Board of Directors
Nola Ewers, Board President and Advanced Trainer, received her B.S. degree in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri - Rolla. She has volunteered with several organizations serving children and adults with disabilities since 1988. She left the Boeing Company after 16 years in the Business Management group to devote her time to C.H.A.M.P. Assistance Dogs, Inc.
In addition to her involvement in long-range planning, fundraising, and public relations for C.H.A.M.P., Inc., Nola is an active volunteer. She and (Retired) Education/Therapy Dog Sere participated in both Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) in a number of locations in the community. Currently, Nola and Education/Therapy Dog Moe make numerous presentations to schools, businesses, social, and civic organizations, and enjoy working with our students who are preparing for the arrival of their own service dogs.
Nola is a Founding Member of C.H.A.M.P., Inc., and is a member of our Friends Group.
Janis Kuhn, Board Secretary/Treasurer, received her undergraduate degree in counseling and psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her interests centered on helping people make new choices, and find creative solutions to change unwanted behaviors. She eventually specialized in counseling women and children whose lives were affected by emotional and health traumas.
Jan completed her Masters degree in counseling from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and opened her private practice in 1997. She now counsels individuals and couples from her home with the help of Thor, a curly-haired Golden Retriever, and C.H.A.M.P., Inc.'s first facility-based dog placement. Thor's happy and gentle demeanor has delighted and comforted her child and adult clients.
For the past 20 years, Jan has volunteered at women's shelters and crisis hotlines, worked with victims of crime, and helped with food distribution programs believing it is her duty, and a privilege, to serve the community. She has been with C.H.A.M.P. Assistance Dogs, Inc. since 2004 and now serves as a board member.
Karen Felton, Board Member, has had a varied career centering on her interests in children and animals. Ms. Felton studied art and also received training in animal care while working full-time and attending the University of Kansas.
Karen is an active and supportive leader, having worked as a motivational speaker for Weight Watchers for six years before resigning because of a chronic degenerative neurological disease. She continues her involvement in the community through her role as a spokesperson for C.H.A.M.P. Assistance Dogs, Inc., and as a Sunday School teacher.
Karen is a service dog user. She and Public Access Service Dog Gidget have been partners since January 2002.
Sheila O'Connell, board member, received her undergraduate degree in Advertising from New York Institute of Technology, and her MBA from University of Missouri, St. Louis. She has volunteered with several service organizations focused on serving a peaceful purpose. As a volunteer with AFS-USA, an international student exchange organization, Sheila meets with exchange students and helps them assimilate to the culture. As a member of the VFW Post 8677 Ladies Auxiliary, she has donated her time to serve our country’s veterans for 36 years.
Sheila is the marketing communications manager for an international manufacturing firm based in the St. Louis area. In this capacity, she runs the organization’s internet, marketing and advertising programs. Most recently, Sheila has undertaken a “Green Awareness” campaign to help bring attention to everyday energy savings we can achieve through simple changes.
Dolly Molloy, Board Member, received her B.S. in Systems & Data Processing from Washington University. She has 30+ years of experience in Information Systems, with the last 15 years at Edward Jones. She is a long-time volunteer with CHAMP, and assisted in our successful effort to obtain full accreditation from Assistance Dogs International in 2008.
Dolly’s life-long interest in the bond between humans and dogs prompted her desire to share her own very special golden retriever, Bingo, with others through a therapy dog program. That was over fifteen years ago, and Dolly has a new visiting partner now – Elliott, a miniature poodle.
Dolly also enjoys being a puppy caregiver for CHAMP…” every day is a new adventure to them and the whole world is out there to be discovered.” She has raised numerous babies with the help of Ebony, her 11 year old Black Labrador, who acts as surrogate mother to the puppies. Dolly is a long-time volunteer with CHAMP, and is also a member of our Friends Group.
Deanne Lane, board member, is Senior Director of Media Affairs with Centene Corporation. Deanne has been a CHAMP supporter since 2003 when, as an Emmy Award-winning newscaster with KSDK Newschannel 5, she did a cover story on our service dog training program at the women’s prison in Vandalia, MO. Deanne was impressed with the skill and dedication of our offender-trainers and recognized the tremendous positive impact of the program in the lives of the trainers as well as the children and adults with disabilities who receive service dogs from CHAMP.
Deanne is active in The CHAMP Friends, a special volunteer group that focuses on raising funds, enabling CHAMP to place our service dogs – free of charge – with children and adults with disabilities.
In addition to her work with CHAMP, Deanne also volunteers her time and talents to assist other animal-related causes, including serving as emcee for a local shelter’s fundraising drive. Animals have been a very important part of Deanne’s life. She and her family currently share their home with a handsome and friendly Golden Retriever named Harrison.
Deanne's photo kindly provided by Webster Kirkwood Times and Diana Linsley.
