ABOUT US

Betty Davidson, Ph.D. was a director at Fontbonne University, a principal at the Missouri for the Blind and became the state director of Missouri Rehabilitation Services for the Blind. She was the supervisor of the vision impaired and orthopedic impaired for Special School District serving 21 school districts. Betty was president of numerous boards including Variety Women, Home Services, national chair of the Administration and Leadership Division of the Association of the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Zonta Club of St. Louis.

Colleen Horwitz spent over a decade in advertising and marketing, developing messaging and strategy for brands such as Nordstrom, Lee jeans, Purina and Sonic Drive-In. During her time on Sonic, she managed brand strategy and creation of the advertising campaign across media platforms, including the production of the award-winning “Two Guys” television spots. She is a producer on the award-winning short films The Perfect Note, Sound Off and BoyMom.

Whitney Bartelli serves as the Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at CommunityAmerica Credit Union, overseeing the areas of brand strategy and brand growth, content strategy, social and digital engagement and management, product development, member/corporate communications and community engagement. With a people-helping-people focus, Whitney’s teams are focused on elevating CommunityAmerica’s brand and connecting Kansas Citians to its mission of helping members achieve financial peace of mind. 

Linda Wiedmaier is a writer/editor who helps global corporations, marketing agencies and media companies get the good word out about their products, services, communities and ESG efforts. Her clients have included H&R Block, Hallmark, Kansas City Southern Railroad, VMLY&R, Breakthrough Marketing and thinkParallax. A former St. Joseph News-Press lifestyle reporter and editor. Linda has also written for The Kansas City Star and USA Today. As a film/video producer and production manager, she’s worked on award-winning corporate videos, commercials, TV programs, and short and feature films. Linda is also past president of Kansas City Women in Film & TV. 

Karen Schuster, LifeBridge Partnership CEO, started her career as a CPA with Ernst & Young auditing primarily financial institutions and non-profit organizations. She transitioned to Director of Audit & Compliance with Southwest Bank in 1996. During her 15 years with the bank, she had the opportunity to lead the Crestwood branch and join the business banking team. She is fortunate to have been able to pursue her passion for community service through organizations such as Lindbergh Schools, Rotary, The Crossing and, of course, LifeBridge Partnership. She started as a volunteer at our Sports Camp for kids with disabilities, served on the Board of Directors and, in August 2011, was hired to lead the organization. 

Michelle Davidson Bratcher is dedicated to supporting the local film community by serving as the president of FILM IN MO, the Missouri Motion Media Association and is the past president of Kansas City Women in Film & TV. She is a five-time regional Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, host, and actor.  She has written films that have been shown at festivals and theaters throughout the country, as well as won prizes and fellowships for her screenwriting for the TV screen as well as writing and directing short films. Davidson Bratcher was honored by the Kansas City Women in Film & TV with the 2017 KCWIFT Legacy Award for her contribution to the film community.

Wes Buchek spent more than a decade working for Special School District of St. Louis County. While working in the communications department there, he headed multiple awards and scholarship programs, as well as published countless success stories and produced videos featuring students with disabilities. His experiences there shaped his understanding of inclusivity in media, and the value of representation. He currently works at St. Louis Community College at Meramec, in the marketing and communications department, where inclusivity, diversity and appropriate representation play into his everyday work. 

Annie Donnell is a graduate of Belmont University and is a service specialist for Edward Jones in St. Louis. Annie established and serves as president of the St. Louis Chapter of Achilles International, an organization where athletes with disabilities and volunteers come together to train in an environment of support and community. She has also worked with the Starkloff Disability Institute’s Dream Big program and the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments. For her work, Annie received the 2019 Youth Leadership Award presented by the Missouri Governor's Council on Disability.  

 Susie George has experience in marketing and management of advertising strategies spanning a variety of consumers. While working on Sonic Drive-In, she managed multiple marketing partnerships to achieve a cohesive, well-communicated message across many markets. She has been involved in non-profits that serve the aging population of Kansas City.   

Ron Hack is an attorney with the law firm of Evans & Dixon LLC. Ron is an experienced toxic tort, environmental and commercial litigator and small business advisor. He also counsels small- to mid-level companies regarding corporate organizational matters, contracts, labor and employment matters, insurance coverage, and environmental matters. Additionally, Ron chairs the Missouri Governor's Council on Disabilities and previously served as president of United Cerebral Palsy of St. Louis. 

Norma Nisbet has more than 25 years of experience as a commercial investment brokerage specialist, with expertise in land sales, development and site acquisition for multiple types of retail, residential, industrial and commercial uses. She established and owns Vista Properties and Investments and has served as a member or numerous boards of directors and chambers of commerce. She is currently a director on the Women’s Council with the Department of Economic Development with the state of Missouri.  

Nicolas Noblitt rolled into acting in the Los Angeles area after learning at a young age how much he loved dancing and performing in his wheelchair. While dancing and speaking in front of audiences with Infinite Flow, an inclusive professional dance company, he became comfortable talking about his life with cerebral palsy and hearing loss. Nicolas began acting classes around age 8, gaining roles in national Target, Burger King and Nickelodeon spots. He also appeared on the TV series “Ramy,” “Speechless” and “SWAT,” as well as in the movie “The Contractor” with Chris Pine and Ben Foster. He and his family have participated in the Easter Seals Disability Film Challenge. Now based in Tyler, Texas, Nicolas is an actor with the Tyler Civic Theatre Center. Nationally, Nicolas continues his twin passions of acting and championing disability rights/inclusive policies in media, entertainment and society at large.