I am no stranger to Kids Win Missouri as a member for the last 4 years, but I am very pleased to join the organization in my new role as Director of Outreach and Engagement. I’ve been in the trenches alongside many of you over the last decade or so, in capacities ranging from legislative assistant to campaign organizer to most recently as Policy & Communications Coordinator for the Missouri AfterSchool Network.
Since my earliest job as a babysitter to the work I’ve done since as a citizen advocate, professional, and volunteer, I have always loved children and have made it my personal and professional mission to prioritize their safety, care, education, and well-being. To me, that means making sure that ALL children have access to supports and opportunities that help them succeed in life.
In my favorite (and somewhat newer) role as Mom, I am living some of the issues we work on firsthand. From access to high quality and affordable early childhood programs to dealing with children’s medical needs and insurance, there are many stresses that come with raising our precious children the best way we can. I believe as a coalition, we can develop and pursue policies that support families, so that we can all uplift our children together.
A little bit about me: I was born and raised in South St. Louis County – home of the Lindbergh Flyers, my proud alma mater. I moved to Columbia 14 years ago where I received both of my degrees from the University of Missouri (BA in Sociology and MPA). I still reside in Columbia with my husband, our 15 year old dog, Caesar, and our 18 month old son, Cormac. I am the biggest Cardinals fan you’ve ever met, but when it’s the off-season, I enjoy traveling, spending time in the Missouri outdoors, and going to visit family throughout the state and country.
As Director of Outreach and Engagement for Kids Win Missouri, I hope to work with our members and for our members to find new ways to engage you in the work we are doing to advance policies for child well-being. To make bold changes for children, we need to ensure tight coordination and balance that by knowing when to lead on issues and when to support those who are already making a great impact. I hope to be a resource to you, so that we can connect, brainstorm, and strategize how we can best support each other in reaching our shared goals. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and set up a meeting: chanson@kidswinmissouri.org.
I’ve loved watching this coalition grow from a few people around a table to a strong, organized effort, making real impacts in the lives of children. I hope we can continue to grow Kids Win Missouri’s depth and breadth together, so that we can reach the vision of a Missouri where all children are happy, healthy, and successful.