about us
who we are
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mark Menghini, President
(General Council, University of Missouri System)
Colby Schmid, Vice-President
(President of Commercial Banking, CNB St. Louis Bank)
Jennifer Therrien, Treasurer
(Partner at UB Greensfelder & Co-Leader of the Construction Industry Group)
Scott Harrison, Secretary
(Portfolio Manager, Argent Capital Management, LLC)
STAFF
Wendy Chromoga, Executive Director
Kristin Johnson, Director of Operations
Melissa Sorensen, Director of Communications and Strategic Engagements
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Daniel Bosch
(Principal-Branch & Region Development, Edward Jones)
Nicole Carter
(Vice President Treasury Management Officer, First Mid Bank & Trust)
Brannon Champagne
(Moneta Group Investment Advisor)
Patrick Cullity (Stryker)
Andrew Eastman (Partner, Husch Blackwell)
Carter Ellston (Vice President—Commercial Banking, JP Morgan)
Leigh Hobler Gerard
(Counselor, St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute)
T. William Hizar
(Principal, Edward Jones)
Adam Kerschinske
(Manager, St. Louis Trust)
Charles Kircher, MD MBA FAHA FACEP
(Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Section of Neurovascular Emergencies, Washington University)
John F. Orbe (Senior Associate General Counsel, Emerson Electric Co.)
Jennifer Feldhaus Robinson (Associate General Counsel, Centene Corporation)
Hannah Sayers (Marketing Manager, Lewis Rice)
Ryan Whittington (Owner/CEO, Seniors Home Care)
OUR HISTORY
Hope Happens was founded in 2002 as ALS HOPE by Christopher Hobler and his family after he was diagnosed with ALS in 2001, the same disorder that took the life of his late grandfather, James A. Maritz, Sr., and his cousin, Christopher Rice, of Houston, Texas.
The foundation soon changed its name to Hope Happens to emphasize its focus on all neurological disorders.
In November of 2004, Hope Happens partnered with Washington University to launch the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders at Washington University in St. Louis, a research center dedicated to speeding the process of translating basic scientific discoveries into therapies and cures. Both partners are convinced that discoveries in one disorder will lead to progress with others.