Board of Directors

Shelley Duncan is the President/CEO of Youthville.  She joined the board of directors in 2008. 

Laurel Alkire, Executive Director of Senior Services, Inc. of Wichita, earned a B.A. in Sociology and an M.A. in Gerontology from Wichita State University.  She began her career at Senior Services, Inc. of Wichita as Director of the Senior Employment Program in 1987.  She spent three years as Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association Sunflower Chapter before returning to Senior Services, Inc. as the Executive Director in 2002.  She  is a currently member of  the Kansas Community Nutrition Director’s; serves as Chair of the Kansas Older Worker Task Force, and  is a member of the board of the Catholic Care Center.  She joined the Non-Profit Chamber of Service Board in 2008 and currently serves as Vice Chair.

Emily Compton is the President/CEO at Goodwill Industries of Kansas, Inc.  She has worked for Goodwill for over 25 years, 15 of which were spent serving in Wichita, including six years as the President/CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kansas. 

Suzi Thien  is the Executive Director of Sunlight Children’s Advocacy and Rights Foundation (SCARF) located in El Dorado.  She also volunteers at the Family Life Center, a woman’s shelter in El Dorado.  Before going to work at SCARF, Suzi was a school counselor for almost 30 years, spending the last 15 years working in Towanda and Andover.

Prisca Barnes is the executive director of the Kansas African American Museum.  She joined the Nonprofit Chamber of Service Board of Directors in 2011.

Schaunta James-Boyd is a graduate of Wichita State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Service Organization and Policy, with a Minor in Spanish. Schaunta Boyd is the Executive Director of the E.C. Tyree Health & Dental Clinic.  She is deeply committed to and continuously engaged with her community. Some of her involvements include: past President and member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, member of the Sedgwick County Oral Health Coalition, member of the Healthy Congregations Committee of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, member of The Health & Wellness Committee of the Kansas West Conference, member of The Community Project, member of Unicare Community Advisory Committee, and Chairperson of NE Community Partners Project (a community effort to encourage and engage residents in northeast Wichita to become self-determiners of their health care and lifestyles). 

Diane Caton is in her 12th year as director of YouthFriends Reno County.  Diane holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Wichita State University with graduate hours in Adult Education from Kansas State University. Prior to serving YouthFriends, Diane spent 20 years in health care administration and directed two volunteer programs; Harry Hines Hospice (formerly Hospice Inc.), Wichita, Kansas (five-county service area) and The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois. Both positions required managing all aspects of the volunteer program including recruitment, screening, training, placement and management.  Diane has served on a number of community boards including the K-State Reno County Extension board, Faris Elementary School Site Council.  Diane is a member of the Reno County Chamber of Commerce, is a graduate of the Leadership Hutchinson Class of 2003. She was one of the founding members and first chair of the Leadership Reno County Alumni Association, is a member of Soroptimists International of Hutchinson and PEO Chapter D.   In September 2009, Diane participated in the Kansas Leadership Center Leadership Lab for mentoring organizations.  In March, 2007, Governor Kathleen Sebelius appointed Diane to the Kansas Volunteer Commission in March of 2007. Diane continues to serve on this commission.    

Michele Gors earned her Degree in Communications and Public Relations from Kirkwood College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  She spent 28 years in commercial television in news, working in many different roles as producer, reporter, anchor, photographer, executive producer and news director.   She served as News Director at KWCH for 2 years and won an Emmy for News Excellence in Memphis.  Currently, Michele is the President and CEO of KPTS, Channel 8, Wichita’s PBS station.  Michele also serves on the Wichita Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is a member of the Downtown Wichita Rotary where she is involved in the R.I.F. program.  (Reading is Fundamental, we read to children in classrooms throughout Wichita.). 

Peggy Johnson serves as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation.  She has been with the Foundation since 1999.  She has been an active health care advocate for over 20 years.  In her role as Executive Director of WMREF, Peggy is responsible for its day to day operations along with helping the Board of Directors plan for future ventures into medical research and education in the Wichita and Kansas communities.

Anne Nelson, MS is the associate executive director of the Central Plains Regional Health Care Foundation (a nonprofit affiliate of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County).  Anne obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wichita State University and a Master’s degree in Family Therapy from Friends University.  She is a graduate of WSU’s mini-Master’s in Public Administration program and is a graduate of the 2010 Sunflower Foundation Advocacy fellowship. She was a member of the Nonprofit Chamber of Service’s original board of directors and is currently in her second year of a three-year term on the board.

Ron Pasmore received his B.A. degree from the University of Colorado in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and his M.A. degree from Wichita State University in Communicative Disorders.  He began his career as a Speech-Language Pathologist at the Institute of Logopedics.  He was Director of Speech and Hearing at Winfield State Hospital and Training Center.  While in Winfield he helped established the first community based program for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families known today as the Reach Preschool Center. Ron has been employed at Kansas Elks Training Center for the Handicapped, Inc. (KETCH) since 1988 and has served as its President & CEO since 1997.  Additionally, Ron is a surveyor for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

Sandy Pickert is in her fourth year on the Nonprofit Chamber of Service Board of Directors.  Sandy has been with Pure and Simple Health Education, Inc. since 2002, serving as its Executive Director since 2003.   Previous experience is in the nursing industry.

Dennis has been with the YMCA for 36 years and General Executive of the Greater Wichita YMCA for the past 21 years. He has worked for the Green Bay and Minneapolis YMCA’s as well.  Dennis has been on the board of directors since 2009.

Connie Zienkewicz has expertise in the following areas: Training of Parents and Professionals regarding laws protecting the rights of children with disabilities in the educational system, Special Education and Related Services, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Post High School Transition, Early Childhood Transition, Evaluation and Alternate Assessment, Advocacy and Policy Making, Parent and Family Supports in the Community.