Shayne is a native of Columbia.  She got her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from MU and her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology from CMSU.  She has worked as a speech pathologist for the Columbia Public Schools for the past four years.  This year she is staying home with her children.

Jay is originally from St. Louis.  He received his undergraduate degree from MU and his MBA from William Woods University.  He is a Commercial Loan Officer at Boone County National Bank.

Betz, Kathi and L'Mont

Kathi is an RN and has 10 years experience with neonatal care.

L'Mont owns and operated L.C. Betz Jewelers in downtown Columbia at 601 E. Broadway on third floor of Executive Building, Suite 303, 449-1070.

Critchfield, Beth and Todd

Beth provides a Personal Income Tax Preparation Service and Business Bookkeeping Service.

Todd has a Physical Therapy Practice.

Diehls, Julie and Chris

Julie graduated from the University of Missouri- Columbia with a bachelor's degree in secondary  mathematics education in Dec. 1993.  She was then a
math teacher with the Columbia Public Schools for almost six years, one year at Oakland Junior High and 5 years at Hickman High School. To further her
education, she completed her master's degree in mathematics education at MIZZOU in the summer of 1999.  She left teaching due to bedrest during her
1st pregnancy, and has been a stay-at-home mom ever since.  She is currently on MOPS steering for her second year, as well as on the advisory board for
her college sorority (Kappa Kappa Gamma), and a grader for MU's Center for Independent Study.

Chris  is a CPA and tax manager with Williams-Keepers.  He also serves on the board for the Ronald McDonald House of Mid-Missouri as treasurer, and is the treasurer for the Boone County Chapter of the MU Alumni Association.

Duffy, Linda and David

Linda is from Chillicothe, MO. and her husband, David is from Trenton. They have one daughter whose name is Diana and she lives in Palm Desert CA. She is the manager of Tommy Bahama retail store. Linda is a retired first grade teacher who taught at Benton and Fairview. David owned the Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery and is now a business consultant. They love spending time at the
Lake of the Ozarks, snow skiing, learning the game of golf and time in the desert. Linda loves to cook and read. She also does lots of volunteering.  She has enjoyed doing Resources for MOPS because she found this was something all parents wanted. Families are so busy and she thought if she could give them a few of her favorite recipes or articles that she found helpful and interesting it could make our parenting and marriage a little easier.

Elfrink, Marcie and John

Prior to children and right out of college Marcie worked in Head Start and Title XX (state funded) Day Care. She did everything from teacher to director. Marcie has also dabbled in grant writing/research, quality control and utilization review, building and personnel safety and office and construction
management. Currently, she works from home as a bookkeeper for Fleet Interiors, a marketing company for 18-wheeler floor mats.

John is plant manager for Avery's Floor Mat Co., in Laddonia and they manufacture custom floor mats for all vehicles.

Farmer, Christi and Chris

Christi graduated from MU with a degree in Civil Engineering and worked for a local consulting firm for 4 1/2 years. She is a licensed Professional Engineer with the State of Missouri, but is enjoying her new career as a mom. 

Chris also graduated from MU and is currently doing a fellowship in Sports Medicine.

Fougere, Sara and John

Sara has a degree in Food Science and Nutrition from MU. She has done a variety of things, all food related. She worked in the hotel business for many years
doing meeting and convention planning. Her last job before she started staying home was teaching nutrition (K-3) in the elementary schools. She plans to write cookbooks someday (she does have one started).

Fuller, Mindy and Todd

Mindygraduated from Southwest Baptist University with a degree in Physical Therapy. She works part-time at Boone Hospital Center Home Care. Todd
also went to SBU and he is the director of public relations for Missouri State Teachers Association.

Hartnagel, Susan and Bryan

Susan attended MU and received a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Masters' degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis.  She met her husband, Bryan, at MU and they were married on the Francis Quadrangle in 1992.  

After completion of Bryan’s Ph.D., they moved to Fort Collins, Colorado and both worked at Colorado State University.  They moved back to Columbia in May of 2002.  Bryan is a Structural Special Assignments Engineer for MoDOT’s Bridge Division and Susan is currently a stay at home Mom. 

Klein, Sandy and Peter

Sandy grew up in Nashville, TN and went to Auburn University for both B.S. and Ph.D. in economics.  She has taught economics at the undergraduate level at Auburn, the University of Georgia and Copenhagen Business School in Denmark.  She currently teaches one economics class a semester at MU and works part-time as the Assistant Director of the Financial Research Institute on campus

Peter has a B.S. from the University of North Carolina and a Ph.D. from Cal-Berkeley in economics.  He is an assistant professor in the agribusiness program at the University of Missouri.

Kramer, David and Susanne

David and Susanne have been in the area since the late 80's and, with the exception of living in Boston for the past 4 years, they call Columbia "home".

Susanne graduated from MIZZOU with as BSN/RN. After working at UMHC and a hospital in Boston, she is now staying home with their children. Susanne has found a passion for scrapbooking and is currently a Creative Memories Consultant.

David graduated from MIZZOU with a degree in Accounting, then received his CPA. He is currently an Account Manager for Consul Risk Management, based out of Boston with their headquarters in Belgium. He travels quite a bit with the company, but has a home office here in Columbia.

Linder, Kerri and Chad

Kerri graduated from MU with an Accounting degree and worked for state Farm as an Accounting Supervisor for 10 years.  

Chad also graduated from MU, both undergrad and med school.  He is a Pathologist with Boyce and Bynum.

Nunamaker, Michelle and D.J.

Michelle has a B.S. in Public Relations and worked in that field for two years prior to kids. She will complete her Elementary Education certification in December of this year. 

D.J. is the Marketing Manager at Environmental Dynamics, Inc. and is finishing his M.B.A.

Patty, Mindi and Jeremy

Mindi is currently pursuing her degree in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia.  After graduation she plans on staying home and raising their family. 

Jeremy is from St. Charles and has a BS in Finance from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He works full time for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network as a Financial Representative.

They enjoy spending time with family, traveling, snow skiing and snow boarding, boating at the Lake of the Ozarks, and riding bikes. They are avid MIZZOU fans, and hardly ever miss a game! 

Rackers, Tricia and Jeff

Tricia attended MIZZOU for 2 years then relocated to San Diego and lived there for 4 years where she worked as a sales manager for Wet Seal and Pacific Eyes & T's. She moved back to Columbia and finished her education at Columbia College. Her last job was sales manager for Gadzooks.

Jeff Rackers is originally from Jefferson City. He attended MIZZOU and started work in the car business. He is currently the business manager for Joe Machens where he has been employed for over 10 years.

Rice, Jenny and Mac

Jenny graduated from MU with a degree in business. She worked for the Columbia Tribune for 3 years.  Her last job was at Boone Hospital in Human Resources. 

Mac graduated from Rolla and is a mechanical engineer. He worked at the AmerenUE Callaway Plant for 5 years and is currently a utility engineer for MU in the Energy Management dept./power plant.

Rodgers, Lisa and Elton

Lisa and Elton met at a Aeromedical Conference in Tampa. They both worked for Med-i-vac helicopters at that time. Elton stills works with the University Ambulance where he is a Clinical Supervisor/Paramedic. Lisa changed careers when she moved to Missouri and became a Math teacher for 6 years at local high schools. She is now staying at home while teaching Algebra online through Columbia College (No more bathroom passes!)

Studer, Melanie and Kent

Melanie graduated from Baylor University and taught elementary school for 10 years, then quit when she became a mom. 

Kent graduated from MIZZOU and is an optometrist here in town, Eyecare of Columbia. 

Sykuta, Debbie and Mike

This is Debbie's 5th year in MOPS. She has been married to Mike for 13 years, after dating each other in high school! They are blessed with one girl and two boys (ages 8, 6, and 2). In Debbie's previous life, she was a senior accountant for McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis. They moved to Pittsburgh, PA, after Mike received his Economics PhD at Washington University. That is when Debbie's current career began as "Chief Operating
Officer" for the Sykuta household. (a.k.a, mom).  They moved to Columbia in August of 1998. 

Mike is an assistant professor in the Agribusiness program
at MIZZOU. They are very active with church (Community UMC), being on several church committees, and leading a Couples Sunday School class together. Deb also teaches kindergartners part-time and helps out with the children's music program.

Thackery, Dora and Greg

Dora is a Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) and has over 20 years experience in the secretarial field working at MFA Incorporated, Boone Hospital Center, and Missouri United Methodist Church.  Currently, she’s employed part-time at The Wesley Foundation on the second floor of MUMC.  Wesley is a campus ministry that serves all three colleges in town. 

Her husband, Greg, has a B.S. in Biochemistry (1985) and M.Ed. in Exercise Physiology (1991), both at MIZZOU.  He has worked at Boone Hospital Center for 19 years and is a registered Exercise Physiologist with Wellaware. 

They have gone through a Marriage Encounter Week-end and would be happy to talk to anyone who is interested in making their good marriage better.

Thurman, Denise and Skipper

Denise graduated from Boonville High School in 1980. She has worked as a secretary, Business Manager, & a Payroll Accounting Clerk for Don L. Landers & Company before becoming a MOM. She has built 2 homes with her husband during their 19 years of marriage. Also, Denise is a MOPS Steering Committee member for 2001-2002 & current year 2002-2003, heading crafts.

Skip graduated from Hickman High School in 1981. He is an Amusement Game Operator and owns his own business: Coin Operated Equipment, LLC.

Trower, Krista and Chris

Krista graduated from MIZZOU with an elementary education degree. She taught school in North Kansas City for one year before marrying Chris. They made Columbia their home in 1993 and finished their MBA degrees before starting a family. She last worked outside the home at Texton Automotive Co. where she was a Human Resources Trainer and lastly, a Buyer. She has enjoyed staying home with her children..

Chris also graduated from MIZZOU with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, minoring in Mathematics. Chris is currently employed as the Purchasing/Materials Manager at Gates Rubber Co. in Columbia.

Wolverton, Christi and Rob

Christi up in Carthage, MO, and graduated from William Jewell College with a B.S. in Business Administration. She married Rob Wolverton in September of 1988 and the following year they headed West and landed in Pt. Roberts, Washington. Since Pt. Roberts is unique in that it is part of Washington state yet landlocked by British Columbia, Canada, it was an interesting resort town. Rob put his accounting degree to work and they started their own bookkeeping and tax service for Canadians who had businesses in town. They soon expanded using Christi's computer skills and offered office automation services to local businesses. Well, all good things must come to an end, and the Canadian dollar took a nose dive, so they returned to their Midwestern roots. Christi landed a cool job with MBS Textbook Exchange traveling 
around the country and training bookstores on their computer systems while Rob began a career in real estate with Jackie Bulgin. Rob has now moved into real estate development and is loving it, while Christi stays at home. Christi has decided to venture out in the world through MOPS and Mary Kay Cosmetics. While staying at home is the highest priority for Christi, so is keeping some portion of identity for herself while bringing fun and encouragement to the many women she meets through Mary Kay. Visit her website at www.marykay.com/cwolverton.