Our staff
David Walsh
Interim President and CEO
dwalsh@healthliteracymissouri.org
Walsh oversees all core activities and works to set the strategic vision for the organization.
Gwen Ratermann
Director of Partnerships and Initiatives
gratermann@healthliteracymissouri.org
Ratermann leads our community partnership efforts. She currently serves as co-chair of Missouri Health Connection’s Consumer Advisory Council.
Michelle Roberts, MSJ
Director of Communications and Marketing
mroberts@healthliteracymissouri.org
Roberts leads our communications and marketing efforts at the state and national level and works as a plain language editor.
Megan Rooney, M.Ed
Associate
mrooney@healthliteracymissouri.org
Rooney works as our webmaster and leads our plain language document translation team.
Courtney Jones, MPH
Associate
cjones@healthliteracymissouri.org
Jones oversees the coordination and evaluation of our trainings and works as a plain language editor.
Sam Pettyjohn, MPH
Associate
spettyjohn@healthliteracymissouri.org
Pettyjohn oversees the clinical assessment team and works as a plain language editor.
Nick Butler
Project Director for Community Outreach and Engagement
butlern@health.missouri.edu
Butler works to establish regional health literacy community action networks.
Cheryl Finerson
Executive Administrative Assistant
cfinerson@healthliteracymissouri.org
Finerson is responsible for Mr. Walsh's schedule, and office administration.
Board of Directors
Maureen 'Mo' Bressett, RPh, MSHA
Bressett is a registered pharmacist residing in Gainesville, Mo. She is currently employed as a Cardiometabolic Medical Science Liasion with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals covering Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas and Arkansas. Bressett has served on the Community Advisory Council for the Missouri Foundation for Health since 2007. She also served on the Board of Directors for the BJP Youth Ranch in Gainesville from 2007 to 2008.
Martha Gragg, RN, MSN
Gragg is CEO of Sullivan County Memorial hospital. For 30 years, she has served in nursing and executive leadership positions at for-profit and non-profit health care organizations including vice president for programs and charter board member of the Missouri Foundation for Health. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Health Literacy, Mid-America Transplant Services Advisory Council, The St. Louis University Hospital board of directors and the Truman State University School of Nursing Advisory Council.
Timothy O’Dea
Treasurer
O’Dea develops innovative approaches to literacy-related issues through collaborative projects for the statewide, non-profit Literacy Investment for Tomorrow (LIFT). He leads LIFT’s efforts to implement research-based solutions by creating successful funding proposals, assembling effective teams and managing progress (budgets and personnel). O’Dea has established an entrepreneurial approach to nonprofit management at LIFT and has led LIFT’s health literacy projects.
Steve Pu, DO
Chairman
Dr. Pu is a surgeon in private practice in Kennett, MO. He is also the medical director of the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett. He served on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Foundation for Health from 2002-2008 and as board chair in 2008.
Ellen Sherberg
Sherberg has been publisher of the St. Louis Business Journal since 1990. She has also served on the executive board of the United Way of Greater St. Louis and is the founder of the Women’s Leadership Initiative for United Way that has raised almost $35 million dollars for the St. Louis community.
Ingrid Taylor, MD
Secretary
Dr. Taylor is a board-certified family practice physician in Jefferson City, MO, and the President and CEO of Allies in Healthcare LLC. She is recent the recipient of the National Medical Associations’ 2007 Women in Medicine Award. With a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health, Dr. Taylor was able to distribute My Health Companion: A Portable Paper Health Organizer to St. Louis ConnectCare patients to help them keep track their own health information and foster health empowerment.
