Speak Up Speak Out

Welcome to Speak Up/ Speak Out  –a weekly online forum to discuss issues facing OUR community and working towards ways to enact real change. Topics weekly on Speak Up/ Speak Out will include everything from community action, mental health, family communication and more. 

Episode 11 Panel 

Deputy City Manager Jon Kindseth  – Kindseth has spent more than a decade working in Illinois local government management and has a master’s degree in urban public administration from Northern Illinois University. He currently served as the village administrator in Beach Park, Illinois. 

Episode 10 panel 

Macon County Clerk Josh Tanner – Tanner was elected to Macon County Clerk in 2018.  Prior to serving in his current roll, Tanner served as Macon County Supervisor of Assessments. Prior to working for Macon County he was with the Property Tax Division at the Illinois Department of Revenue. Josh has lived in Macon County for most of his life and is a 1993 graduate of Mt. Zion High School. After high school Josh enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was trained at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas and stationed at Osan Air Base, Korea. Following his service he attended Florida International University and graduated with his bachelor’s degree. 

Episode 9 Panel 

Sheriff Tony Brown – Sheriff Tony Brown was elected Sheriff of Macon County in 2018 and brings to office over 28 years of experience in law enforcement. Brown graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1986 and served in the Army after graduation. He attended Richland Community College and began his career with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office in 1990. 

Dr. Dana Ray  – Dr. Dana Ray, MD is a Family Medicine Specialist in Decatur, IL and has over 17 years of experience in the medical field. She graduated from Southern Illinois University School Of Medicine medical school in 2003. She serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Crossing Healthcare. 

Episode 8 Panel 

Stephanie Spannaus Hebron  –Stephanie Spannaus Hebron is a proud graduate of Macarthur High School. She is a mother and community volunteer who currently lives outside of Chicago. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and a CPA who has worked in investments and finance for over 20 years. 

Nikki Garry  – Nikki L. Garry is the Founder and Owner of Your Money Matters, LLC. Nikki has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Millikin University, a Master of Science in Accounting from Liberty University, and a Certificate of Entrepreneurship from Richland Community College. With over 15 years of experience in Corporate America, Nikki is well versed in the accounting and finance arenas and enjoys developing and teaching attainable solutions for financial freedom. 

Episode 7 Panel 

Dr. Juanita Morris  – Dr. Juanita M. Morris is a native of Decatur. She studied mathematics & statistics at the University of Illinois in Springfield and research methodology & statistics and educational administration and foundations at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. After working at institutions of higher education and gaining extensive experience in higher education administration. Morris started J Morris Enterprises with her husband, support her local community and raise her children. Morris currently serves as the program coordinator of the Jerry J Dawson Civic Leadership Institute. She is also the founder of Girls who Code of Macon County, the Summer Math Academy and has served as a facilitator for the parent leadership training institute and operation calculus. 

Sheriff Tony Brown – Sheriff Tony Brown was elected Sheriff of Macon County in 2018 and brings to office over 28 years of experience in law enforcement. Brown graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1986 and served in the Army after graduation. He attended Richland Community College and began his career with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office in 1990. 

Chief Jim Getz – Chief Jim Getz began service with the Decatur Police Department on July 7, 1999. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Springfield and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session NA271. Getz was promoted to Chief of Police in 2016. 

Episode 6 Panel 

Debbie Bogle – Debbie has been the Executive Director of the United Way organization of Decatur & Mid-Illinois since 2012. Debbie is working to educate the community on the service available during COVID-19, especially for those who have never sought services before. Find out more a uwdecatur.org 

Episode 5 Panel 

Jarmese Sherrod, Ph.D.  – Dr. Sherrod has more than 20 years experience in teaching, mentoring and empowering young people. A professor at Richland Community College, she teachers English and Media. Dr. Sherrod is also CEO and founder of Sherrod’s Independent Mentoring Program (SIMP), an organization focused on academic advising, mentoring and youth development. 

Lainah LaFollette – Lainah LaFollette is a member of YLIA and works on the Social Media Team. She is currently a senior at Maroa-Forsyth High School. At school , she is involved in volleyball, cheer, track, National Honors Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Young Life, and Young Leaders in Action. 

Quinn Barciszewski  – Quinn is a member of Young Leaders in Action and attends Eisenhower high school. He is involved in football, student council, baseball, and science club. 

Episode 4 Panel 

Raychel Yokem  – Raychel is the Diversity Inclusion & Affirmative Action Manager at Growmark, Inc, and the Founder of Corporate KIN LLC. She provides HR consulting for corporations, individuals, start-ups and non-profits who need support with diversity, equity, leadership and inclusion strategies. 

Episode 3 Panel 

Jordan Powell, MBA – Jordan has been with IPHCA since 2013 and previously served as our Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Governmental Affairs. A healthcare strategist and change leader with the personal and professional goal of improving lives and health outcomes for individuals and communities, Jordan dedicated his career to public service after being raised in a low-income household by a single mother who faced multiple health issues. 

Dr. Dana Ray  –Dr. Dana Ray is a Decatur native and is the Chief Medical Officer at Crossing Healthcare. 

Episode 2 Panel 

Julia Livingston – Julia Livingston is the Executive Director, Macon County CASA and Founder, Discourse on Racial Difference book club. The book club, which has over 600 members and growing, was developed out of a desire to help our community begins fruitful and educated conversations on racial difference. 

Heather Guasco  – Heather has been an elementary school teacher for ten years and is currently the kindergarten through third-grade art teacher at Mt. Zion. Heather is a mom of two and a member of the Discourse on Racial Difference Book Club 

Episode 1 Panel 

Rev. Courtney L. Carson, MDiv. – Reverend Courtney Carson serves as an ordained Minister at Antioch M.B. Church, Executive Director of External Affairs for Richland Community College and Vice President of Decatur Public Schools District.61. Rev. Carson is the Co-creator of the Award-Winning Trauma Sensitive Training Program known as EnRich at Richland Community College. 

Jeanelle Keck – Jeanelle Keck is a Finance Director at a local insurance company. Jeanelle is a firm believer that education and civic engagement will lead to a more informed and just society. To that end, she became a certified facilitator in the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) in 2017. In 2019, she co-led the first cohort of the Be the Bridge program, with the aim of racial reconciliation in the church. Also in 2019, she became an adjunct professor at Millikin University. 

Charmaine Robertson-Stoner, LCSW – Charmaine Robertson-Stoner is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Director of Behavioral Health Services for Crossing Healthcare. With over 10 years in the field of Social Work, Charmaine has significant experience assessing and educating on the complex bio-psycho-social factors related to patients with emotional and physical trauma histories, who require mental health support, substance use treatment, and a continuum of care.