Meet Our Board
CRCSTL is currently recruiting new board members! Learn more about the expectations of board members and apply online.
Jesse E. De Graftenreed III
Board Chair
Jesse (he/him) is a proud, retired United States Army veteran who served in various leadership positions during combat and humanitarian operations worldwide. He joined the CRC team in 2018 as a volunteer mediator. He has been negotiating and mediating for over a decade, receiving his formal training in mediation from Missouri State University in Civil & Family mediation.
Jesse also has extensive knowledge and training in business, community, police, and neighborhood mediation. He is a private consultant in human-resource-related issues ranging from workplace investigation, Equal Employment Opportunity issues, and State and Federal workplace compliance.
In 2019, Jesse graduated from Washington University School of Law, earning a Master’s in Legal Studies and a Certificate in Conflict Resolution. He attended his undergraduate studies at Drury University, graduating with honors receiving a Bachelor in Organizational Leadership Studies and a Bachelor of Business Administration.
Jesse is a strong advocate for youth in leadership and community volunteerism. He understands we all deal with conflicts and miscommunications in our everyday lives, personally and professionally. He passionately believes mediation can resolve all disputes by being mindful, compassionate, and respectful towards each other during the process. Jesse is married, whose wife is a United States Army veteran as well. Together they are raising a large, blended family.
Don Morgan
Vice-Chair & Secretary
Dr. Donald Morgan (he/him) came to St. Louis in 2014 after twenty years of teaching and as the director of the Clinic at Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.
In addition to his work as a faculty member at Rutgers, he maintained a private practice in clinical psychology for 35 years, specializing in working with couples and with people dealing with medical illnesses. He is very happy to be able to contribute to the training of volunteer mediators and to the organization and administration of the Conflict Resolution Center.
Don is also Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Benton Park Neighborhood Association Saint Louis city, where he and his wife make their home.
Mary Wheeler
Interim Treasurer
Founding Board Member
Mary Wheeler (she/her) is the Interim Treasurer of CRCSTL and a trained mediator. She has been a lifelong resident of North St. Louis City and has been a long-term leader and advocate for equitable change in her neighborhood and throughout the region. Growing up, she recalled how beautiful the homes were maintained and the apparent neighborhood pride. As a result, Mary’s focus has centered on neighborhood revitalization and sustainability efforts. Recently, Mary along with 8 other committed community leaders co-founded the Fairground Park for All non-profit to bring the park to its neglected splendor and bring residents out of their homes to utilize the park to its full potential. Mary was also recently appointed by the Mayor of the City of St. Louis to the Senior Fund Board, providing funding opportunities to agencies that service St. Louis City's senior population, 60 years and older.
She is a former board member of the Wesley House Association and a current member of the O’Fallon YMCA Recreation Center Complex Advisory Board in the 11th ward. In addition to these boards, she is also a trained mediator, co-founder and the former Vice Chair of the Conflict Resolution Center,
Mary Wheeler is a member of the inaugural cohort of the Neighborhood Leadership Fellow Program sponsored by the St. Louis Promise Zone and facilitated by the University of Missouri - St. Louis Extension Office. As a fellow, Mary developed and implemented with fellow team members a strategy to lead change in her neighborhood and beyond.
After over 25 years with the City of St. Louis, Mary retired in early 2018. Most recently, Mary served as the Democratic Director of the Board of Election Commissioners from 2005 to 2018. Mary emerged as a national leader among the Board of Elections community.
Mary’s commitment to community has been a deeply held core value throughout her life, and she is thrilled to continue to embody that value as a community volunteer in the years to come.
Bill Duffe
Board Member
After serving for four years as an officer in the US Navy, Bill (he/him) worked for the federal government and then the city of Saint Louis. Between 1978 and 2004 he served as the Director of Personnel for the city of Saint Louis, and since 2005 he has been a human resource consultant to various public jurisdictions around the country. Bill brings his many years of experience dealing with employer/employee issues, labor relations and diversity to CRC’s efforts to mediate conflicts.
Genesis Glover
Board Member
Genesis Glover (she/her) has spent over 15 years supporting underrepresented communities through education, coaching, and strategic program development. She is passionate about helping individuals unlock their full potential through career development and personal growth.
Having worked on the frontlines of nonprofit work, Genesis understands the importance of adaptability. She’s learned how to navigate the challenges that come with working in diverse communities and uses that experience to shape the programs she manages. Genesis’s hands-on approach, along with her leadership skills, allow her to design initiatives that generate real results and make a difference in the lives of those she serves. Empowerment and equity are at the heart of everything she does.
Collaboration and open communication are some of the superpowers that have helped her build strong, lasting partnerships. At her core, Genesis is deeply committed to service. She is all about creating spaces where individuals and communities not only grow, but thrive. Genesis holds a M.S. in Nonprofit Management from Eastern University and a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism with concentrations in Educational Psychology and Gender and Women’s Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is also a Life Member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and Focus St. Louis Women in Leadership (WIL 81) graduate.
Philece Horton
Board Member
Mrs. Philece C. Horton (she/her) is the Director for Grant Initiatives at ARCHS, bringing a wealth of experience in community service and education to her role. With a background that spans from coordinating workforce development programs to teaching Middle School ELA at a St. Louis City charter school, Philece has dedicated her career to fostering positive change within her community. She has also served as a Site Director for various after-school programs and as a Program Manager for a nonprofit. In her numerous roles within the community, her passion for resolving conflicts and building stronger community ties has been evident.
Philece’s commitment to enhancing the lives of families and advocating for educational resources is at the heart of her work. She is deeply invested in addressing community challenges and finding solutions that uplift those around her. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed; she has received multiple awards and was recognized in NAA magazine as one of the next generation of after-school leaders in 2019. In 2021, she furthered her leadership skills by joining the Teach for America Aspiring School Leader Fellowship Program.
In addition to her professional pursuits, Philece is an enthusiastic volunteer with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, where she has successfully led multiple troops. A strong advocate for self-improvement, she continually seeks new certifications and accolades to enhance her skills.
In her personal life, Philece enjoys reading, cooking—much to her children’s delight—arts and crafts, experimenting with makeup, and taking naps. She balances her professional and volunteer endeavors with her role as a devoted wife and mother to six children. Philece identifies with the unicorn as her spirit animal, embodying her belief in the unique magic that each individual can bring to their community.
Dr. Joseph King, Jr.
Board Member
Dr. Joseph King, Jr. is an Executive Human Capital Officer and the Principal and Director of The King Group Consulting. His current work includes Field Instructor with Washington University/Brown School and the St. Louis Field Education Collaborative. He has also filled the role of Adjunct Professor and Professional Development Consultant with Webster University Management and Human Resource Departments for graduate students and executive development of corporate and governmental leaders. Before this, Dr. King worked with the U.S. Army CCDC Armaments Center, (formerly ARDEC)which is the government's #1 Research, Development, and Engineering Center with 3,000 employees, a $1Billion budget, and bragging rights as a winner of the 2007 Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award making it the first and only government agency to win. As a human capital officer, Joe established the first Human Capital Management Office for the U.S. Army CCD Armament Center, developed and executed policies and programs, and selected the Chief Learning Officer. He has instituted talent management and acquisition programs and audits, Pay for Performance, tuition reimbursement, and hiring bonus policies.
Dr. King received his Ph.D. in Applied Behavioral Science and Educational Leadership from the University of Cincinnati, his master’s degree in National Securities Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Xavier University. He completed the Senior Executive Fellowship Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Additionally, he has multiple certifications in addition to the Six Sigma Black Belt, such as Human Capital Executive Certification, Malcolm Baldrige Examiner Certification, Human Capital Strategist Certification, Acquisition Technical Evaluation Certification, and Shingo Prize Certification. Dr King has served as a mediator for over 35 years; his initial training was conducted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Jeanne Marra
Board Member
Jeanne Marra (she/her) is a communications writer and strategy consultant, specializing in community development and financial empowerment. She works with nonprofit organizations, community coalitions and financial institutions to help advance financial health initiatives, deepen outcome analysis and leverage support for community initiatives that serve underserved populations. She has successfully advised and written multiple applications for New Market Tax Credit allocation, translating to millions of dollars in funding for community projects and disadvantaged small businesses in low-income communities nationwide.
Jeanne spent two decades working at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, most recently as a senior community development specialist promoting financial access, capability and empowerment of individuals and communities across the Eighth Federal Reserve District. There, she fostered partnerships and initiatives that advance financial stability and economic inclusion among low- and moderate-income households by conducting outreach, analyzing data, evaluating policy and highlighting effective programs and tools. She is a current or past advisory board member of numerous community coalitions, including: St. Louis Regional Financial Empowerment Coalition, Asset Funders Network, Gateway EITC Coalition and several regional Bank On initiatives that promote financial access via low-cost bank accounts.
As a communicator by trade, Jeanne understands the value of each person’s voice through community engagement and the power of mediation. She loves capturing impacts that will inspire others for future success, seeing deep meaning behind every change. She is married and a new empty nester with three grown children and one baby granddaughter.
Former Board Members
Carrie Crompton
Jane Davis - Founding Board Member
Tia Davis
John Doggette - Founding Board Member
Patti Fox
Denyse Jones
Grace Lee
Barbara Lucks
George Nikolajevich
Jamala Rogers
Austin Walker
JoAnn Williams - Founding Board Member