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 degree in Accounting from Lincoln University and then earned 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 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 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 is the Director of Health Information at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Tara 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. In 2017, Tara joined the Missouri Behavioral Health Council to help develop and manage the data collection, reporting, and technology initiatives for our behavioral health network. Tara serves as the Director of Health Information, overseeing all aspects of the 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 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 brought her skills and passion to the Missouri Behavioral Health Council as their community liaison manager. 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. 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 is the Professional Education Manager at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council and 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 their hometown of 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 Degree in Nutritional Sciences and a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Lindenwood University. Drew began his healthcare career at Capital Region Medical Center, working as an Exercise Specialist and Clerk for Cardiac Rehab and Outpatient Therapies. He then spent six years at Capital Region as a Quality Analyst and the 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 January 2021. In January 2022, Drew took the position of Referral Network Manager. In this role, he is working to implement and then manage the MOConnect referral platform for the State of Missouri to help improve the referral process statewide and other Quality Initiatives. Outside of work, Drew enjoys going to Mizzou games and giving back to the community he grew up in by being involved on various committees. Most times, you can find him on a ballfield coaching as he is a baseball coach at Capital City High School.

Nicole Lee was born in St. Louis, MO. She attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies, an M.Ed. in Counseling, and an Education Specialist degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Nicole is passionate about helping people and ensuring she does everything she can to spread awareness. She has always tried to figure out ways to better assist people in need. Nicole now works as the Zero Suicide Coordinator for the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network / Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Because of personal experiences around the suicide epidemic, she desires to bring awareness, connect with people who have overcome trauma, and empower them to use their voices and tell their stories. When Nicole isn’t at her full-time job, she works with her husband, a Pastor, at their church overseeing the Women’s Ministry and serving on the food pantry and Pastoral Leadership teams. Nicole wants to be a role model to her five children and four grandchildren, so she lives by the scripture, “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24).

Caroline Young is originally from Sedalia and made Jefferson City her home after graduating from Truman State University with a degree in Political Science and Statistical Methods. She spent several years working for state government in the Office of Administration and with the Department of Corrections as a Research Analyst. In 2021, she joined the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. She has always loved math and numbers, and her main goal at the Council is to make data accessible to those who do not. She has a passion for sharing numbers in a way that is concise and actionable. Her role with the Council is to manage data collection and develop reports, analyses, and visualizations to support the management of the programs and initiatives. She feels honored to play a small part in improving behavioral healthcare in Missouri. Outside work, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones, making art, playing music, and spoiling her cat, Dorothea.

Daisy Cheek, originally from Texas, is the Health Information Manager with Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Daisy graduated with a Master’s in Education from William Woods University in 2021. She has worked in various education and health service settings, including mentoring and coaching. Daisy’s most recent role was serving the youth population as a Site Director at the Boys and Girls Club of Jefferson City, where she began seeing a need for more accessible behavioral health care. In her current role at the Council, Daisy is the primary trainer and help desk lead for the health information team. Daisy is excited to learn more about the behavioral health world and use 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.

Zachary Voss joined MBHC as the Special Projects Accountant in May 2022. Zach was born and raised in Russellville, Missouri. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration, with an emphasis in Accounting, from Columbia College in Columbia, MO. Zach worked as an auditor and tax preparer before coming to the council. Family is important to Zach, who enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons. He is a huge sports fan and an avid St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs fan. Zach also enjoys playing slow-pitch softball and being outdoors.

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 MBHC 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 multiple departments within state government and the banking industry. When she isn’t working, Maggie enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children.