excellence. Rachel is a beginner in the field but is excited to learn and grow with us. Rachel went to Webster Groves high school and has 10+ years working with the general public and providing quality customer service. Contact Me: Rachel.Meredith@homecareugaf.com
Program Intern
Clare Newcomb is the Girls in the Know Program Intern and a practicum student from Saint Louis University, where she is pursuing a degree in Social Work.
She will receive her bachelor’s degree in May 2025 and her master’s in Social Work in May 2026. Clare is passionate about working with children and youth and hopes to make an impact through community organizations, educational programs, or residential settings.Contact Me: Programsinter1@homecareugaf.com
Office Administrator
Rachel Meredith is an Office Administrator for Girls in the Know.
Rachel believes that our mission at girls in the know sets up the building blocks of critical thinking for social and academic excellence. Rachel is a beginner in the field but is excited to learn and grow with us. Rachel went to Webster Groves high school and has 10+ years working with the general public and providing quality customer service. Contact Me: Rachel.Meredith@homecareugaf.com
Dr. CeCe Wolfner is a lifelong mental health advocate, published author, and current Program Impact Coordinator for Girls in the Know.
With a doctorate in developmental psychology, CeCe is fervently dedicated to making a tangible impact, forging connections, and being part of positive change with and for the community. She is excited about bringing her passions for making a positive difference in the way people view themselves, their abilities, and overall well-being to Girls in the Know. Contact CeCe: cece.wolfner@homecareugaf.com
Founder
Lori founded Girls in the Know in 2009 and served as Executive Director until 2012. She also is the founder of Lori Lander Coaching, LLC and is a certified Personal Growth Coach.
Specializing in female empowerment, Lori works with women to create positive and long-lasting change while encouraging them to stand in their integrity, realize their full potential to thrive and live a vibrant, authentic life.
President
Currently the Chief Human Resources Officer for Employment Logic, Lynette is an accomplished human resources leader with more than 20 years of experience in HR management, recruitment, training, leadership development, policy writing, employee relations and employee engagement.
She has served as Board President of Community Response and is active with the St. Clair County Chapter of Jack and Jill of America.
DO, PhD, Vice President
Dr. Melanie McKean is a psychiatrist at McCallum Place Eating Disorder Centers in Webster Groves. She earned her medical and graduate degrees from Oklahoma State University-Center for Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Melanie is a member of the Gateway Chapter of National Charity League, Inc., and serves on the boards of The Wilson School, the St. Louis Diaper Bank, and the St. Louis Chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals.
Treasurer
Tyrrell is an accomplished Accounting leader with more than 20 years of Accounting and Finance experience, presently serving as a consultant for Beacon Hill.
His previous experience includes spending nine years as Accounting Manager for the City of St. Louis Treasurer’s Office and seven years as the Senior Accountant of People’s Health Center. Tyrrell has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Harris-Stowe State University.
Secretary
Jessica LaBozzetta is a multi-faceted business owner focusing on creating amazing experiences for her clients. She regularly splits her time between her three businesses: wedding management with BelleFin Productions, travel planning with Swan and Sparrow Travel and the newest company, Zhuzh Rentals, a boutique linen rental company for timeless celebrations.
When not working on these projects, you can definitely find her discussing every theming detail from Disney parks from around the world with her husband, Mike, or snuggling her rescue pitbull, Gadget.
PhD, Board Director
Emily Boyd is a Teaching Professor and the Director for Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Washington University in St. Louis. She received her BS and MS from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, all in mechanical engineering.
Since joining Washington University in 2015, Emily has been an avid supporter of women in STEM. In 2016, she co-founded WashU’s Women in Engineering Center, and in 2017, created the Women in Engineering Leadership Society.
PhD, Board Director
Leilani is Director of Undergraduate Communication and Graduate Strategic Communication and Leadership programs at Maryville University, and is an Associate (tenured) Professor of Strategic Communication and Leadership.
Her writing and expertise have been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, The Hill and other prestigious media outlets. Leilani volunteers with nonprofits that champion women and girls from St. Louis to Pakistan.
Board Director
Alison Feid is a digital marketing professional with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of companies ranging from Fortune 500 companies to locally owned franchises. She has helped facilitate revenue growth and lead generation for multiple brands through creative thinking and a deep understanding of client goals, product and brand positioning and advertising strategy.
She loves staying active with her two young sons, husband and dog; taking walks, going to parks, traveling and trying new restaurants when time allows.
MBA, MHRM, Board Director
She launched Gordon Visionary Journals, LLC focused helping youth and teens build resilience and strengthen mental well-being, through redefining of hundreds of words and turning stumbling blocks into steppingstones. In addition, Trisha and her mentee of 21 years, launched MENT4Life, LLC, dedicated to promoting mentoring as a lifetime commitment.When not working or volunteering, she enjoys fitness activities, reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. In her heart, she believes her life’s purpose is to help others bring their visions to life and has a deep passion for inspiring and empowering young girls and women to realize their potential and bring their visions to life.
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Board Director
Vandi is an accomplished business and operations leader with over 15 years of experience, where she
led strategic and operational programs across technology, manufacturing, healthcare and
telecommunication industries. In her most recent role at Peri Software Solutions Inc. (PERI), she
managed all business operations, including key client relations, contract management, people
operations and business development. In this role, she built PERI’s consulting operations vertical from
the ground up, expanded its external service offerings and doubled the company’s size and revenue with
a significant expansion of its client base.
From 2010 to 2011, Vandi worked as an Account Executive at TriComB2B, an industrial and technical
B2B marketing agency based in Dayton, Ohio. In this role, Vandi used her technical and marketing
expertise to convert technically complex client products into easy-read marketing messages.
From 2001 until 2003, Vandi worked as Sales Support/Solutions Manager at Amdocs, in St Louis, MO.
Amdocs specializes in software and services for communications, media and financial services providers
and digital enterprises. In this role, Vandi was responsible for sales support, proposal development and
account management for global key accounts.
From 1998 until 2000, Vandi worked in IT consulting where she developed technical solutions for several
clients in the pharma, retail and telecommunications industries.
Vandi currently serves as a board member and treasurer at the 611 Condo Association in Manhattan,
New York. Vandi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the
University of Madras, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Xavier University in Ohio. In
addition to her academic achievements, Vandi is a certified yoga instructor and has taught yoga in the
US and Hong Kong for over 15 years. She and her husband have two children and currently reside in St.
Louis, MO with a secondary residence in Manhattan, NY.
Board Director
Bhavana is an accomplished risk management and audit professional with over 20 years of experience spanning the financial services, healthcare, and consulting sectors. She has a proven track record in executing complex IT and business process audits, leading critical risk management initiatives, and ensuring regulatory compliance across global organizations. With extensive expertise in cybersecurity, technology risk, and governance, Bhavana has successfully led cross-functional teams to design and implement comprehensive risk management strategies. Her experience includes leading annual service auditor examinations, performing SOX testing, and managing technology due diligence for major corporate transactions. Bhavana is skilled in enterprise, operational, cybersecurity, and third-party risk management, with a particular focus on innovative process automation and delivering strategic risk insights. She has worked closely with leading financial institutions to establish robust risk management frameworks aligned with industry standards such as COSO, COBIT, and NIST.
Her core expertise includes enterprise and operational risk management, cybersecurity and technology risk governance, regulatory compliance (including SOX, SOC, GDPR, and CCPA), GRC technology implementation, and process automation and digital transformation. Throughout her career, Bhavana has been instrumental in resolving regulatory challenges, establishing risk governance frameworks, and providing strategic insights to executive leadership across multiple industries.
Bhavana holds several prestigious certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – expected January 2025, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA), Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP), Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), and Cyber Risk Analyst. She also holds a Risk Management and Decision-Making Certificate from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Pune, India.
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MBA, Board Director
Janell is Vice President and Chief of Staff for Global Valuation at Reinsurance Group of America, where she is also responsible for strategy implementation. She has more than 25 years of experience in financial services with much of that time focused on operational efficiency and process improvement.
She brings strategy leadership experience and a passion for developing women leaders along with many years volunteering for the United Way of Greater St. Louis Allocations Committee.
She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Missouri, Columbia, and her MBA at Webster University.
Janell and her husband, William live in Kirkwood where they raised 2 nearly adult children. She enjoys hiking and walking with her very needy rescue dog, Lily.
Board Director
For over ten years, Tamyka Perine has been a pivotal leader in the nonprofit sector, deeply committed to fostering diversity and equitable opportunities within organizations. Currently, as the Executive Director of the Gateway Early Childhood Alliance (GECA), Tamyka leads efforts to strengthen and unify early childhood care and education systems in the St. Louis region, ensuring accessible, high-quality care for children of all backgrounds.
Tamyka’s remarkable impact on the nonprofit sector was prominently showcased during her tenure as the Executive Director of LEAD STL, formerly known as Cultural Leadership. Under her visionary leadership, the organization underwent a strategic rebrand that not only refreshed its identity but also profoundly amplified its mission and reach. This rebranding was a catalyst for significant organizational growth—doubling the operating budget and increasing the impact of its programs from serving 30 students annually to over 300 in just two years.
Prior to her transformative role at LEAD STL, Tamyka served as the Director of Development at City Academy, where she enhanced fundraising efforts and community engagement. Her consultancy, Prestige Consultants, LLC, has guided numerous local and national nonprofits, such as the United Negro College Fund, Saint Louis Fashion Fund, and Ferguson Youth Initiative, in strategic planning and development.
Tamyka is an advocate for community service, demonstrated by her extensive volunteer work and her roles on several boards, including Ready Readers and Almost Home. She also serves as an Associate Board Member of COCA. Through her philanthropy, mentorship of young girls, and coaching of young women of color entering the nonprofit workforce, Tamyka continues to give back to the community that shaped her.
A graduate of Alabama A&M University, Tamyka holds memberships in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, the Optimist Club of St. Louis, the Alabama A&M University Alumni Chapter, the St. Louis HBCU Alumni Association, and Focus St. Louis Women in Leadership, Class 74.
Board Director
Emily has over five years of experience working in and with the nonprofit space. Since receiving her MSW from Washington University in St. Louis’ George Warren Brown School in 2017, she has dedicated time to strategic planning, programmatic efforts, volunteerism, and philanthropic giving in both her professional and personal life.
Currently, she works as the Charitable Relations Specialist for Busey Bank, managing philanthropic giving for the Gateway Region.
Board Director
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PhD, Board Director
Raphael is a Professor of Marketing at the Olin Business School of Washington University in St. Louis, where he has been on the faculty since 2013, and currently serves as the chair of the marketing area. He has previously been on the faculty at the Columbia Business School and the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. He holds a Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from Stanford University, and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin.
Raphael also serves as a Department Editor at Management Science. He has also performed consulting work with a wide range of companies, large and small, spanning the consumer goods, technology and finance sectors.
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Board Director
Diane is Senior Vice President and Director of Private Banking at Commerce Trust, where she leads professional service teams who advise and support wealthy families to lead financially fulfilling lives.
She has more than 25 years’ experience in financial services and has spent time professionally in Houston, San Francisco, and Minneapolis prior to relocating to Saint Louis in 2021. He prior board service incudes Guild Services, a Minnesota based non-profit focused on empowering those with mental illness and long-term homelessness to lead stable, fulfilling lives as well as CREW, a national non-profit focused on the professional advancement of women in commercial real estate.
Diane is originally from Houston, Texas and she and her husband, Chris, have 2 adult daughters currently pursuing their best lives.
Board Director
Jessica, a healthcare attorney by trade, serves as Senior Vice President & General Counsel at Health Capital Consultants, a healthcare financial and economic consulting firm. She received her BAs in Political Science and Foreign Languages from West Virginia University and her JD from Saint Louis University.
She and her husband, Andrew, live in St. Louis City with their young daughter, where they just finished renovating an historic home in Lafayette Square.
MD, Board Director
Dr. Shvetha Zarek is Medical and Practice IVF Director of Oma Fertility of Saint Louis. A highly rated, Double Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and IVF physician, she is known for unparalleled patient care, excellent pregnancy success rates and a dedicated work ethic.
Shvetha has been practicing medicine for nearly 20 years, receiving multiple Top Doctors honors. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine and has served as Assistant Professor at both The George Washington University School of Medicine and University of Missouri-Columbia.
Board Director
Eugenia owns and operates MindBlossom Community Education Support Services, an education advocacy and consulting firm trusted by families in the Missouri, Indiana and Illinois areas as the top choice for support in the navigation of the education system.
In addition to training and certifications, Eugenia has over 15 years of extensive personal expertise with local education agencies as a mother of three.