Presiding Officer: Nuzhat Mahmood
Secretary: Matt McKeever
Chair of the Day: Martie Cordaro
Invocator: Russ Iwan
Cashiers: Tim Neal
Sgt. at Arms: Gail Veitzer
Greeters: Laura Thomas & Bob Fell
Speakers: Colleen Wachter
Colleen Wachter
Executive Director, The ALS Association Mid-America Chapter
Executive Director, The ALS Association Mid-America Chapter
Presentation Topic: ALS Clinics - from a Living Room to Telemedicine
40 years ago a young man at the peak of his career and life was diagnosed with ALS. He set out to find information and answers, and instead found very little existed. Immediately he and his wife decided to build a network of people and information to give help and hope to others who were diagnosed with this fatal disease. From those living room meetings grew The Mid-America Chapter; a three-state Chapter which has provided services to thousands of people since 1978. As we look to the next 40 years, the evolution of clinical care at The ALS Association treatment centers from basic symptom management, to one that encompasses physical and psychological care along with participation in research trials provides people living with ALS with the highest quality of help for today, and participation in the hope for tomorrow.
Bio: Colleen has 17 years of experience in non-profit. She began working with The ALS Association Mid-America Chapter in June of 2006 as the Director of Events. During her seven years in this role she supervised a fundraising staff of five and more than tripled the amount of funds raised from $376,000 to $1.1 million. She also served as the Chair of the National Peer Group for two years. In January of 2014 Colleen became the Executive Director, overseeing a regional chapter covering Kansas, Nebraska and the western two-thirds of Missouri with four offices and 21 staff members. Colleen currently sits on the National Strategic Planning Committee for The ALS Association.
Colleen moved to Kansas City to pursue an internship in Corporate Wellness which eventually led her to work for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In her role with The Society, she grew the Walk program from $125,000 to $450,000 in her five years as a fundraiser.
Colleen received her Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science from Iowa State University in 1998. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching college football and spending time with her husband of 14 years and their three boys.
