Board of Trustees

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).

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. She has been on the Crossroads Board of Trustees since 2014 and currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board and the Chair of the Trustees Committee.

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. Karen enjoys campfires, cycling up mountains, a good charcuterie board, Miss Hulling’s chocolate split layer cake, hiking and snow shoeing, and most candy.

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 graduated from Crossroads in 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.

Brittany is a public health nurse, political organizer, and strategist with diverse expertise in community and clinical settings. Among many other roles, Brittany is Co-Executive Director of Jamaa Birth Village in Ferguson, MO, the founder of Honor Black Birth — a storytelling incubator that uses narrative power and filmmaking to tell stories about Black pregnancy and birth — and national Field Secretary at Movement for Black Lives. Brittany is a transformative member of her community and a force of nature for social justice. Brittany is a mother of one, McKenzie, a former Crossroads student. She lives in St. Louis City with her spouse and daughter.

Bart and his wife Tanya love Crossroads and try to support its mission as much as possible. Bart currently serves on the Finance Committee and helps the Co-Heads of School with various small projects, while Tanya serves on the Development Committee and has co-hosted two of Crossroads’ auctions. The Frenchs personally have seen the enormous benefits of a six-year education at Crossroads, as their youngest daughter Georgia (class of 2023) graduated this past spring and is now enjoying Scripps College in Claremont, California. No school better combines rigorous academics with an environment that encourages creativity, experimentation, and fun collaboration with other students, teachers and advisors than Crossroads.

Professionally, Bart is an attorney and a founding member of MRHFM, a firm dedicated to representing clients with mesothelioma, an asbestos-caused and invariably fatal cancer. Compassion and a strong work ethic are needed to represent these sick people well, and these core values are instilled in students fortunate enough to receive a Crossroads education.

Bart has taken a reduced role at his law firm and has the ability to devote more time to non-attorney activities such as serving on the Crossroads Board. When not working, Bart enjoys cycling and spends some time in Colorado cycling, skiing, hiking, and fly fishing with family and friends.

Roger is the son of world renown jazz musician Roger Humphries, Sr., a procurement professional at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, and has held procurement leadership roles at a number of companies including Whirlpool, GlaxoSmithKline, and SparTech. Roger served on the Youth Literary Board in Pittsburgh and was an active member of the Crossroads Parents of Kids of Color group. His daughter Jaz (class of 2021) is studying architecture at Hampton University’s School of Science and Technology. His son Tre graduated from Crossroads in 2023.

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) and 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.

LaKecia Veal is a communications and administrative professional whose “Zone of Genius" is managing multiple projects, details, processes, and logistics, and staying two steps ahead to help businesses and individuals bring their vision to life and achieve their goals. Her passions lie within corporate and nonprofit event planning, including conferences, charity events, community events, and other corporate meetings.

LaKecia (class of 2008) holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership, both from Webster University in St. Louis. She lives in St. Louis with her dog Pixie. When she isn’t working, she enjoys reading, writing, drinking wine, and soaking up the sun.

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 from The College of William & Mary in 2023.