Meet Our Board

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  • Executive Directors

    RAM began as a shared dream and a passion to serve Veterans and First Responders for Jeff & Paula.

    Jeff grew up in Joplin, MO and has spent the last 29 years in law enforcement. He currently serves as a detective at the Republic (MO) Police Department. Jeff is a Veteran and served 8 years as a medic and respiratory therapist in an Army Reserve mobile hospital surgical unit. He was a Staff Sergeant upon leaving the Army. Jeff received Bachelor of Science degrees in Criminal Justice and Technology Management and Associate of Science degrees in Law Enforcement, General Business, and Respiratory Therapy, all from Missouri Southern State University. He holds various certifications as a Peer Support Specialist.

    Paula grew up in Flora, IL. She is employed at Netsmart Technologies as a Technical Project Manager. She has worked in the IT field for the past 30 years. Paula received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from Eastern Illinois University (EIU), where she was a member of the EIU band and Tau Beta Sigma service sorority. Paula has been a lifelong member of the American Legion Auxiliary and has served Veterans in many different capacities. She has volunteered with the Illinois Girls State program for over 20 years and currently serves the program as Assistant Director. Paula’s father served in the Navy and was stationed at Pearl Harbor during WWII.

    Jeff & Paula have 7 children between them and 4 grandchildren. They pray that the legacy of this organization extends throughout their future generations.

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  • Treasurer

    Chaplain Kennedy holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a Master of Business Administration in Management, a Master of Arts in Marketplace Chaplaincy, and doctoral work toward a PhD in Psychology, not yet completed.

    Chaplain Kennedy entered military service in January of 1990.  He served as an Enlisted and as an Officer. He completed 4 commands before switching to Chaplaincy. The last command was as a Movement Control Team Commander in Iraq. After that deployment, he transferred to military Chaplaincy.  He returned from a deployment to Kuwait 2012/2013 as the Brigade Chaplain for the 35th Combat Aviation Brigade. Chaplain Kennedy has been awarded multiple awards and decorations most notably the Bronze Star and a Navy Achievement Medal (while serving in the Army).

    Chaplain Kennedy currently owns a financial planning practice, councils and speaks about military and first responder trauma, and serves on several non-profit boards. He also serves as a home health chaplain, hospice chaplain, and police chaplain.

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  • Board Member / Secretary

    Mark and Jennifer Renfro started out as high school sweethearts in the Neosho, MO area and now have  celebrated 30 years of marriage. They have served in many roles together throughout the years including: 4-H shooting sports leaders, 4-H horsemanship leaders, sports parents, and hunting and fishing guides.

    Mark and Jennifer have served as volunteers at Peterson Outdoors Ministries. They are now serving in the best role of all - as grandparents. Seeing their boys, Remington and Colton, navigate dating, marriage and having children of their own, God has given Mark and Jennifer a desire to help others succeed in a lasting marriage.

    Mark has been employed for the last 30 years with General Mills as a Maintenance Fabricator and also as a co-youth pastor with Jennifer at Hilldale Baptist Church in Neosho. God has led them to be certified in Christian Marriage Counseling where they believe in the foundation of a Christ-centered marriage and finding biblical resolution to marriage difficulties. Serving in these positions has greatly influenced the way they think, speak, and react to situations that affect relationships today.

    Mark and Jennifer look forward to seeing and experiencing everything that God has made possible throughout this much needed ministry and will provide a vital role in the area of marriage/family coaching, mentoring, and education for the RAM organization. Jennifer also serves as RAM Secretary.

A man and woman smiling, with the woman standing behind the man and resting her hand on his shoulder. The man is wearing a yellow shirt with a black bow tie and black jacket, while the woman is wearing a plaid dress. Both are indoors in front of a plain wall.


  • Board Members

    Jim and Stacey are from Flora, IL and have been married for 37 years. They are the parents of 2 adult sons and 2 grandchildren.  

    Jim is a retired engineer from North American Lighting in Flora. He is currently the pastor at the First Church of Flora. He is also the volleyball coach at the high school and jr. high school in Flora, a volleyball referee, and a DJ. Jim is a member of Beyond the Walls, a group formed to serve the needs of the community outside the church walls. In the little spare time he has, Jim often assists the Flora and surrounding communities by building ramps for the elderly and those in the area with disabilities. Jim was named the 2019 Flora Citizen of the Year.

    Stacey is self-employed as a hairstylist and has owned and operated her own salon for 38 years. She has been an educator for the John Paul Mitchell company, where she traveled working hair shows and teaching workshops for salons throughout Illinois. Stacey is a worship leader at the First Christian Church in Flora. Yes, you read that right, Jim and Stacey lead at two different churches - just one of their funny, crazy stories. Stacey is very involved in her community. She is the Master of Ceremonies for numerous beauty pageants, talent shows, and the All American Boy and Girl contests. Since 2001, Stacey was involved in the restoration of the B&O Railroad Depot in Flora, helping with the annual Depot Variety Show as a major fundraiser. In 2012, she took over the duties of writing, directing, casting, and acting in the production.

    After Jim retired, he and Stacey took over the former Town Theater in Flora, turning it into a non-profit community theater they named the Nostalgia Theater. Their ultimate goal is to fully restore the historic building in the downtown area and create an affordable gathering place for everyone to enjoy. The building is used for many projects, meetings, concerts, dinner theaters and receptions. They have raised enough money from their non-profit to give local scholarships in Music and Arts for the last 3 years. Their goal in their own words is to "continue giving back to the community for as long as our old bones let us!"

  • Board Member

    Kaleb is a dedicated soldier, husband, and father with a heart for service and a background rooted in both education and military leadership. He graduated from Nixa (MO) High School in 2010, where he began developing leadership skills as the captain of the school soccer team. He graduated from Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO) in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in K-12 Kinesiology.

    Since 2010, Kaleb has proudly served in the United States Army. He has been a CH-47F Chinook pilot and currently holds the rank of CW2 and serves as a 915A Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic warrant officer in the Army Reserves. Kaleb is a JROTC instructor at the Webb City (MO) High School.

    Known for his steady leadership and hands-on approach, Kaleb brings a strong sense of discipline, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving to the board. Outside of his professional life, he’s a proud husband to Korie and a father to four amazing kids—Khloe, Dawson, Lukas, and Niko. The Romero family lives in Webb City, MO, where they enjoy building a life rooted in faith, family, and community.

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  • Board Member

    Jacob graduated from Nixa (MO) High School in 2018, where he was captain of the school soccer team and was president of DECA (business club). He was a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Drury University (Springfield, MO) in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and a minor in Spanish. Jacob served as a Student Ambassador and Head Residential Assistant at Drury and co-created a new campus ministry. He was a member of the Student Union Board (SUB) and the American Chemist Society (ACS).

    Jacob will soon be completing his Doctor of Optometry degree at the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN. He recently accepted a position in Columbus, NB as an optometrist. Jacob and his wife Jalen will be moving to Columbus upon his graduation. He is passionate about using the knowledge he has acquired in school to provide vision care to those who need it most.

    Jacob has a deep commitment to community outreach, both locally and internationally. Recently, he volunteered on a medical mission trip to Costa Rica, where his team saw over 550 patients. He also has enjoyed volunteering in Memphis at a homelessness outreach project.

A woman with dark hair and glasses smiling, wearing a patterned dress, sitting indoors. She has a name tag reading 'Angela Martin'.

  • Board Member

    Angela is a lifelong resident of Flora, IL. She has been active in the American Legion Auxiliary for over 30 years. Angela is a past president of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 14 in Flora. She is passionate about serving Veterans in the community, especially those in area nursing homes. Angela has a heart for helping others in need.

    Angela is a licensed CNA and currently serves as the Transportation Coordinator and Medical Records Clerk for Axiom Healthcare. When she isn't working, she can be found planning events for the American Legion Auxiliary and spending time with her adult children and grandchildren. Angela enjoys planning events for the children of Veterans.

    One of Angela's talents is cooking delicious food, and her cooking skills will be utilized to coordinate meals during RAM special events. She will also help plan the logistics for the special events and will help keep things running smoothly.