Board of Directors

Diane Francis, President

Diane has a B.S.Ed. in vocational education from Northwest Missouri State University.  She worked in the food industry for 12 years for the University of Missouri Extension Service and has served as County Program Director for Camden County as well as a foods and nutrition specialist for a five-county area.  Her son has autism, giving her first-hand knowledge of the difficulties people with disabilities have in finding community employment.

Wayne Pierson, Vice President

Wayne retired from Energizer Battery Manufacturing after 39 years where he served as General Foreman as well as Staff Safety, Health and Environmental Coordinator.  He was responsible for the Maryville facility compliance, but also served with the Corporate Manager of Safety, Health and Environmental conducting audits in alkaline battery facilities overseas.  He also served for 38 years in the Missouri National Guard, retiring as a Major General.

Sharon Strueby, Secretary

Sharon retired as the personnel accountant at Maryville R-2 schools.  She has 40 years’ experience in payroll, accounting and administrative services to both schools and businesses.  She has a business certificate from Northwest Missouri State University and is actively involved in the community of Conception Junction.

Diann Schieber, Treasurer 

Diann has dual B.S. degrees in marketing and management from Northwest Missouri State University.  She has experience in marketing, bookkeeping and management.  She has been with Lettuce Dream since its inception.

Rego Jones

Rego retired from Northwest Missouri State University as a senior instructor of horticulture in the agriculture department.  In this position, he oversaw a complex of greenhouses and buildings that house research labs, classrooms and prep rooms.  Rego was owner/operator of a local nursery, The Plant House, for over 30 years.  Lettuce Dream values his experience in agricultural education as well as his resources and contacts as we maintain two greenhouses.

Richard (Dick) VanVactor

Dick retired after 25 years of owning and operating VanVactor Lumber Company in Grant City.  He taught industrial arts at Worth County R-3 for eight years.  He has a B.S. and M.S. in education from Northwest Missouri State University.  He is an active member and officer of Rotary, Boy Scouts, and Grant City Jaycees. He served on the advisory board for the Great Western Bank, school board, and city council.  For 16 years, he was on the board of directors for the Northwest Medical Center.  He currently serves on the Rolling Hills Creative Living board of directors.

Carol Tjeerdsma

Carol retired as an instructor in special education at Northwest Missouri State University having served 17 years.  For 14 years, she was a teacher in special education at elementary schools in Iowa and Texas.  She has a graduate degree in education and undergraduate degrees in elementary education and art.  At Northwest, she was volunteer project chair, coordinating opportunities for university students to work with individuals with special needs in the community.

Ken Smith

Ken has owned and managed a family cattle operation in Missouri and Iowa for 44 years.  He graduated with a degree an agricultural business from Northwest Missouri State University.  He is active in church and community.

David McLaughlin

David retired from Northwest Missouri State University in 2011 after teaching 33 years in the political science department.  He has a PhD in political science from the University of Nebraska, a MAPA from the University of Illinois, and a BA in government from Monmouth College in Illinois. He and his wife have a grandson with Down syndrome.

Sherri Kinsella

Sherri has worked at Kawasaki Manufacturing in Maryville for 20 years as a laborer. She has volunteered at the Lettuce Dream greenhouse, served on the Lettuce Dream advisory board, and is now a board member.

Nicole Carter

Nicole is a fifth grade at South Nodaway R-IV in Barnard MO. She graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a B.S. in Elementary Education/Learning Disabilities.  Nicole has a son with a disability. She has been an active volunteer in Special Olympics for many years and has a passion for promoting inclusion.

Kevin Schieber

Kevin is a farmer owner/operator in Nodaway County.  He and his wife are employed as rural postal carriers.  He and his wife have four children.  Their daughter has a disability, and they are strong advocates for her inclusion and education.

Dorothy Nelson

Dorothy is a retired high school special education teacher.  She has worked in Salt Lake City in a “core” school.  She and her husband moved to Conception, MO in 1997.  She was hired as a paraprofessional at the local school and enrolled as a nontraditional student at Northwest Missouri State University receiving a bachelor’s degree in elementary/secondary education and a master’s degree in education, specializing in educating students with dyslexia.  She was honored with the Teacher of the Year award by the Missouri Council of Exceptional Children.  Her passion is for integration of individuals with disabilities into the community.

Krista Shelton

Krista is the President of Focused Forensic Solutions, LLC, a forensic accounting and fraud investigation firm.  FFS specializes in organizing and analyzing complex financial data, providing accurate and timely reports.  Prior to forming FFS, she was served ten years as a criminal investigator for the Internal Revenue Service. For eight years, Krista has been an active member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Beverly Shelton Girls Town Club.

Thank you for your dedication to Lettuce Dream!