JTIE History & Committee

D’Andre Thompson is a Program Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist with the Boone County Community Services Department. His work involves the administrative support of the Boone County Children’s Services Fund and Domestic Violence Fund with an emphasis on equitably inclusive solutions for the County’s funded agencies and programs. He’s passionate about the work being done through the Journey Toward Inclusive Excellence for Boone County committee because he believes this committee is uniquely positioned to impact lives by sharing valuable resources and creating safe space for human development.

Sunitha enjoys serving alongside all the amazing humans on the JTIE committee and working on creating and supporting inclusive spaces. She is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and also helps small businesses and nonprofits navigate their marketing projects. Sunitha works as the DEI Facilitator at Ragtag Film Society.

As a children's librarian at the Daniel Boone Regional Library, I connect members of our community to one another and to local resources. Serving on the JTIE committee gives me a truer vision of the many members of our diverse community, which challenges me to grow personally and professionally.

Nikki serves as the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging for MU Health Care, in Columbia, Missouri. Nikki leads MU Health Care’s DEI efforts across its extensive network of hospitals and clinics. Prior to joining MU Health Care, Nikki led the Inclusive Impact Institute as its director and gave the community its first comprehensive organization dedicated to innovation, strategy, and solutions to issues of diversity and inclusion.

Daniel Boone Regional Library
Libraries provide access to information and welcoming spaces for all people - inclusion is a foundational value of my profession. I'm dedicated to the Journey's work because I want to be a part of creating a community where everyone can thrive.

I center my work on inclusion and equity around the vision of connecting with each other to honor and celebrate our stories, to lead and hold space to grow, and to “exist” in our diversities. I’m the DE&I Director for Columbia College.

Secily Devese is the Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager for Veterans United Home Loans. Her passion for inclusivity and equity is what eventually led her to the Inclusion and Social Impact team where she hosts experiences and trainings that help her co-workers mitigate their biases.

Taylor Claiborne the Manager of Inclusion and Engagement for Shelter Insurance Companies. I have a passion for being able to create opportunities for learning and environments where people feel comfortable showing up as their authentic selves.

Ashton Day is the Manager-Communications at Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) and a lifelong Columbia resident. She is passionate about improving the diversity, equity, and inclusion to better the community. Ashton also serves on the Columbia/Boone County Board of Health

Fontella Jackmon-Jones is the Community Employment Manager & Work Incentive Practitioner at Woodhaven. She is passionate about learning and expanding her knowledge of disability services related to competitive, integrated employment in the community. Fontella is dedicated to promoting cultural understanding and embracing diverse perspectives and talents, fostering inclusivity. 

Teo Cooper serves as the Assistant Dean for Student Life, Equity, & Inclusion at Columbia College, in Columbia, Missouri. He has centered his career around creating access to education, and championing student success initiatives for students from diverse backgrounds to flourish.

Bio coming soon