Ryan McCrea is focused on making an impact by helping organizations maximize and develop talent through creative people solutions. He’s passionate about helping others own their career and providing thought leadership on strategic talent management, leadership development, mentoring, team dynamics and culture building.

Ryan is currently the Head of Learning and Leadership Development at Ameren where he leads a team focused on corporate learning and development programs. Prior to Ameren, Ryan was Vice President – Manager of Talent Development at Commerce Bank. In this position, he launched a corporate-wide professional development program, while overseeing the strategy around people and leadership growth.

Ryan has certifications in Situational Leadership, 4 Stages of Psychological Safety, DiSC, MBTI and is also a Social and Emotional Intelligence Coach. Ryan received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Southern Indiana and a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Ryan lives in St. Louis with his wife, Susan, and two adorable cats, Zooey and Coco. He loves music, movies, fashion, pop culture and art. Ask him about any of these topics and you may never get away.

Krista Junge is the Director, Quality and Training with the BJC Revenue Cycle. She started her career working with adults with developmental disabilities, and then transitioned to a position developing programs for volunteers. It was here that she learned she could “get paid” to do what she loved – develop people and organizations. After completing a graduate program at SIU-E, she joined Maritz Performance Improvement Company and designed training programs for Fortune 500 companies. Her experience at Maritz prepared her for expanded roles at United Healthcare and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, where she helped create a new Corporate Training Department.

Just as Krista was getting antsy for a change, a position opened at BJC’s Missouri Baptist Medical Center that focused on leadership development and employee engagement. She then transitioned into a BJC Shared Services role and expanded her responsibilities to include talent management, team development and leadership coaching.

After several years in this space, she realized she had one more leap off the career cliff in her, so she joined the BJC Revenue Management team – the financial side of patient care. It truly was a leap off the cliff into a whole new world. She’s been in this role for several years and can just now speak the language – most of the time. She built RCM Quality and Training function from the ground up and is loving her team and responsibilities.

Krista attributes much of her success to active participation in the STL ODN, ATD, and other professional organizations.

David is a Leadership Consultant at BEATTY. He is an expert at providing leaders with objective information to support organizational change, decision-making, and personal development. He is experienced in C-Suite selection & succession planning, performance management, and leadership development, specializing in analyzing and interpreting psychological assessments, and managing 360 feedback programs. Drawing upon his knowledge of statistical research, he is able to distill large quantities of data and translate it into usable information and actionable takeaways. He aims to equips leaders with the knowledge needed to make impactful decisions while nurturing their personal development.

David earned a master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. In his free time, he loves travelling and learning about new cultures as well as enjoying the latest stand-up comedy special. Connect with him on LinkedIn!

Joani has 15+ years experience in organization development, including executive assessment, leadership development, onboarding, career management, succession planning, change management and agility, and coaching. Her expertise includes working with individuals to maximize personal and organizational performance, and her passion is coaching and empowering people to expand their leadership capacity and positive impact. 

She is the Women in Leadership Program Facilitator for FOCUS St. Louis. Prior to FOCUS, Joani was an Executive Coach and Consultant with a global consulting company, Director of Career Management at Maryville University, and worked in Procter & Gamble Sales’ regional college recruiting.

Joani earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Organizational Leadership & Development from Maryville University, and completed her coach training with B-Coach. She is a graduate of Class 57 Women in Leadership Program, and FOCUS Diversity Leadership Fellowship Program.

Joani has served on the STL-ODN Program, Conference, and Mission-Vision committees prior to her roles on the Executive Team as Volunteer Coordinator, Communications Chair, and Community Outreach Chair to develop OD partnerships with professional associations and companies in St. Louis.  Joani is also a member of the International Coach Federation.

Joani enjoys yoga, dance, singing in a community choir, travel, and meeting new people.

Kha Huynh is a newcomer to OD and has a strong background in team development, training, and education. With over a decade in building, training, and leading teams, Kha has spent his early career honing his craft in the trenches, facilitating team-building programs nationwide and overseas. He owned and operated Performance Team Building LLC in the 2010s.

When not spending time with his wife and new baby, Kha writes and operates youth leadership programs along with his mentor. He currently serves as an Army Officer with the Missouri Army National Guard. In the past, he worked with the Team River Runner and the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department to serve veterans living with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, and other varying ability levels.

Kha loves to banter about all things food and travel, the best places to eat around town, and the late Anthony Bourdain.

Abigail (Abby) Wheeler Charlu is an IO psychologist, learning, and organizational development professional with nearly 10 years of experience in training, leadership development, program management, marketing, and executing on strategic initiatives. Her expertise spans various sectors, including higher education, non-profit, corporate, and entrepreneurial environments.

Abby currently runs a boutique agency Charlu Creative Consulting offering consulting and project management services in skills mapping, leadership development programming, organizational culture change, strategic planning, and branding. Abby additionally hosts and produces a podcast called Surveying the L&D Landscape, where she conducts job analysis style interviews with L&D and L&D adjacent professionals to better map and describe the roles, scope of work, and skills required for work across this growing sub-field. In her free time, Abby enjoys puzzles, good food, running, and traveling. Connect with her on LinkedIn!

Mikayla Blankenship is a passionate benefits specialist dedicated to fostering inclusive teams and driving organizational initiatives. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Pre-Law from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where she played a key role in implementing and researching a college-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training program.

Mikayla began her career with the St. Louis Cardinals, focusing on building a diverse workforce and enhancing fan engagement. Now at Carevet, she continues to deepen her HR expertise through the lens of OD. 

Outside of work, Mikayla enjoys exploring St. Louis, spending time with her dog, and cooking with loved ones. She is also committed to community service through her volunteer work with the Edwardsville Overnight Warming Location (OWL) and Granite City Community Care Center. Connect with her on LinkedIn! 

Ramona Jones is a life-long learner who enjoys helping others to grow and succeed. She combines her knack for writing and love for creating with technology in her current role as a Senior User Experience Designer. Her superpowers are partnering and collaborating. As a customer advocate, content design thought leader, and organizational development practitioner, Ramona gets to use all the skills she has gleaned to support teams and improve the user experience.

Ramona is the author of the two books, From Tongue, To Ear, To Heart: So Says The Wise, and Your Legacy Voice: The Prelude To Your Breakthrough. She is also a mental well-being advocate, and coauthor in the two-volume book, Tear The Veil, along with 18 Fearless Visionaries on a mission to restore hope to heal individuals, families, and communities through sharing “from pain to triumph” stories. You can read more about Ramona on LinkedIn Profile.

Aaron Adams is a business professional who assists organizations in making improved decisions through evidence-based practices and a comprehensive approach to organizational effectiveness, development, and design.

Drawing on a profound understanding of human behavior and organizational systems, he specializes in developing strategies that enhance team alignment, leadership effectiveness, and operational success. With a career spanning diverse industries, Aaron has demonstrated a proven track record of diagnosing intricate organizational challenges and facilitating transformative change. Aaron’s expertise encompasses organizational transformation, designing impactful methodologies, integrating technology to optimize workplace performance and enhance employee engagement.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Aaron brings a unique perspective to challenges, inspired by his unwavering dedication to his passions and his relentless pursuit of results. He lives in Saint Louis with his wife Megan, and daughter Hazel.