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Executive Director
LaKricia joined Girls in the Know in June 2022. Prior to GITK, she spent six years with The Little Bit Foundation, most recently serving as Director of Programs, overseeing all Little Bit program activities and strategic partnerships in 42 area schools. She also worked five-plus years as Director of Programs and Advocacy for the Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter.
An active community member, Cox serves on the boards of Happiness Now and Jacob’s Ladder Ministries, and is part of the Community Development Project Planning Committee of Refuge and Restoration NPO. She holds an undergraduate degree in Legal Studies and a Master’s in International Relations from Webster University. Additionally, Cox is a graduate of the Women in Leadership program through FOCUS St. Louis. Contact LaKricia: lakricia@girlsintheknow.org
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@girlsintheknow.org
Development Manager
Elizabeth, a native St. Louisan, began her career as a private piano teacher after studying piano performance at University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. After many years of doing private and group teaching, she joined a nonprofit called Pianos for People, which provides free pianos and piano lessons to underserved families in St. Louis. When Elizabeth began working as the Development Coordinator at Pianos for People, she found her passion for helping children of all ages and backgrounds have access to the resources and opportunities needed to grow and flourish in their community.
She most recently comes from the Alumni and Development team at Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School and is very excited to bring her passion for empowering young girls to Girls in the Know. Contact Elizabeth: elizabeth@girlsintheknow.org
Program Engagement Coordinator
Estitia has 10+ years of working with youth and families across the nonprofit and public sectors. With her experience working in mental health, community corrections, and youth development, she has become privy to gaps affecting youth, families and community systems and has worked to be a changemaker.
Estitia has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Public Administration. Contact Estitia: estitia@girlsintheknow.org
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. Rachel.Meredith@girlsintheknow.org
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.
MD, President
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.
Vice 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.
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
Amy is Vice President and COO of her family’s company, Lampe, LP, where she manages multiple properties and investments and handles all daily operations. Amy attended American University in Washington, DC, and holds Master’s degrees from Emerson College and Webster University.
She currently serves on the board of Congregation Temple Israel, is Vice President of the American University Hillel board, is a member of the American University School of Communication Dean’s Advisory Council, and serves as Vice Chair of Development of the Women’s Philanthropy Board of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
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
Todd is Business Performance Advisor for Insperity, where he helps business owners in the community and around the country to better their people side of the business. He has more than 20 years in the PR and Marketing landscape, working with brands such as Nike, Disney, JCP and Samsung, and companies such as Westfield and MySpace.
He is a graduate of Clayton High School and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his MBA from Pepperdine University.
PhD, Board Director
Hillary has been a business school professor at the Olin School of Washington University in St. Louis since 2008. She holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior, a Master’s degree in Statistics, and undergraduate degrees in Physics and Sanskrit from Harvard University.
Hillary served for five years on faculty at the Haas School of Business at the University of California-Berkeley, two years as a Senior Researcher at the Harvard Business School, and two years as a management consultant with the Monitor Group in Cambridge, MA.
Board Director
Trisha has been in the public and nonprofit sectors for over 25 years, currently serving as Vice President of Community Investment with United Way of Greater St. Louis. Prior to United Way, she worked for Missouri’s Children’s Division and spent nearly a decade with Lutheran Family and Children Services of Missouri.
Trisha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science/Pre-Law, an MBA and a Master’s in HR Management, and is a Malcolm Baldridge Framework Quality Award Examiner. She is a lifelong mentor to young girls and women, currently serving on a local Advisory Committee focused on foster parent recruitment efforts, and is a “Big” with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri.
Board Director
Natalie is an attorney at Stock Legal, LLC, focused on helping individuals and small businesses with business transactions, commercial contracts, and corporate law. She earned her B.A. in French and B.S.B.A in International Business from the University of Missouri – St. Louis, as well as her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law. Prior to law school, Natalie served as the Director of Special Projects for a nonprofit called The Blessing Basket Project (n/k/a Ten by Three).
Throughout law school and her career, Natalie has continued working with and serving nonprofits in various capacities, including working in the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic, as well as at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri with the Community Economic Development Program. Natalie also worked with nonprofit groups as part of her practice at Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C. and on pro bono matters through Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts.
Board Director
Jessica is the Founder and Principal of Verity Loom Consulting, LLC, and Belle Fin Productions.
She has been creating environments for people to connect and celebrate since 2006, when she started planning nonprofit special events at the Shakespeare Festival St. Louis and then the Nine Network of Public Media. Jessica is currently the Democratic Committee woman for Queeny Township.
DO, PhD, Board Director
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.
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
Brandi has a professional background in accounting and finance, with experience in various industries including Aviation and Aerospace, PBM/Healthcare and most recently Financial Services. She currently works for Edward Jones as a Senior Team Leader Operations – Trust.
Brandi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and an MBA from Webster University.
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.