Mission & Data Driven

Brent McGinty is a leader in the behavioral health field from Jefferson City, Missouri. He studied history and political science at Missouri Southern State University before earning a Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Missouri. Brent originally started a career in local government, taking various positions in Columbia, Mexico, Joplin, and Maysville. Searching for more family geographic stability with a new baby led him to stints in the Missouri Senate and Department of Mental Health. While working for the State, Brent was inspired by the mission-driven, collaborative approach at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Brent joined the Council team in 2012 as the President/CEO. Brent is driven by the theory that by treating the mind and body as one and making quality behavioral healthcare available to all who need it, Missourians will genuinely thrive.

Chelsea Hughes is a native of the Jefferson City area, currently residing in the beautiful, small town of Bonnots Mill, Missouri. Not venturing far from her roots, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Lincoln University and then her Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis in Accounting from Columbia College. While pursuing her degrees, Chelsea worked for a small, privately owned business where she found her passion for accounting. Chelsea then worked in state government for a brief time before realizing she wanted to return to the private sector. In 2016, Chelsea moved into the role of Director of Administration for the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. While her primary role is centered around the Council’s finances, she enjoys participating in various other operations and events at the Council. Getting to play even a small role in the Council’s mission, and seeing everything come together, is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. When she’s not at work, you can usually find her enjoying life near the Osage River or sitting around a warm campfire with her husband and two children.

Born and raised in Missouri, Katie Horstman grew up in Wardsville and graduated from Lincoln University, earning her degree in Business Administration. From there, she began pursuing a career in service at the Missouri Retired Teachers Association. Then she joined the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, where she managed the Council’s first annual conference. The Missouri Behavioral Health Conference is a first-class conference that has grown exponentially in attendance and with expert speakers. As the Director of Training and Events, Katie and her team now host several other large conferences and regional events around the state, as well as manage and support evidence-based training, trauma, and zero suicide learning collaboratives, onsite learnings at the Council’s training facility, and provide continuing education credits. Katie gives her job two enthusiastic thumbs up and enjoys molding the training programs for the Council. Katie and her husband have two daughters and enjoy farm life in the booming metropolis of New Bloomfield, Missouri.

Tara Crawford, the Director of Health Information at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, is from the rural town of Auxvasse, Missouri. She earned a master’s in psychology from the University of Central Missouri and has had a strong interest in data since college. Tara’s career in behavioral health started as a community support specialist with a community mental health center in Mexico, Missouri, and outreached individuals in the community about behavioral health services available. Tara gained valuable experience in the field before working for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, focusing on integrated care programs (Behavioral Healthcare Homes and Disease Management Outreach) and programs assisting justice-involved clients. She joined the Council in 2017 to help develop and manage the behavioral health network's data collection, reporting, and technology initiatives. She enjoys overseeing all aspects of fun technology, data, and quality improvement projects. Tara spends her time away from the office with her husband, Jered, and their three young, energetic boys, Kane, Knox, and Kash.

Kimberly Hicks is from St. Louis, Missouri, and traveled around the state before settling in the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks with her husband and two daughters. She has since relocated to Branson, Missouri trading one Missouri lake for another. Kimberly has been blessed with four grandchildren and loves to spend time with and spoil them whenever she can. Kimberly has always been energized to work and connect with people, and she quickly discovered that the healthcare field was rewarding, both personally and professionally. She started her career at Columbia's University of Missouri and Boone Hospital systems. She managed the Jefferson City Free Medical and Dental Clinic for two years, offering free medical, dental, and behavioral health services to low-income families in Cole County. She then expanded to the technology side working for Xerox to support implementing Missouri’s Medicaid electronic health record system. 2013 Kimberly brought her skills and passion to the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Here she supports several statewide initiatives, including the Community Behavioral Health Liaison (CBHL) positions, working closely with law enforcement and courts to help connect individuals in crisis to appropriate care, and the expansion of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for law enforcement and established CIT Councils in every county of the state as the Assistant Director of Public Safety. Kimberly is passionate about her work and is proud to witness the positive impact and difference these initiatives make every day in the lives of Missourians.

Emily Conde, the Professional Education Manager at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, joined the team in 2017. Emily is originally from St. Louis, where she obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design from Webster University after an international study abroad in Vienna, Austria. She began her tenure career working for the State of Missouri with the Division of Professional Registration. The administrative duties, knowledge she gained, and network she built made for a smooth transition into her current role at the Council, where she manages the continuing education for all trainings and events, as well as the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification hours for law enforcement provided by qualified mental health professionals. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Mike, and three children, Olivia, Macklin, and Owen, in Holts Summit, Missouri. One of Emily’s favorite quotes is from Mark Twain: “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear, and the blind can see.”

Drew Burnett is the Referral Network Manager at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Drew is a Jefferson City native and a graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences and a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Lindenwood University. Drew began his healthcare career at Capital Region Medical Center as an Exercise Specialist and Clerk for Cardiac Rehab and Outpatient Therapies. He then spent six years as a Quality Analyst and Performance Improvement manager. After nearly seven years at Capital Region, Drew accepted the role of Quality Improvement Manager at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council in 2021, then took the position of Referral Network Manager in 2022. In this role, he works to implement and manage the MOConnect referral platform for the State of Missouri, helping to improve the referral process statewide and other Quality Initiatives. Outside of work, Drew enjoys attending Mizzou games and giving back to the community he grew up in by being involved on various committees. You can usually find him on a ballfield as the baseball coach for Capital City High School.

Kelsey Mengwasser is from a quaint mid-Missouri town called Rich Fountain and attended Fatima High School, where she excelled academically and volunteered for S.A.D.D (Students Against Drunk Driving). She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. After graduating, Kelsey knew she wanted to impact people’s lives by helping and caring for others. She moved back to her hometown and began working at Little Sprouts Clubhouse as a teacher. While she loved teaching, she wanted to do more with her psychology degree. Now she is the Billing and Engagement Manager for the Council. Her role at the Council allows her to be a part of the planning and coordinating of several large conferences around the state, as well as manage and support the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network, coordinate other trainings put on by the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, and helps with billing side for trainings. Kelsey is excited to learn, watch, and participate in the changes that are to come in mental health. The most rewarding part of the job is getting to be a part of it and to see everyone come together to better mental health. When she is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids in their hometown of Rich Fountain, Missouri.

Nicole Narvaez is the Missouri Behavioral Health Council’s Administrative Services Coordinator. She is a Jefferson City native who has worked in the administrative field since graduating from Jefferson City High School as an honor-roll student. Before joining the Council, Nicole had previous experience working as an independent contractor with the Cole County Health Department, assisting the Epidemiologist with the County’s Emergency Preparedness Plan and the Preferred Family Healthcare adult facility. Having worked in these fields, Nicole saw firsthand the impact of community support organizations. Nicole spent several years as an Office Manager at a locally owned business and thoroughly enjoyed being a part of its growth. In 2022, Nicole decided to take the opportunity to join the Council and help its mission. This role allows her to make a difference by working towards initiatives in her community. It enables her to be involved in the administrative wheels that turn internally, along with other aspects of association management. When she is not at work, Nicole enjoys being a busy sports mom alongside her husband, harvesting her garden, and being on the water in her kayak.

Daisy Cheek, the Youth Services and Referral Manager with Missouri Behavioral Health Council, is originally from Texas. Daisy graduated with a Master’s in Education from William Woods University in 2021. Since then, she has worked in various education and health service settings, including mentoring and coaching. Daisy served the youth population as a Site Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Jefferson City, Missouri, where she saw a need for more accessible behavioral health care. In 2022, she joined the Council as the Health Information Manager, where she was the primary trainer and help desk lead for the Health Information Team. Daisy became the Youth Services and Referral Manager in 2023 and is excited to learn more about the behavioral health world while using her knowledge and experiences to focus on improving the health of the whole person. When Daisy isn’t at work, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Maggie Bestgen is the Marketing and Communication Manager for the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Maggie works to visually promote the positive and impactful work of the Council and its partners. She was born and raised in Hannibal, Missouri, and earned her Bachelor’s in Commercial Arts and Graphic Design at the University of Central Missouri. Before coming to the Council, Maggie held creative roles in the State of Missouri’s Department of Economic Development and Department of Agriculture before moving to the private sector and working in the banking industry for nine years. When she isn’t working, Maggie enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children.

Morgan Williams was born and raised in Linn, Missouri. Morgan earned her Bachelor’s in Child and Family Development with a Minor in Psychology at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri. Throughout college, Morgan worked in Osage County, assisting individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with daily living skills and at a local daycare. From there, she worked as a Community Support Specialist at Compass Health, engaging youth in their home, school, and committee. Morgan let Dialectical Behavior therapy groups for adolescents and adults before transitioning to work at St. Mary’s Hospital as a Recreational Therapist in the Behavioral Health Unit. While there, Morgan led individual and group therapy sessions and worked on crisis de-escalation techniques as part of their emergency response team. Morgan joined the Council as the Integrated Care Manager because she is passionate about taking a whole-body approach and enhancing services while advocating for individuals. During her free time, Morgan enjoys gardening, camping, and fishing with her family.

Jessica Huff was born in Steedman, Missouri, and graduated from South Callaway before moving on to Merrell University, where she obtained her Cosmetology License. She loved working with the public and meeting new people but did not feel genuinely fulfilled at her job. Shortly after graduating, Jessica began a career in Administration with the State of Missouri, further solidifying her passion for assisting others and excelling at providing service to those who needed it. Jessica loved feeling helpful at her job and alleviating stress wherever possible – anything to keep things running smoothly. After almost ten years, she took a chance and accepted a position in the private sector with a small construction company. During the year and a half that she worked there, Jessica dabbled in multiple facets of the administrative and accounting world, where she continued to push herself to be better and learn as much as possible. These aspirations led her to accept an exciting position at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, where she hopes to continue growing personally and professionally. Jessica loves DIY projects and spending time on the river with her husband and two daughters in her free time.