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. A search for more family geographic stability with a new baby on the way 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 treating the mind and body as one and making quality behavioral healthcare available to all who need it, Missourians will truly 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 degree in Accounting from Lincoln University and then went on to earn 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 for state government for a brief time before realizing she wanted to get back into the private sector. In 2016, Chelsea moved into the role of Director of Administration for the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. While her main role is centered around the Council’s finances, she enjoys taking part in the various other operations and events going on 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 where she earned her degree in Business Administration. From there she began pursuing a career in service at the Missouri Retired Teachers Association and then joined the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, where she took on the management of the Council’s first annual conference. The Missouri Behavioral Health Conference is a first-class conference that has grown exponentially both in attendance and 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 trainings, 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 the farm life in the booming metropolis of New Bloomfield, Missouri.

Tara Crawford is the Director of Health Information from Auxvasse, a rural town in Central 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 to individuals in the community about behavioral health services available. Tara gained valuable experience in the field before she moved on to work at the Missouri Department of Mental Health to focus on integrated care programs (Behavioral Healthcare Homes and Disease Management Outreach) and then programs assisting clients who are justice involved. In 2017, Tara took the opportunity to join the Missouri Behavioral Health Council to help develop and manage the new statewide care coordination tool for the behavioral health system. Tara serves as the Director of Health Information which includes overseeing all aspects of the fun technology, data and quality improvement projects that present themselves. Tara also has a lot of fun at home with her husband and their two young, energetic boys.

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 been blessed with four grandchildren and loves to spend time 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 very rewarding both personally and professionally. She started her career at the University of Missouri and Boone Hospital systems in Columbia. She managed the Jefferson City Free Medical and Dental Clinic for two years which offered 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 the implementation of Missouri’s Medicaid electronic health record system. In 2013, Kimberly was able to bring her skills and passion to the Missouri Behavioral Health Council as their community integration manager. Here she supports several statewide initiatives including the community mental health liaison (CMHL) positions who work 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. 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.

Ashlee Jenkins was born and raised in Jefferson City, Missouri. Her educational journey started with a near-completion of the Nursing program at Lincoln University. From there, she switched her major to Social Work and received her BSW from Illinois State University and her MSW from the University of Missouri – Columbia. Ashlee went on to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and maintains that license to date. Ashlee has worked in a variety of human services settings, including the Cole County Children’s Division, Fulton State Hospital, SSM Behavioral Health, Compass Health, and the Department of Mental Health. Ashlee has a passion for helping others and for bringing mental/physical health awareness to youth and the community. She wants people to have the necessary tools they need in life to not only survive, but to thrive. Ashlee loves to volunteer for entities such as the United Way of Central Missouri and the American Red Cross. She now lives in the ‘bustling metropolis’ of Centertown, Missouri with her husband Zac, daughter Brynlee, son Tysen, and boxer pup Dally.

James Barber was born in Ohio but being an Air Force child lived in many states and countries throughout his childhood. He landed in Missouri and began growing some roots. He attended the University of Missouri studying Biochem but decided to go a different direction. He finished his schooling at the University of Phoenix for IT software engineering. He met his wife, had two wonderful children, and settled in a quaint earth contact home in Taos, Missouri. James previously worked for the State of Missouri for five years working in their IT department. He has since moved on with his career and began a new journey at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, where he is now their Data and IT Manager still working on IT and data programs. James is excited for this new role and the social interactions it brings.

Mikala Geiger is the Prevention Services Manager at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Mikala was born and raised in Russellville, Missouri. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Columbia College in Columbia, MO and she is currently working on her Master’s in Community Agency Counseling (LPC) at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO. Mikala feels fortunate to have played collegiate golf for both Universities. She is excited about completing her master’s degree in May 2022. Mikala chose the behavioral health field due to losing loved ones to suicide and substance use. She has 5-years’ experience in direct care and identifies the need for prevention services across the life span. Mikala enjoys volunteering at the local food bank, the Salvation Army, the Samaritan Center, the Special Learning Center, the Special Olympics, and golf clinics which fuel her passion to help others. The Missouri Behavioral Health Council allows Mikala to impact, challenge, and break down walls surrounding prevention and recovery. One of her favorite quotes is by Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” Mikala and her husband are building a home in Russellville and love spending time on the farm with their cows, horses, and dogs.

Chelsea Skidmore was born and raise in Westphalia, Missouri where she graduated from Fatima High School. She attended Columbia College where she pursued Business Marketing. Later, she transferred to the University of Missouri where she majored in Graphic Design - graduating with her Bachelors of Fine Arts. She currently resides in Jefferson City with her German Shepherd dog, Mika. After attending Mizzou, Chelsea began working for Central Bancompany as a Multimedia Specialist. Chelsea saw working at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council as a great opportunity and began working for the Council in January of 2020. Her role at the Council is centered around graphic design development, social media and website management. Chelsea is always striving for growth, and she sees the Council as a good place to expand her knowledge, enhance her design skills and express her creativity in a positive way. Chelsea is an optimist who enjoys helping others to the fullest. Outside of work, she can be found being social with friends and family, walking her dog Mika and exploring new places near and far.