Board Members

(click on the name for a bio and picture)
John P. Burke, President
Tami Rosen Fernandez, Vice-President
Roger M. Macon, Vice-President
Jules Budd, Treasurer
Gina Wischmeyer, Secretary
Scott R. Dolan
Nathan R. Gwin
John Mann, President Emeritus
Jeff Bensky
David Schenberg
Bess Wilfong
Debbie Champion Snyder

John P. Burke, Ph.D. Graduate of St. Louis University. Professor of Sociology. Member of Harris-Stowe Faculty since 1970. Areas of interest include curriculum development, social psychology, language development, organizational behavior, small group analysis, and tenant rights. Married, and assists his wife Sara at her dance studio with office management and drumming accompaniment for studio classes.

Tami received her BA, MA, and Master in Social Work (MSW) from Washington University in St. Louis. She practiced Social Work in St. Louis prior to leaving her career and raising 2 daughters and 3 step-children. She began her professional career as medical social worker at Missouri Baptist Hospital; then worked as Clinician, Manager, Clinical Director and subsequently Director of National Account Management at Medco/Merritt (now Magellen) Behavioral Health Care in the corporate managed mental health care/chemical dependency division. Serve(d) on several Boards in the St. Louis area – Lift for Life Academy, Central Agency for Jewish Education, Washington University GWB School of Social Work Development; and Hadassah; and held executive positions for Clayton School District Elementary and High School PTOs. Tami also volunteers at several local non for profit organizations. Tami is an ardent St. Louis Blues fan.

Scott Dolan brings over 15 years in the banking world to Lift For Life Academy. He currently works as the Managing Director of US Bank’s Private Client Reserve. Scott has held executive and officer level positions at leading financial institutions including Wells Fargo, Midwest Bank Centre and Commerce Bank. Scott received his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and his BA from the University of Iowa. Scott brings valuable experience to Lift For Life Academy as he is also involved with the Finance Committee for Our Lady of Lourdes Church and with the Aquinas Business Forum.

Nathan R. Gwin works as a Private Banker for Eagle Bank and Trust. At Eagle Bank and Trust, Gwin started the Private Banking Department where he attends to the needs of non-profit organizations. In 2009, Gwin graduate from Fontbonne University with his MBA and in 2003 he graduated with is Bachelor’s of Science degree from Southern Illinois University. Nathan says he wanted to be involved with Lift For Life Academy because a great education is needed. Nathan believes, “Education in the cornerstone to an individual building a productive and sustaining life. I feel fortunate to be affiliated with Lift For Life Academy where these young individuals are provided an opportunity to exceed their potential and lead successful lives.”

Jeff Bensky has over 30 years of creating new and innovative ‘real life’ value propositions and approaches to the areas of wellness and prevention. As founder and Chief Executive Officer of two companies, he has significant leadership experiences in building, marketing and managing profitable prevention and wellness businesses. Bensky’s innovative business models focus on unique customer groups requiring innovative and comprehensive solutions fueled by the principles and applications of experience design. He began his career as a tenure track assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at St. Louis University and helped build a for profit health and wellness business at St. Louis University Medical Center. He has also worked with Charter Medical Corporation as a division executive director, and as a senior manager at Price Waterhouse in the national healthcare strategy group.

David has a long background in technology and event promotions. He is the co-founder of Panamedia Group, a consulting organization that specializes in communications and technology. He works as CEO of BusyEvent creating a potent combination of hardware and software in the cloud to satisfy event service needs. He has volunteered his time teaching a computer programming and repair class at Lift For Life Academy. David received a degree in journalism from Kansas University.

Bess is the Executive Director for Angels’ Arms. After serving as a foster parent herself for several years, frequently receiving calls to care for sibling groups, Bess learned that fostering is an extremely difficult calling. It became apparent to Bess that there needed to be a place in St. Louis that would keep silbling groups together in a loving home environment. In 2000, her dream became a reality with the founding of Angels’ Arms. Bess’s vision is to provide homes throughout the St. Louis area so that sibling groups can remain together in a nurturing family setting.

Debbie Champion is a founding partner in the firm of Rynearson Suess Schnurbusch and Champion. Ms. Champion is actively practices in Missouri and Southern Illinois, in the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She has tried cases in eastern and southeastern Missouri and in southern Illinois. She has orally argued before the Missouri Supreme Court and the Eastern, Western and Southern District Courts of Appeals. Ms. Champion won the Lawyer’s Lawyer Award at the 2008 Women’s Justice Awards. She is a recipient of an Outstanding Volunteer Award from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and the Missouri Pro Bono Publico Award from the Missouri Bar Association. She was recently honored by the Women’s Law Caucus of Washington University for her commitment to the advancement of women in the law. She has been selected as one of Ten Outstanding Young St. Louisans by the St. Louis Junior Chamber of Commerce. She served on the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of Shelter the Children. She was a founding member of Kids’ Inc, a charitable organization for underprivileged children of East St. Louis, Illinois.