Meet Our Team
Staff Members
Kate Watson, MA, MPA
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Dawn R. Myers, BS
Director of Programs
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Shanae Eggert, MSW
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Dylan Woods, LMSW
CoC Program Coordinator
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Lauren Clark
Senior Accountant Specialist
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Casey Palmateer
CES Program Coordinator
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Board of Directors
The Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition Board is the primary decision making body for the Kansas Balance of State CoC. Board members determine the policy direction of the BoS CoC and ensures that the CoC fulfills its responsibilities as assigned by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Donna Garwood - Board Chair
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Donna Garwood, BSN, RN, is employed full-time as an On-Call/Triage Nurse for Elara Caring Hospice. Mrs. Garwood performs duties and functions to comply with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) guidelines for hospice nursing care and supports Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) measures in providing care. Mrs. Garwood moved back into patient care nursing in 2018 after over 25 years in work to improve healthcare quality in Kansas. Most of Mrs. Garwood’s Healthcare Quality Improvement work was with the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, (KFMC). During Mrs. Garwood’s tenure with KFMC, she collaborated with CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator representatives to meet their contract/grant expectations.
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Lori Howard - Board Vice Chair
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As a nurse leader, Lori Howard has a dedicated career of experience working in service to underserved
populations. In her current role as a Regional Vice President of Population Health and Clinical Operations, she assists Centene Corporation to meet their mission to transform the health of the community, one member at a time. Lori is responsible for developing tools and support both national and local programs for use across 50 states in service to 24 million members. With degrees in both nursing and business, Lori possesses 25 years of combined career experience in the healthcare delivery system as a consumer, provider, regulator, and payer. She has held multiple roles as a leader in nursing, quality improvement, regulatory operations and policy, health information technology, special populations, and population health management. |
Jill Jolicoeur - Board Treasurer
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Assistant to the County Administrator, Jill Jolicoeur said she “fell in love” with local government while pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree at the University of Kansas. “Local government impacts every aspect of the community. It impacts people’s daily life, but often is the least appreciated and recognized.” In May 2016, she was hired as Douglas County’s first Assistant to the County Administrator to help with special projects. She currently is coordinating the housing efforts for the new behavioral health campus, which will be located near Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, 200 Maine Street, and Lawrence Memorial Hospital Health, 325 Maine Street. She is also coordinating a community work group that’s working to help the Lawrence Community Shelter become a sustainable and impactful resource for homeless individuals and families.
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Michael Aldridge
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Michael D. Aldridge has spent over two decades establishing his expertise in the areas of healthcare information technology and business operations. He served as the CIO for Johnson County Government, and as the Kansas ACO Executive Director for Aledade. As the Vice President of Operations for the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, Michael directed strategies to help over 1,600 healthcare providers and 95 hospitals in Kansas. Michael was recognized as a “Healthcare Hero” by Ingram’s Magazine in 2012 and named a National Quality Improvement Leader for CMS in 2008. Michael has an MBA from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas and is currently working for the City of Lawrence as the Assistant Director of Information Technology.
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Sarah Robinson
Monica Murnan
Originally from Erie, Kansas, Monica attended Pittsburg State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Science in School Administration. A licensed teacher, building level administrator and district level administrator, she has worked in public and private settings to advance systems that support children and families. Currently the Coordinator of Community Supports at the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center - Greenbush, she provides professional development in the areas of early childhoods, systems building and supporting the social and emotional growth of students. She has served two terms in the Kansas House of Representatives and a term on the City Commission in Pittsburg. As the Ranking Minority member of the House Health and Human Services Committee, she has worked to improve policies that support Kansans. Monica resides in Pittsburg with her husband, Rob. They have three daughters, Alexandria, Francesca and Gabrielle.