Staff
The HOME WORKS! staff of professional educators, administrators, and advocates includes:
Donna Coble
Executive Director
Donna joined HOME WORKS! in 2019, bringing over 25 years’ experience in business administration and nonprofit leadership in the fields of education, social service, health care and conservation. She holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from St. Louis University. As Executive Director she is responsible for overseeing the day to day operations of the organization. Donna works closely with Founder and CEO Karen Kalish, the HW! Board of Directors and employees to further our mission to partner families and teachers for children’s success!
Kathy Coyle
Data Manager
Senior Finance/Accounting Professional with 18+ years of broad and deep experience in manufacturing and corporate environments; MIS Master’s Degree.
Karen Kalish
Founder & CEO
Serial social entrepreneur who has started three nonprofits and one program; former teacher, television reporter and business owner with 25+ years of community service focused on literacy, closing the achievement gap, and ending racial discrimination; MA in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School.
Todd Killgore
Director of Operations
A financial executive with 25+ years in the business/finance industry who has been instrumental in the professional improvement and success of small businesses in and around St. Louis; BS in Accounting from University of Missouri–St. Louis.
Lizzy Petersen
Grants Manager
Experienced non-profit administrator for five years; MFA in Writing from Purdue University.
Dr. Sonya Porter
Director of Program Operations
Educator with 34 years of administrative and teaching experience in the field of education including human resources, general education, adult education, and special education. EdD and MS degrees in Educational Administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Jo Ann Bateman
Program Leader
Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, and former Home Educator, with 10+ years of experience in Education; Jo Ann has an MBA from the University of Missouri – Columbia, and a BA in Mathematics/Computer Science from Stephens College – Columbia, Missouri.
Anna Gardner-Andrews
Program Leader
15 years of experience in education; served as a high school instructor of English, manager of an educational non-profit, creator/director of a writing mentoring program at University of Missouri–St. Louis, and guest speaker on urban education at Washington University; BA from Oberlin College and MAED from Washington University.
Erica Stearns
Program Leader
St. Louis teacher for the past 10 years and a 2008 Teach For America corps member in St. Louis. She has a MAE in Elementary Education from UMSL and a BA in Music Education from Illinois Wesleyan University.
Betty Tobler
Program Leader
Teacher, curriculum developer, accreditation compliance specialist, and administrator with 40+ years of classroom and administrative experience.
Jonathan White
Program Leader
40+ years of experience as a teacher and counselor in public schools in urban, suburban, and rural settings, and the 2018 NAACP Educator Award winner from the Marshall-Saline NAACP; BS, Missouri Valley College and MAED in Counseling from Washington University.
Sue Zerbe
Program Leader
Educator with 30 years of teaching, administrative, and consulting experience. MS in Educational Administration from University of Missouri St. Louis and EdS in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University.
Board of Directors
The HOME WORKS! Board of Directors provides guidance and oversight for the leadership team. Among our 19 members, the Board holds a wealth of knowledge and experience that they bring to the organization. They meet an average of six times a year.
Dr. Kelvin Adams
Program Committee
Superintendent, St. Louis Public Schools
Jeff Bates
Finance Committee
Kings Point Capital Management
Harriet Blickenstaff
Co-chair, Fundraising Committee
Retired PR Professional
Latashuia Browning
Director, Program Management & Commercial Operations, Millipore Sigma
Jennifer Curtis
Secretary, Governance, Pillar Committees
VP, Head of First Line Monitoring at Rabo AgriFinance
Myers Dill
Program Chair, Governance Committee
Associate, Husch Blackwell LLP
Jeff Esserman
Board Chair
Director, SMP Strategy & Implementation at Ameren
Karen F. Evans
Program Committee
Former AT&T Executive, Reading Interventionist at Patrick Henry Elementary School, SLPS
Dr. Jana Haywood
Co-chair, Program Committee
Principal at Clyde C. Miller High School, SLPS
Lisa Huck
Fundraising Committee
Director of Business Development, Dot Foods
Joe Kraichely
Treasurer
Chair, Finance Committee
AVP Fleet Management, Enterprise Fleet Management
Jamie Moog
Finance Committee
Strategy & Marketing Advisor
Amy Murphy
Board Chair Emeritus
Program Committee
Director of Scholarships and Donor Services, St. Louis Community Foundation
Dr. Chris Nicastro
Program Committee
Retired Superintendent and Missouri DESE Commissioner
Wade Rakes
Finance Committee
Regional VP and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Centene Corporation
Tom Santel
Co-chair, Pillar Committee
Executive Director, Civic Progress
Earl Shreckengast
Co-chair, Fundraising Committee, Governance Committee
Retired Non-Profit Executive
Susan Stith
Vice President, Corporate Giving Programs, Cigna