Board of Trustees

Cheryl is the Senior Program and Outreach Consultant for the Day School Leadership Training Institute, a fellowship that supports new Jewish school leaders around the globe. Cheryl served as head of Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School, a K-8 independent school in St. Louis for 14 years, leading the school through the merger of Reform Jewish Academy and Solomon Schechter Day School.

Cheryl is delighted that her family members (her son Ari (class of 2018), her nieces and nephews) and other Mirowitz alumni attended Crossroads, where social responsibility is an integral part of the school experience. She is honored to be part of the Crossroads board. In her spare time she can be found throwing pottery or riding her bike with her husband Jon.

Ellen is an award-winning communications strategist, branding, and marketing expert with more than 25 years of experience working with for-profit and not-for-profit organizations in the healthcare and higher education fields. In her role as assistant vice chancellor for university initiatives at Washington University, she leads internal and external communications for transformative projects such as a $250 million capital project that redeveloped 20% of the physical space on the university’s Danforth campus, and MyDay, a $100 million program that will evolve university operations, including the way the university uses data to make decisions.

At WashU, she has served as an assistant vice chancellor for public affairs, overseeing marketing communications and brand strategy for the university, and was an assistant dean at the university’s Brown School. Prior to joining WashU, Ellen was a senior vice president in the healthcare practice at FleishmanHillard, an international communications consultancy based in St. Louis.

She is the proud parent of two Crossroads students: Jake Finer (class of 2019) and Sam Finer (class of 2022).

Jamila Owens-Todd is a Naturopathic Doctor and the owner of Golden Grocer Natural Foods. She has had her own Naturopathic practice since 2007, offering patients integrative and preventative care options. As a healthcare practitioner, she is versed in upholding the integrity of others while maintaining prudence and discretion. As a grocery store owner in the city of St. Louis, she understands the requirements of a diverse community while addressing the needs of many. Jamila has been committed to supporting her community not only as a business owner, but as a volunteer. She has volunteered for a number of St. Louis city schools and community centers, teaching coding and computer basics. She has worked as a volunteer for Faith House and Magdalene House and with numerous other institutions that uplift the underserved and those who identify as women, in the fight of equal rights, against sex-trafficking and in support of healthcare for sex workers.

Jamila has been a long-time proponent of quality education in the city of St. Louis and has worked alongside institutions in support of increased opportunities for young people. With this advocacy, Jamila has been a champion for independent, alternative, and charter schools in the St. Louis region. This advocacy has been most pronounced in her own child’s education. After years of supporting teachers at City Garden Montessori School, she was voted president of the Parent Action Committee (PAC). She served two terms in this position. After supporting the parent body, teachers and administration through many transitions, she was selected to serve on the school board. This position was full of challenges, instruction and victories. Jamila gained a deep respect for the inner workings of an institution. While on the board, Jamila served on the governance committee and was introduced to the intricacies of creating a strategic plan, upholding the school’s mission, all while working collectively to explore areas of potential growth. Jamila walked away from that position with humility and a continued yearning to offer support.

Karen is the President and Candy Bowl Filler at 501creative, a marketing communications firm she started in 1995 to help nonprofit organizations recruit, fundraise, and educate efficiently and effectively. Originally from St. Louis, Karen received a Bachelor of Fine Arts magna cum laude from the University of Michigan and began her career in downtown Chicago. After five years in the corporate design world and a year volunteering full-time in Georgia and North Carolina with Habitat for Humanity, she founded 501creative.

Karen joined the Crossroads Board of Trustees in 2014 after serving on the marketing and gala committees. Karen is also the Co-Chair of the Carleton College Parent Advisory Council. Karen and her husband, Marc Hirshman, live in the Central West End. Their daughters Abby (class of 2016) and Emily (class of 2019) could not be more different, yet each thrived at Crossroads. In her spare time, Karen enjoys campfires, cardio tennis, swimming before dawn, home-grown tomatoes, hiking, and most candy.

Lauren has over 35 years of corporate, business and strategic planning experience in a variety of industries, both for-profit and not-for-profit. For the last 6 years, she has been the vice president and chief administrative officer for a not-for-profit called Meds & Food for Kids, a social enterprise with operations in the country of Haiti. Meds & Food for Kids operates a food processing facility in Haiti which makes ready-to-use therapeutic foods for malnourished children and other nutritionally vulnerable people.

Lauren has lived in St. Louis since 1993 and has raised her two children in the Central West End, where she still lives. Both of her children attended Crossroads College Preparatory School. Her daughter, Andrea, Class of 2012, graduated with honors from University of Toronto and now works with cognitively delayed adults here in Saint Louis; Andrea is applying to graduate schools in the UK and in Europe. Her son, Matthew, Class of 2015, graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and is now pursuing a PhD in Mathematics at Stanford University. Matt was captain of the chess team while at Crossroads as well as while at Yale; he has achieved the rank of International Master in chess.

Lauren previously served as a trustee on the Crossroads Board of Trustees from 2012 through 2015. During her tenure on the board, she chaired the Facilities Committee, was the treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee, and chaired the ad hoc Head of School Search Committee. Lauren is originally from Michigan; she holds a BA from Kalamazoo College and an MBA in Finance from Case Western Reserve. She is fluent in French, operational in Haitian Creole, and is learning to speak Croatian.

Lisa M. Wood is a member of the Office of the Vice Chancellor & General Counsel at Washington University where she serves as Assistant Vice Chancellor, Associate General Counsel & Litigation Team Leader. Lisa’s responsibilities include the oversight and management of complex business litigation, as well as guiding the University through complex business disputes. Prior to joining Washington University in 2012, Lisa practiced law with Armstrong Teasdale LLP — first as an associate and then as an equity partner. Lisa’s practice primarily encompassed a broad range of complex commercial business counseling and litigation matters. Prior to entering law school, Lisa was Executive Vice President of Classic Executive Interiors, Ltd., a custom furniture manufacturer based in St. Louis. Lisa received her AB in History and JD from Saint Louis University.

Prior board experience includes service as Vice Chair and Member at Large of the St. Louis Regional Asthma Consortium, as well as membership on the Boards of Directors of the American Lung Association of the Central States, American Lung Association of Missouri, and American Lung Association of Eastern Missouri. Lisa served as Vice President of the American Lung Association of Missouri and was awarded the Volunteer Excellence Award while serving in that role. Lisa has also served as a member of the Recruitment and Development Committees at New City School.

Lisa lives in Belleville, Illinois and is the parents of two Crossroads alums. Her son, Ben, graduated from Crossroads in 2014. After graduating from Crossroads, Ben attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2018 and is currently employed as an Engineer at Robert Bosch LLC in Plymouth, Michigan. Lisa’s daughter, Blaire, graduated from Crossroads in 2019 and currently attends The College of William & Mary.

Melanie Turnage is an educator and parent from Florissant. She has been an educator for the last 18 years spending 15 of those years as an elementary school teacher in the Ritenour School District. For the last 3 years she has been working at Washington University in St. Louis with the Institute for School Partnership as an instructional specialist supporting science teachers in public, charter, and private schools across the St. Louis region. When she is not working for WUSTL-ISP she enjoys making quilts, cooking, and gardening. Her son Jackson is a rising 10th grader at Crossroads. He is the assistant stage manager for the theater department, a member of the chess club, and plays for Crossroads' soccer team.

Stacey is the Chief Financial Officer at Triad Bank. She has been with Triad since 2006 when she started as Controller. Prior to joining Triad, Stacey was Controller at Enterprise Bank where she began her career in 1994 as a Financial Analyst. She has been on the financial side of St Louis banking for almost 25 years. Stacey is a 1993 graduate of Webster University with a Master’s Degree in Finance and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Business Management with an emphasis in Accounting. Stacey continued her education when she obtained her MBA from Webster University in 1996. She is also a licensed CPA in the state of Missouri.

Stacey has been with her wonderful wife, Judy, since 1994. Their daughter Lauren is in the class of 2022 at Crossroads College Preparatory School. Stacey, Judy, and Lauren live in University City among their family and friends.

Tabor Burke recently enjoyed her last year as a parent at Crossroads. She participated in multiple volunteer activities, including fundraising, open houses, teacher breakfasts, and as a room parent, and currently serves on the Finance Committee. Tabor has seen firsthand how the mission and culture at Crossroads has positively impacted her son, and hopes that Crossroads will continue to thrive for years to come for the benefit of even more students and families. Tabor is currently pursuing a Master’s of Education in Mental Health Clinical Counseling at UMSL with an expected graduation in May 2021. Previously (2010-2018), Tabor was the Vice President of Operations for a New Markets Tax Credit consulting firm which helped fund affordable for-sale housing in low-income communities nationwide. Before that (2006 – 2009), Tabor owned an allergen-free food business where she achieved placement for her microwaveable allergen-free meals in 1500 stores nationwide. Tabor also practiced law for 12 years with a focus on real estate as a Senior Counsel at The May Department Stores Company, and as an associate at a small law firm.

Tabor graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a BA in English in 1987, and obtained a JD from Washington University Law School in 1991. Tabor is married to Tom Burke, General Counsel at Caleres, Inc., and has two children Sidney (sophomore at Northwestern) and Tom (Crossroads Class of 2020).

Todd is a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Washington University, where he has been a faculty member since 1998. He was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, grew up in Tempe, Arizona, received his undergraduate education (BS) at University of California-San Diego. He completed his graduate work at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (receiving his PhD there in 1997), before settling down in St. Louis with his wife, colleague, and best friend Deanna Barch.

Todd’s specialization is in cognitive neuroscience, a field that integrates psychology and neuroscience in seeking to understand how higher mental processes, like attention, memory, and decision-making emerge from the organization and function of the brain. His research focus is on the brain basis of cognitive control, which relates to our ability to self-regulate our thoughts, actions, and emotions in relationship to internal goals. In addition to his research, he teaches introductory, advanced, and graduate-level courses in cognitive neuroscience, and serves as the coordinator for the undergraduate cognitive neuroscience major. He recently expanded his research and teaching interests to include a focus on mindfulness training and currently teaches a freshman seminar on this topic.

Todd and Deanna have two daughters, Rachel and Elizabeth (Lizzie). Rachel graduated from Crossroads in 2017 and is currently a student at Bard College in New York. Lizzie is currently a high schooler at Crossroads (class of 2021). The family serves as Faculty Fellows at Washington University, and together with their dog Guinness and cat Abby live on the university campus in Brookings Residence College. In the little spare time he has, Todd enjoys spending time with his family, training for triathlons, and learning as much as he can about mindfulness through practice and reading.

Since 2018, Vincent has served as Webster University’s associate vice president and chief diversity officer. During that time, he has expanded the role of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI); introduced the popular “Witnessing Whiteness” program for employees; and oversaw the expansion of the university’s annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Conference. In response to the murder of George Floyd, Vincent launched Webster Speaks: Dialogues on RACE, EQUITY and INCLUSION. As host of the virtual series, he sits down with thought leaders and prominent Black voices and other people of color to discuss issues surrounding systemic racism.

Vincent most recently served as the director of DEI at The College School. Prior to that leadership role, he taught middle school history and English in several independent and public schools in the St. Louis area, including Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School and Ladue Middle School. He also served as an adjunct professor at Washington University in St. Louis’ Brown School of Social Work from 2012-2018. He has provided DEI consultation to a variety of schools and organizations, including: the Kirkwood School District; the John Burroughs School; the Forsyth School; the Cochran Community Center; and FOCUS St. Louis. Vincent also has served as managing director of program for Teach For America in St. Louis.

With more than twenty years of experience weaving DEI into the culture of education in the St. Louis area, Vincent was named to the St. Louis Business Journal’s 2020 Class of Diverse Business Leaders.

Vincent holds a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis’ Brown School of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Maryville University. He currently is a doctoral candidate in Webster University’s School of Education.

A proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Vincent is a life-long resident of the City of St. Louis and has lived in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood for nearly 45 years.