OUR BOARD
Lisa
Cagle
Board President
Lisa works as the Director of Innovative Services Metro Transit in Downtown St. Louis, as well as serves as Executive Director of Blackrock Consulting, a majority woman-owned local business. She also serves as the Board President for earthday-365, an environmental nonprofit that runs the annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival in Forest Park, as well as the Green Dining Alliance and other programming. Most of her work is cross-sector: making connections between things that other folks might not see as related in any way. She focuses on collaborations that do the hard work of building a more inclusive, more equitable, more sustainable, more just, and more joyful world.
Kevin
Donohue
Vice President & Associate Treasurer
Kevin started as a faithful volunteer of Assisi House before joining the Board. His early career just out of college was as a psychiatric social worker, and though he has spent the last 23 years as a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones, those early years have deeply informed his current involvement & relationships with Assisi House residents. He has been married to his wife Jen for 17 years and together they have three children. Kevin's experience with Assisi House started first by getting to know the residents of the houses & he is thankful to be a part of the mission. His newest role has been serving as the chair of the fundraising committee.
Bill
Krenn
Treasurer
Bill Krenn brings to the Assisi House Board his experience as a retired CEO and CFO of a local manufacturing company. Bill Krenn has been a servant of homeless outreach for the last 35 years, with emphasis on those experiencing severe mental illness. Beginning with serving at St. Patrick Center’s Shamrock Club in 1984 then founding the original Assisi House, launching one of the first Housing First models of accommodation in 1989. Also serving as a winter outreach advocate with Winter Patrol in the early 1990’s then continuing with Saint Louis Winter Outreach. The original Assisi House is still in operation along with the next five houses established in this new development.
Kimberly
Brown
Kimberly comes to Assisi House with 23 years of experience in direct care for unhoused individuals, with specific experience in the mental health and substance use fields. She holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy Administration, is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Certified Dementia Practitioner. Kimberly's wealth of experience is a foundation for the work ahead.
Deborah
Sheperis
Secretary
A retired healthcare executive, Deborah Sheperis has extensive people management and organizational skills, plus a masters degree in counseling. She has years of volunteer experience with the unhoused and marginally unhoused through St. Louis Winter Outreach, oversight of outreach programs at her church, and is one of the Assisi House founders group. Deborah combines her experience and skills to assist with organizational planning, and continues to accompany several long-term residents as a volunteer.
Jerry
King
Jerry King retired from his real estate development career after over 40 years in the industry, and over 30 years directing his own housing development companies. Jerry has developed over 1,500 units of housing in the City of St. Louis, both market-rate and low-income, new construction and rehabilitation, and for ownership as well as rental. As a one of the Assisi House founders, his experience in this field is utilized at Assisi House in his role in directing the acquisition and renovation of the Assisi House buildings.
Jim Mohrmann
Jim retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Decision Review Officer to explore meaningful ways to serve. He first became aware of Assisi House through St. Louis Winter Outreach. Jim faithfully supported the Assisi House mission wherever needed as a dedicated volunteer prior to joining the board, particularly through assisting with maintenance, volunteer coordination, and building rehab projects. Jim is happy to be part of the Assisi House community and looks forward to continuing to support the Assisi House mission.
Teka Childress - Emeritus
Teka Childress is a forty-year advocate of unhoused persons, starting at age twenty. She lived for over twenty years at a shelter with homeless women and children at Karen Catholic Worker House and then started a co-housing community with some of their formerly unhoused families. She has worked 16 years as a outreach worker to unhoused persons with mental illness for a community mental health center and has been an ongoing member of St. Louis Winter Outreach. She is currently part of a coalition to break down barriers for homeless persons to be sheltered and housed in neighborhoods throughout the city.
Chris
Kreutz
Chris is a real estate investor in St. Louis, renting to low-income individuals and families who rely on assistance from various service agencies in the city. Chris serves as the chair of the Real Estate Committee and oversees the rehab and construction of new houses acquired by Assisi House.
Lisa
Mandel
Lisa has worked in real estate for the past 11 years; having transitioned from a successful career as a photographer. She is a real estate broker, investor and landlord focusing heavily on the north city of St Louis. From the outset of her real estate career, Lisa has advocated for affordable housing and been involved in St Louis Metro Housing Task Force, St Patrick Center Landlords and the St Louis Vacancy Collaborative. She is currently working on developing a tiny home community, in addition to other solutions to the housing crisis.
Derrick
Thomas
Bio to follow.