Families can enroll by calling 314-747-RSTL (7785) or 314-362-9586 or by completing our online enrollment form.
Traci Carter, Program Manager
Bio coming soon!
Chastity
Perry Smith, MHRM, Supervisor
Chastity Perry Smith brings to her Raising St. Louis supervisory role more than 15 years in academia. She served seven years as director of Career Services for Brown Mackie College, where she specialized in adult learning, career development, enrollment, admissions and student services. She has a passion for public health, primarily with a focus on the maternal health of Black women. Chastity has become an advocate of helping mothers maintain and improve their health by providing social support and being a navigator of community resources.
For her own academic background, Smith received a sociology degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She later earned a Master of Education from Strayer University and a Master of Human Resource Management from Argosy University. Her interests have driven her focus on helping families overcome barriers to educational resources, job readiness and employment to help address some of the disparities that plague under-served communities. Her passion for health and wellness led her to become a fitness instructor who teaches healthy living to individuals, for community-based organizations and for the Move by BJC HealthCare fitness center.
Kristin Nelson, Parent Educator Supervisor
Kristin Nelson joined the Raising St. Louis team as Parent Educator supervisor in October 2022. She served as a coordinator with Missouri First Steps for over 3 years prior, leading a team of home visiting therapists and educators in the St. Louis region. In her past work, she wrote individualized education plans, taught in the classroom, directed a 0-3 ministry, and advocated for health and educational needs for children ages birth to 3 years.
Kristin earned a B.A. degree from Lindenwood University in Interdisciplinary Studies with focuses in Philosophy, Early Childhood Education and Management. She is currently completing her Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lindenwood University. Kristin's passions are centered around children's health and educational advocacy, trauma informed care, and serving families in the St. Louis community.
Andrea Hoppert, Community Health Coordinator
Andrea Hoppert has a passion for public health and health equity. In 2018, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health, with an emphasis in Community and Population Health from Lindenwood University. That same year, Andrea worked as a Community Health Worker at Mercy Hospital where she served uninsured patients accessing community resources. In 2019, she chose to pursue a Master of Public Health degree with an emphasis in Health Managment from St. Louis University. Andrea also had the opportunity to support the COVID-19 response at the St. Charles Health Department and brought additional capacity to existing programs and services. Andrea's goal as the Community Health Coordinator with RSTL is to maintain and expand relationships with community partners to better serve clients.
Demi Seldon, Intake Coordinator
Demi Seldon earned a Master's degree in Healthcare Administration from Webster University and a Bachelor's in Health Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She has served our BJC community in numerous roles for the past 5 years as an advocate for patients and clients. Demi's assistance in underserved populations helped to build relationships with families and other organizations to navigate health disparity issues. She joined our RSTL team in July of 2021 and continues her passion for connecting low-income, minority families with the resources they deserve. Demi is thrilled to continue her contribution of patient advocacy and relationship building skills within RSTL.
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Rachel Cramsey, Social Worker
Rachel Cramsey moved to St. Louis from Quincy, Illinois, to attend graduate school and found a new home and a career that sustains her. She earned a Master of Social Work Degree from Saint Louis University in 2011 and a clinical social work license in 2015. From 2012-2015, she was a trauma and transplant social worker at Barnes-Jewish Hospital before taking a job serving families impacted by addiction and incarceration. She was hired as a social worker for RSTL in September 2019. Cramsey says she enjoys the team and community-based structure of the program which allows for a better opportunity to know and work one-on-one with families. The program’s in-home visits (or another client preferred location) enhance relationship-building, which is a key to success, she says. “With so many demands, I can give the parent a safe space to share their struggles and focus on them for just a bit.” Offering stress management and mental health support is a critical component of the program. When not working, Rachel enjoys running, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and cheering on the U.S. women’s national soccer team.
Steven Williams, Jr., Community Health Worker
Steven Williams, Jr. is a native St. Louisan who has more than 20 years of experience working with organizations that advance the health, social and economic stability of underserved populations. He has an Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education and joined our RSTL team in October of 2018. Steve is an accomplished musician and singer who has traveled throughout the country performing in theatrical productions. His greatest accomplishments in life are being a husband and involved father of two beautiful daughters.
Christopher Deloch, Community Health Worker
Christopher “Chris” Deloch joined the Raising St. Louis team as a Community Health Worker in February 2020. He is excited to contribute to the program’s mission that addresses the social determinant of health, which are conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. Factors like socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment, and social support networks, as well as access to health care, play major roles in a family’s quality of life. After four years working as a psychiatric technician at Hawthorn’s Childrens Psychiatric Hospital, he saw first-hand the difficulties vulnerable families face and the plight of clients who suffer from mental health illnesses. He also previously volunteered as a teacher’s aide at Pagedale Head Start. His passion for supporting youth is a driving force for a future endeavor to open an afterschool program to help young people achieve academic success and gain life skills. “I would love to make a difference in a kid’s life, in a major or minor way,” he says.
Laure Watson, Parent Educator
Prior to joining the Raising St. Louis team in 2015, Laurie Watson worked eight years for the SIUE Head Start program as a parent educator in East St. Louis, Illinois. She is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development.
