Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, Committee Chair, was elected Missouri’s 46th Lieutenant Governor on Nov. 2, 2004, carrying 91 of Missouri’s 114 counties.  Born and raised in Cape Girardeau, Kinder attended Cape Girardeau Public Schools and continued his education at Southeast Missouri State University and the University of Missouri-Columbia. He graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, in 1979, and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1980.  From 1981 to 1983, Kinder served as a member of U.S. Representative Bill Emerson’s Washington staff and then worked as an attorney and real estate representative for Drury Industries. In 1987, he became associate publisher of the Southeast Missourian.  In 1992, Peter Kinder was elected to the Missouri Senate where he served 12 years, representing the counties of Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Mississippi, Perry, and Scott.  In 2001, the Republicans gained a majority in the Missouri Senate for the first time in 53 years. As a result, Kinder was elected President Pro Tem, the top elected official in the Missouri Senate.  When Kinder successfully ran for Lt. Governor in 2004, he became only the second sitting President Pro Tem to be elected Lieutenant Governor.  As Lieutenant Governor, Kinder serves as the official Senior Advocate for Missouri.  While in the Missouri Senate, he sponsored and passed the Elderly Protection Act of 2003, which increased the penalties for elder abuse crimes.  Through his leadership as President Pro Tem, Missouri crafted the Missouri Senior Rx plan, providing prescription drug coverage for the poorest seniors.  In 2005, Senior Rx transitioned into Missouri Rx and now enrolls over 170,000 Missouri seniors.  Kinder currently chairs the Missouri Rx Plan Commission.

Dorothy Knowles representing the area agencies on aging, designated by the governor;

Philip Melugin representing the in-home care profession, designated by the governor.  Phil Melugin of Springfield, MO is the President and Founder of Integrity Home Care.  In just over nine years, Integrity Home Care has grown to over 3,000 active clients and over 1,800 employees.  All this growth is organic, as not a single client or employee has been purchased.  Phil has spent the last 15 years advocating for Missouri’s ABD population.  During these 15 years of advocacy, Phil has served as The Missouri Council for In-Home Services President as well as served on numerous relevant committees and boards.

Marvin Merrill representing residential care facilities, predominantly serving MO HealthNet participants, designated by the governor.  Marvin Merrill has been an administrator with Christian Health Care in Springfield since 2005.  Prior to this he was the CEO of Merrill Medical Management, LLC, an aesthetic medical services provider in Arkansas and Tennessee.  For 17 years, Mr. Merrill was the CEO of Russellville Nursing Centers, a multi-facility skilled nursing and residential care provider in Arkansas.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Missouri Health Care Association and is a past President of the Arkansas Health Care Association.  He is currently doing graduate work in business administration at Heriot-Watt University.

Philip Melugin representing the in-home care profession, designated by the governor;

Marvin Merrill representing residential care facilities, predominantly serving MO HealthNet participants, designated by the governor;

Erik Fink representing assisted living facilities or continuing care retirement communities, predominantly serving MO HealthNet participants, designated by the governor;

Joseph Brinker representing skilled nursing facilities, predominantly serving MO HealthNet participants, designated by the governor;

Carol Scott from the office of the state ombudsman for long-term care facility residents, designated by the governor; Carol is the Missouri Long-Term Care State Ombudsman.  She has been in this position since 1989.  Prior to being the State Ombudsman, Carol was the legislative liaison for the Division of Aging and a budget analyst for the Medicaid Program for two years.

Carol served as the President of the National Association of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP) from 2000 to 2004.  She recently ended three two-year terms as a member of the Professional and Technical Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care and Assisted Living for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and is a past President of Missouri Volunteer, a statewide organization representing directors of volunteer programs.  She is a member of the statewide Advisory Committee for the SORT program (Medicare Fraud program), Nursing Home Quality Improvement advisory council, CLAIM Advisory Committee (Missouri’s State Health Insurance program - SHiP), and serves as President of the Missouri End-of-Life Coalition.

She was on the board for the Central Missouri Food Bank from 1996 to 1999 and is a past President of River City Habitat for Humanity. She is an elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson City, MO, and is a Reach to Recovery volunteer and trainer for the American Cancer Society.  She has a BS in Public Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia, MO.

Carolyn Chambers representing Missouri centers for independent living, designated by the governor;

Jo Walker, a consumer representative with expertise in services for seniors or the disabled, designated by the governor;

Carroll Rodriguez, a representative with expertise in Alzheimer's disease or related dementia, designated by the lieutenant governor;

Les Wagner, a representative from a county developmental disability board, designated by the governor;

Melanie Markham representing the hospice care profession, designated by the governor;

Linda Detring representing the home health care profession, designated by the governor; Linda Detring, RN MSN, LNHA, is the Chief Operating Officer at Lutheran Senior Services a position she has held for 9 years.  Prior to joining LSS, she served in various nurse executive roles in hospitals.  Lutheran Senior Services owns and operates 9 retirement communities in MO and IL and 7 affordable housing sites (HUD 202s) for low-income elderly in the St. Louis metro area and a Medicare home health agency, private duty services and hospice.  LSS also operates 3 United Way agencies serving low-income elderly who choose to remain in their homes.  LSS serves more than 7,000 seniors each year.  Ms. Detring also retired from the US Navy Reserves in 2003, having achieved the rank of Captain.  She resides in St. Louis County.

Linda Detring representing the home health care profession, designated by the governor;

Cheryl Woodruff representing the adult day care profession, designated by the governor;

Dr. Nancy Morrow-Howell, gerontologist, designated by the governor;

Dr. Novella Perrin representing the aged, blind, and disabled population, designated by the governor;

Bob Whitlock representing the aged, blind, and disabled population, designated by the governor;

Deborah E. Scott was appointed by the Governor as Director of the Department of Social Services on October 11, 2006.   Prior to becoming director, Ms. Scott served as Department Deputy Director.  In her tenure with DSS, Scott has also served as Special Assistant to the Director, Director of the Office of Early Childhood and held leadership positions in the Department's Children's Division and Human Resources.   Ms. Scott began working for the state of Missouri in 1986 as a disability examiner and over the past 21 years has held various administrative positions within the Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education, Health and Senior Services, and DSS. Prior to becoming a state employee, Deborah was a teacher and school administrator in Northeast Missouri.   Ms. Scott holds a bachelor's degree in secondary education from Truman State University.  She has done graduate work in social science at her alma mater, as well as graduate studies in theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary.  (ex officio member)

Keith Schafer, Ed.D was appointed by the Missouri Mental Health Commission as the director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health effective February 1, 2007.  Schafer's appointment was confirmed by the State Senate on January 31, 2007.  Schafer, 60, of Jefferson City, previously served as director of the Department of Mental Health from 1986 to 1994. He most recently served as director of program development and senior account manager for Comprehensive NeuroScience, Inc.'s Behavioral Pharmacy Management Program and Medical Risk Management Program.  Other experience includes Senior Vice President of Program Development for Value Behavioral Health/ Value Options, Executive Director of the National Child Welfare Leadership Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Social Services.  Schafer earned his bachelor's degree in education from Oklahoma Christian College in Oklahoma, City; a master's degree in education from Drury College in Springfield, Mo.; and a Doctor of Education-Administration degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia.

Jane Drummond was appointed Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services by the Governor in November 2006.  As director of DHSS she serves as the state’s top public health official and oversees 1900 employees and 200 programs ranging from emergency response coordination to chronic diseases to environmental health issues to senior and disability issues.  She previously served as the Governor's General Counsel, beginning in May 2006.  In addition to providing legal counsel to the Governor and his staff, she served as liaison between the Governor’s Office and the Departments of Public Safety, Corrections and Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration.  Jane previously worked as the Department of Health and Senior Services’ General Counsel, where she coordinated all legal matters on behalf of the Department.  Prior to her work in state government, Jane was an associate in the Jefferson City office of Husch & Eppenberger, LLC.  She was a member of the firm’s Health Care and Labor & Employment practice groups.  (ex-officio member)

The designees of the directors of the Departments of Social Services, Mental Health, and Health and Senior Services are, respectively:  Janel Luck, Director of the Family Support Division; Lynn Carter, Deputy Director of the Department of Mental Health; and Brenda Campbell, Director of the Division of Senior and Disability Services.

Senator Charlie Shields, designated by the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee Chair.  Senator Shields was elected to the Senate in 2003 after serving in the House of Representatives for 12 years.  Senator Shields represents the 34rd District which include Platte and Buchanan Counties.  As Senate Majority Floor Leader, Senator Shields serves as the Chair of the Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee, Vice-Chair of Gubernatorial Appointments, is a member of the Administration and Education Committees, the Joint Committee on Education and serves on the Education Commission of the State. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Marketing and a Masters Degree in Business Administration, both from the University of Missouri - Columbia. Along with his service in the House and Senate, Shields is employed as a Project Coordinator for Heartland Health System in St. Joseph.  He and his wife reside in rural Buchanan County, and are the parents of two sons, Brandt and Bryce.

Representative Rob Schaaf, designated by the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee Chair.  Dr. Rob Schaaf, a family physician from St. Joseph, was elected to the Missouri House in 2002, and was the House handler of the MO HealthNet legislation this year.  He was named to the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee by the Speaker of the House.  Dr. Schaaf is the Chairman of the Special Committee on Healthcare Facilities and serves on the following House committees:  Budget, Appropriations for Health, Mental Health and Social Services, and Health Care Policy.  He also serves on the Board of the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan, the Healthcare Stabilization Fund Feasibility Board, and is a member of the Infection Control Advisory Committee created by the Infection Control Act of 2004, which he authored.  He is a Councilor of the Missouri State Medical Association and a board member of the Missouri State Medical Foundation.  He is also Board Chair of the Missouri Doctors Mutual Insurance Company, which he helped found in 2004.  He and his wife Debbie have two children, Robert and Renee.