Gwen Maloney
Dr. Tamara Zellars Buck
Sara Bradshaw
Our 2019 Lifetime Achievement honoree was Dr Barbara Capshaw Kohlfeld.
Dr. Barbara Capshaw Kohlfeld, Principal of Blanchard School, has been in the field of teaching for 46 years. She served as a Gifted Facilitator for the Cape Public School system and became the Principal of May Green in 1993. When May Greene and Washington Elementary were closed and the students transferred to the new Barbara Blanchard Elementary, Dr. Kohlfeld was selected to become the first Principal of Blanchard in 2000. Barb has served on various committees and boards in the southeast Missouri area, including the Mill Tax and Salvation Army Board of Directors. She is involved in numerous professional affiliations such as Boys’ Town Social Skills in the School Training, and has written several publications.
Dr. Kohlfeld’s first priority is to the children she serves. Barb believes that children must feel safe and nurtured and provides a loving environment where they can make good choices. The students are taught social skills that are essential to interacting with others, which prepares them to succeed, not only in school, but in the future as they enter the work place. The staff sets high expectations to ensure that ALL students master the learning objectives. Collaboration, data analysis, teaching/learning strategies, and professional development are implemented to achieve this goal. This effort, from both the students and staff, led to recognition from the United States Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2015, one of only 285 public schools in the U.S. to receive this honor. Professionally, Barb received the Cape Girardeau Educator of the Year award in 1997. In 2014, she was honored with the Educator of the Year award by the American Legion.
Our 2019 Celebration Award recipient was Dr. Loretta Prater.
Dr. Loretta Prater is a retired Professor and Dean of the College of Health and Human Services at Southeast Missouri State University. The college included the Departments of Social Work, Criminal Justice and Sociology, Human Environmental Studies, Nursing, Speech Pathology and Health, Human Performance and Recreation.
Dr. Prater is the 2005 recipient of the Zonta Woman of Achievement Award; is featured in the 9th edition of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and received the Outstanding African American Alumni Award in Education from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Prater was a panelist for the International Women’s Day forum sponsored by Southeast Missouri State University and the Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau. She has written chapters in several books and is published in the journals of Marriage and Family Review and Exceptional Children. She is the author of Excessive Use of Force: One Mother’s Struggle against Police Brutality and Misconduct. She has served on numerous boards in various communities and states, including serving as President of the United Way. She is a member of Missouri’s Family and Community Trust Board, and the Community Advisory Council for the Missouri Foundation for Health.
2019 WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT NOMINEES
Laurel Adkisson, an American Family Insurance agent since 1999 and one of the first female American Family Insurance agency owners in Cape Girardeau County. Her community volunteer involvement includes the Cape Chamber Women’s Network, Special Olympics, March of Dimes, SEMO Walk for Women and Leadership Cape just to name a few. Laurel credits her mother for instilling in her the importance of faith, family and a strong work ethic. She thinks it is vitally important to equalize the roles of men and women in the workplace and for women to find their voice, be comfortable in networking situations and look for opportunities to grow personally and professionally.
Sister Jane Kiefer began her ministry at Saint Francis Medical Center in 1976 and established the Social Services Department while administering at the hospital. In 1985 she transferred to the Pastoral Care Department as a chaplain where she remained until her retirement in 1998. Sister Jane celebrated 70 years as a Franciscan Sister in 2018. Saint Francis created an award in her honor to be given annually to a colleague/physician that epitomizes the mission and ministry of Saint Francis. She feels the biggest challenge facing women today is the truth about all things so that we may make good decisions about our life, our family and all that concerns us.
Dr. Carmen Keith is the CEO, Founder and Medical Director of 360 Living. Dr. Keith is passionate about King’s Ransom Foundation which focuses on providing for the needs of the poorest of the poor. She supports efforts to rescue children from the sex trade industry and supports the efforts of caring for those who have no voice. She most admires her great-grandmother, Ma, a fierce self-reliant and independent spirt who lived to be 105 years old. Ma taught her the importance of self-provision and hard work, speaking her mind and above all else, loving others.
Julia Meiners Koester is an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Cape Girardeau County. She represents the State of Missouri in all aspects of criminal prosecution, from charging decisions through trial which include a wide variety of criminal offenses such as murders, sexual assaults, child sexual abuse, domestic assaults, robberies, and narcotics offenses. Julia serves on the Board of Directors for the Safe House for Women and is the Chairperson of the Child Fatality Review panel. She most admires her mother whom she describes as wise, opinionated, strong, confident, kind and generous. She stands up and fights for women who are in the toughest spots of their life and empowers them to fight through very difficult circumstances.
Debbie Leoni is the Director of Cardiovascular Outreach Services for Southeast Health. Debbie established the Missouri chapter of myTEAM Triumph in 2013. The mission of this organization is to give everyone the opportunity to experience an inclusive life. She has had many mentors in her life, especially her mom who reminded her to work hard. Her faith guides all of her decisions and actions. Debbie believes in the strength of women and encourages us to realize we have the power to accomplish anything and can make positive changes in the world around us.
Merideth Pobst is the Director of Communications and the Director of Foundation for the Jackson R-2 School District. She believes that learning, knowledge and information opens doors, creates opportunities and empowers all people to achieve, innovate, develop and succeed. For Merideth, relationships are the lifeblood of living your best life. She most admires working mothers who are doing the best they can to do the best they can. She believes that women have a great responsibility to pull others up behind us, to reach out to younger colleagues and encourage them, show them the ropes, help open doors and teach them soft skills.
Sonia Rucker is the Assistant to the President for Equity and Diversity and Dean of Students for Southeast Missouri State University. She most admires her mother who is amazing, graceful, thoughtful, kind and remarkably strong. She always tries to treat people with dignity and respect no matter the circumstances. Sonia believes that one of the biggest challenges facing women is the ability to achieve work-life balance. She fully understands and appreciates the importance of seeking out, offering and providing guidance, advice and support to other women in her own field of education and in life.
Angie Umfleet along with her sister is the owner of Chap Arnold Insurance. Carrying forward and expanding the 49 year old agency, founded by her father, into the second generation has been an amazing blessing. Angie has served in leadership positions on many boards and civic organizations over the past two decades but she is most proud of helping local high school students sharpen their skills to get better jobs and to look professional as they enter the workforce. Angie feels the biggest challenge facing women is the ability to be relevant and to be heard in a society that is still male dominant. She believes that women are special and we must continue to push forward by helping women find our voices.