Leadership

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Senior professional woman with dark brown hair and red jacket
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George Gotto, Ph.D., director, 
UMKC Institute for Human Development;
director, Missouri University Center of Excellence for Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD)

Brandon King, director, IHD Business Operations Programs

Melissa Lowry, APR, Fellow PRSA, director, IHD Strategic Communications

Melissa Newkirk, associate director, Early Childhood Innovation Center

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Amelia Reighard, IHD Grant Writing Lead

Michelle Reynolds, Ph.D., senior associate director of UMKC’s Institute for Human Development; director of IHD’s LifeCourse Nexus Training and Technical Assistance Center

Susan Schmidt, director, IHD Program Development

Staff Directory

See those who comprise the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development along with their bios, projects teams they have supported, products they’ve produced and more. 

Advisory Council

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Professional middle-aged woman with dark brown hair, cream shirt and dark grey jacket

Aldridge, Kayla, Self-Advocate

David Baker, Director
Missouri Assistive Technology

Emily Hartley,
State Partner, Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council

Nicole Noblet
Self-Advocate, EITAS

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Melissa Patterson-Hazley, 
Community Partner, 
KC City Council

Nancy Pennington,
Executive Director
Missouri Association of
County Developmental
Disabilities Service Boards

Kim Stock, 
State Partner, Missouri Department of Mental Health

Lisa Sutherland
Attorney, Missouri Protection and Advocacy

Gena Villegas
Community Partner/Family Member
St. Joseph School District