Zaundrea Young is the Board Chair and one of the co-founders of Ignite Hope. A Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, she brings over 15 years of experience in behavioral health, program development, and community-based services.

Throughout her career, she has been deeply committed to serving individuals and families impacted by trauma, substance use, and mental health challenges. Her expertise spans crisis intervention, clinical supervision, grant management, and developing innovative, trauma-informed programs that empower clients and strengthen communities.

As Board Chair, she provides vision, governance, and leadership to advance Ignite Hope’s mission of expanding access to mental health services for underserved populations. Her passion for advocacy and dedication to equity make her an integral force in driving the organization’s impact.

Wendy Orson began her role as the CEO of the Behavioral Health Network in August 2014. Ms. Orson has been committed to non-profit mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for over twenty-five years. Ms. Orson earned a M.S. degree in Counseling Psychology and is licensed as a Professional Counselor. She has extensive experience in non-profit leadership, program development and planning, quality management, and developing community relationships. These experiences help her carry out the mission of BHN to improve the community by leading behavioral health planning and coordination.

With over 23 years of experience in the education field, Dr. Rebecca Bockhorst is a dedicated and passionate educator committed to shaping the future of students and advancing the mission and vision of Ignite Hope. Dr. Bockhorst brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the team.  Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to student success, curriculum development, and innovative teaching strategies.  Dr. Bockhorst is excited to contribute to Ignite Hope’s goals by fostering an environment that encourages growth, learning, and achievement for all.

Destini Goodwin is the Chief Operating Officer at Fathers & Families Support Center in St. Louis, Missouri. In this role, she provides oversight to the agency’s programs, daily operations, and leadership to 35+ staff with the help of an incredible team of Directors and Managers. In her 20-year career with the organization, Destini has held several positions, allowing her to provide direct services to families, design and implement projects, incorporate continuous quality improvement processes/activities, participate in fatherhood research and evaluation projects, and build meaningful relationships within the community.

Destini earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Delta State University (Cleveland, MS) and a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She is passionate about helping others achieve their goals and uses her wealth of knowledge and years of experience to oversee programs that strengthen families and communities. She is a native of Mississippi and enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and traveling.

Shamele Hill currently works with child welfare and mental health systems across the country where she provides training, coaching, and implementation strategies to strengthen the child welfare and mental health workforce and facilitate cross sector collaboration.

Previously, Ms. Hill worked within the CASA (court appointed special advocates) network with a local program in St. Louis, Missouri where she served as the chief program officer and director of training and volunteer development. She has worked in the field of social work for over 20 years and has extensive experience working with victims, specifically children who have experienced abuse and neglect and survivors of domestic violence.

Ms. Hill is also an independent consultant with the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center. Additionally, Ms. Hill is an authorized facilitator of the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children curriculum that focuses on educating adults on preventive measures for child sexual abuse. Ms. Hill received a master’s degree in Social Work from Arizona State University and a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Lindenwood University.

Cameo Jones is the Founder of LIV Recovery Sober Living since 2018. Due to the impacts of addiction on her family, Cameo decided she wanted to be part of the solution to the disease of addiction. She obtained her master’s in counseling in 2014 and her and her husband opened their first women’s recovery home in 2018. Today, LIV Recovery Sober Living has two recovery houses in St. Charles County, one in North St. Louis County and a respite home and outpatient recovery services in North St. Louis City. They serve both men and women clients. They are also opening another recovery house soon.

Amber Simpson serves as the CPRC (Community Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center) Director at ADAPT, where she oversees the delivery of comprehensive mental health services designed to empower individuals living with serious mental illness. In her leadership role, she ensures high-quality, person-centered care, supervises multidisciplinary teams, and drives program development that promotes recovery and long-term stability for clients.

With extensive experience in behavioral health and community-based services, Amber has dedicated her career to supporting vulnerable populations through evidence-based practices and compassionate care. Her expertise in program oversight, clinical supervision, and systems coordination makes her a vital asset to Ignite Hope’s Board of Directors.

Amber is deeply committed to advancing mental health equity and brings both professional insight and a passion for advocacy to her work with Ignite Hope.

Vickie Wade brings more than four decades of experience in nursing, women’s health, and healthcare leadership to Ignite Hope’s Board of Directors. She served as Executive Vice President of Clinical Services at People’s Health Centers, where she oversaw operations across multiple clinical sites, directed nursing services, and advanced community-based health initiatives. A certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, she has provided direct care in obstetrics, gynecology, and women’s wellness, while also serving as adjunct faculty at Barnes-Jewish College of Nursing.

Throughout her career, Vickie has demonstrated exceptional leadership in clinical administration, program development, and patient-centered care. Her dedication to improving access to high-quality healthcare for underserved populations aligns with Ignite Hope’s mission to foster healing, equity, and hope within the community.