Leadership
Jessica Seitz, Executive Director
Jessica Seitz was named Missouri KidsFirst Executive Director on August 1, 2021 after serving as the agency’s Director of Public Policy for four years. As Executive Director, Jessica is responsible for implementing the overall mission and policies set by the Board of Directors, including overseeing operations of the organization, developing and maintaining a strong funding base, increasing public and private awareness of the organization, developing and maintaining relationships of partner agencies and representing the organization on a local, state and national level.
As Policy Director, Jessica successfully advocated for an improved response to child abuse across the state including services from Child Advocacy Centers and the SAFE-CARE network and for policies promoting the prevention of child abuse. Among her legislative achievements are the passage of a requirement to provide trauma-informed, developmentally-appropriate sexual abuse prevention education in schools and the historic “Residential Care Facility Notification Act” which created safeguards for children living in unlicensed boarding schools. She also spearheaded the #Essential4Kids campaign to educate adults on how to recognize and respond to child abuse and neglect during the COVID-19 pandemic, a campaign which reached thousands of people across the country.
Jessica joined Missouri KidsFirst after spending more than six years in federal government relations in Washington, DC with YMCA of the USA and the National PTA. She began her career in politics at the state-level as a lobbyist for the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Jessica has BA in Politics from Brandeis University and is finishing a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs with a focus on nonprofit management from the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri. She lives in St. Louis with her husband, Ryan, an attorney and native Missourian, and her daughter Rosalyn. In her free time, she is a devoted baseball fan.
jessicaseitz@missourikidsfirst.org
Meg Boyko, Director of Membership and Programs
Meg Boyko joined Missouri KidsFirst in September 2021 and now serves as the Director of Membership and Programs. In this role, she provides oversight, development, and direction for Missouri KidsFirst’s programs that provide training to direct service staff of child advocacy center (CAC) staff and multidisciplinary team (MDT) members. She works collaboratively with partners and stakeholders to promote best practices in the field and improve Missouri’s statewide response to child abuse and neglect. Meg has over ten years of experience in nonprofit programs and, prior to joining Missouri KidsFirst, served as the Executive Director of the Teen Pregnancy & Prevention Partnership (TPPP).
Meg holds a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from NYU and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. In addition, Meg is active in the community as a Steering Committee member of Thread STL, a professional association of community partnership and coalition leaders in the St. Louis region and an Advisory Committee member of The Right Time initiative, a six-year initiative that is based on the simple belief that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue the future they want, including if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant. Meg lives just outside of St. Louis in Kirkwood, MO with her husband, two kids, dog and chickens. Outside of the office, you can often find her playing Pokémon Go or reading a library book.
Jenny Dodson-Weihl, Director of Prevention and Outreach
Jenny joined Missouri KidsFirst in July 2023 as the Director of Prevention and Outreach. In this role, she provides leadership and expertise to statewide partners related to primary child abuse prevention and is the lead for the Prevent Child Abuse Missouri Chapter.
Prior to her current role, Jenny worked as a Consultant for Missouri KidsFirst where she grew the MO Stewards of Children Facilitator Network, co-created the #Essential4Kids campaign, and adapted the Awareness to Action program with organizational partner MOCSA for Missouri. As a former school law attorney and St. Louis City Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Training Coordinator, she has seen the impact of child abuse first-hand. This has fueled her passion to connect adults with accessible and empowering actions everyone can take to prevent harm to children.
Jenny received her Juris Doctorate degree from DePaul University College of Law and B.A. Degrees in Political Science and Communications from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She resides in the St. Louis area and enjoys reading, yoga, enjoying nature, and spending time with her family.
Patrick Hughes, Manager of Operations
Patrick began his tenure with Missouri KidsFirst as Manager of Operations on September 1, 2021, after serving as Assistant Director at Judevine Center for Autism for nearly seven years. As Manager of Operations, Patrick is responsible for administering and developing Missouri KidsFirst’s organizational functions, information systems, and financial controls. He supports project management across the organization in partnership with program leads, while planning and managing the nonprofit’s operational budget.
As Assistant Director of the St. Louis Hub for Judevine Center for Autism, Patrick created and implemented operational processes to extend and improve administrative functions. In Judevine’s residential services, he was also instrumental in fostering independent supportive living arrangements for consumers in the community, supervising a diverse team of managers and frontline healthcare workers, and collaborating with medical professionals, parents, and community groups for delivery of exceptional consumer care.
Patrick joined Judevine after spending more than 17 years with Magellan Behavioral Health, managing client mental health through a nationwide network of providers as a Clinical Care Coordinator. As a project manager, he worked closely with mental healthcare professionals in multiple communities, marketed the Magellan network, and enlarged the practitioner population through the implementation of national contracts.
Originally from South Bend, Indiana, Patrick has a BA in Psychology from the University of Missouri at St. Louis, where he now lives. A devoted gardener, Patrick spends as much of his free time as possible enjoying Missouri’s natural environment.
Deirdea Mason, Program Assistant
Deirdea joined Missouri KidsFirst as the Program Assistant in the spring of 2020. She assists the SAFE-CARE Program Manager and Training & Education Program Manager in providing training and support to the CAC staff, medical providers and other professionals providing services to reported victims of child abuse and neglect in Missouri. Deirdea previously worked for the Department of Social Services and The Missouri Bar. She enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.
Audrey Leonard, Multidisciplinary Team Program Specialist
Audrey Leonard joined Missouri KidsFirst in July 2023 as the Multidisciplinary Team Program (MDT) Specialist. She is eager to implement the MDT Enhancement Initiative, a multi-year statewide effort to support MDT functioning across Missouri. This initiative focuses on building MDT relationships, amplifying training and further developing the role of the MDT Facilitator. Since its launch in 2023, the Initiative has created two groups dedicated to MDT Facilitators and has partnered with four CACs to support their work on strengthening their MDT relationships.
Audrey holds her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Saint Mary’s College and her master’s degree from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. She credits her start in child protection to an undergraduate internship at a local child advocacy center. Since that time more than a decade ago, she has held several positions on the MDT, including Children’s Division investigator, pediatric hospital Social Worker and Forensic Interviewer. Audrey truly believes in the power of MDTs as she has witnessed how working together can achieve justice and healing for our most vulnerable.
Audrey has lived on both coasts and currently resides in St. Louis. In her spare time, you can find her at a concert or with her dog on a hiking trail.
Elizabeth Pierson, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Program Specialist
Beth Pierson joined Missouri KidsFirst in January 2024 as Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Program Specialist. In this position Beth leads the roll-out of Statewide multidisciplinary team (MDT) CSEC initiatives and assist programs in developing and implementing best practices around training, policies, and protocols to guide screening, investigations, and service delivery to CSEC cases.
Prior to coming to Missouri KidsFirst, Beth was employed as a law enforcement officer and a clinical social worker providing mental health therapy to children and adults. She retired from Missouri Children’s Division as a Program Manager of child abuse investigations in Kansas City, MO. She has also worked as a volunteer coordinator and trainer of Missouri Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Jackson County, MO. Beth is passionate about ending the cycle of abuse to Missouri’s children and has advocated for children in many roles. She has witnessed first-hand the effects of trauma on children and families and the secondary trauma that can affect those individuals that work in this field.
Beth attended Missouri Western State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and emphasis on criminal justice. She received her Masters of Social Work from University of Kansas. She resides in the Kansas City area and continues to maintain an active role in this community. Beth has two adult children and two grandchildren who she spends time with frequently. She cares for her elderly father in her home. Beth enjoys spending time with her dog, traveling, reading novels, listening to podcasts, and sketching/painting.
Randi Turntine, SAFE-CARE Program Manager
Randi joined Missouri KidsFirst in January 2022 as the SAFE-CARE Program Manager. As the SAFE-CARE Program Manager, she provides oversight, development, and direction for programs that provide training to medical providers on the forensic evaluation and comprehensive medical care of children who may have suffered physical or sexual abuse and provides mentorship, support, and ongoing education for SAFE-CARE providers.
Prior to coming to Missouri KidsFirst, Randi worked in the nonprofit field for seven years as the Awareness and Volunteer Coordinator for her local domestic and sexual assault shelter. Randi is passionate about ending the cycle of abuse for all. Randi also spent time working on the ambulance as an Emergency Medical Technician throughout college, and has witnessed firsthand the traumatic effects of multiple forms of abuse.
Randi attended Drury University for Business Marketing. She is a lifelong resident of Saint James, MO where she takes an active role in her community. Randi and her husband have three children. In her free time, Randi enjoys supporting her children in their various activities, listening to podcasts, attending live music venues, crafting, spending as much time outdoors as possible, and traveling with her family.
Board of Directors
- Keith Ray Mackie, President
- Darin Preis, President Elect
- Steve Renne, Treasurer
- Harold Bland, M.D., F.A.A.P.
- Rod Chapel
- Bryna Edwards
- Kasey Hammock
- Ellie Harmon
- Jack Jensen, Past President
- Dallas Polen
- B. T. Rice
