2026 SOS BOARD MEMBERS

Pat Crowe – President

Pat is retired following a career spanning more than four decades in advertising, marketing, public relations, and communications within both corporate and non-profit organizations, including work with the Saint Louis Art Museum. Her expertise lies in developing and executing comprehensive marketing communication strategies tailored to key stakeholders. Pat has held SOS leadership roles as chair and vice chair of the Education Committee and was instrumental in leading SOS’s current strategic planning initiative. She is an alumnus of Leadership St. Louis and Leadership Belleville. Outside of her volunteer commitments, Pat enjoys traveling with her husband, gardening, reading, and pursuing fitness activities, and she is the mother of two adult children. Her involvement in a collective giving organization reflects her commitment to supporting initiatives that aim to enhance the St. Louis region.

Ally works in wealth management helping individuals and families with their banking and investment needs. By aligning clients’ goals and values to their portfolios, Ally can help ensure families feel financially confident that their investments are having a positive impact in the world. Outside of her professional responsibilities, she serves as a community volunteer at various organizations and is a junior member of the St. Louis Woman’s Club. Ally loves traveling, hiking, and taking her dog Callie on evening walks.

Liz Reeves - Board Secretary

As a fundraising professional, Liz has devoted her career to improving civic and cultural life in St. Louis. Liz joined the St. Louis Public Library Foundation in 2008 to run the community phase of a $20 million capital campaign for the restoration and renovation of the iconic Central Library in downtown St. Louis. As director of the St. Louis Public Library Foundation, Liz is responsible for the management of the foundation’s endowment, capital campaigns, and fundraising efforts to support children, teen, and adult programming throughout the library system. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Liz came to St. Louis to attend Webster University. There she met her husband and the two eventually settled in Clayton where they raised their three grown daughters.

Becky Courtney – Board Treasurer

After retiring from a two-part career in the banking and travel industries, Becky spends her time traveling with friends and family, golfing, reading, and volunteering in various pursuits. Her favorite volunteer activity is cuddling the babies in the NICU at Mercy Hospital. This is her sixth year serving as SOS board treasurer.

Ellen Franzel – Board Vice Treasurer

Ellen has more than 40 years of experience in finance, accounting, and mergers and acquisitions. She retired in 2025 from Evernorth, a division of Cigna, where she worked for 26 years in the Finance Department. She serves on the board of The Gratitude House and volunteers at other community-based organizations. Ellen spends her time cycling, walking, baking, reading, playing mahjong, and traveling. She is married and has two adult children.

Amy Inman - Nominating Committee, Chair

Amy joined SOS in 2012 and has served in many leadership roles within the organization: as President, Nominating Chair, Grants Chair, and on the Nominating Committee and Advisory Council. She has represented SOS on Multi-Year Granting at the Philanos National Conference, and on collective giving at the Business Journal’s Women’s Conference. Amy is the Board President of the Global Learning Exchange Initiative, an international nonprofit delivering a nationally accredited literacy curriculum, teacher certification, and ongoing professional development in Guatemala. Her civic involvement has included serving on the board of the WashU Women’s Society, and as a member of Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, the National Council of Jewish Women, and the St. Louis Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she previously served with the Missouri Collaborative Against Human Trafficking, contributing to regional awareness-building and coalition efforts.

Nancy Nix-Rice Litz – Education Committee, Chair

Nancy joined SOS in 2022 and brings significant volunteer experience to her new role. Her area of greatest focus has been the National Council of Jewish Women, where she is a board member and immediate past president, and also served as vice president of both Leadership Development and Policy Advocacy. She received the NCJW Outstanding Advocacy Award and was recently honored by The Jewish Light with their Unsung Hero Award. Nancy also has chaired the DEI Education Committee for her congregation, and chaired the Program Committee for Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice. Professionally, Nancy has worked for the last 35 years as a color/style/wardrobe consultant, working with private clients, presenting group programs, producing videos, and running a subscription online style community.

Barbara “Barb” A. DuBois - Grants Committee, Chair

After working for 36 years in public accounting, Barb retired as a certified public accountant and principal from Clifton Larson Allen LLP (CLA). While working at CLA she also served on the company’s foundation grants committee as a volunteer grant reviewer. Since joining as a member of Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund in 2020, she has served on the Grants and Finance Committees. She also has had the privilege of volunteering at past SOS grantees including Earthdance Organic Farm, Eye Thrive, The Collective Thread and Springboard to Learning. Barb is a recent volunteer at Seton Regional Catholic School, Sweet Celebrations, Cardinal Ritter Senior Services and St. Louis Area Foodbank. She is a married and has two adult children. She loves dogs, pickleball and fitness.

Nancy Hamilton – Impact Committee, Chair

Nancy is a retired attorney who specialized in corporate governance, securities law and mergers and acquisitions at two major public companies in St. Louis. She is a member of a number of professional associations and most recently served on the board of Grace Hill Settlement House before its merger with the Urban League. She loves gardening, reading, traveling, and – of course – her activities with SOS.

Roberta Shapiro - Impact Committee, Vice Chair

While living in Dallas, Texas, for 35 years before moving to St. Louis in 2023, Roberta served as the business, estate, and personal assistant for a high wealth philanthropist and became instrumental in this donor’s philanthropic relationships. Upon the donor’s passing, Roberta led the incorporation of a charitable foundation where she served as president until it sunset in 2023. Over its 12-year life span the foundation gifted $20 million in the Dallas area. When she is not with her granddaughter she plays bridge, takes quilting classes, studies Judaism, travels, and exercises.

Emily Rapp – Membership Committee, Chair

With an MBA in strategic planning and project consulting, Emily has used her professional experience to serve as a Finance Committee liaison on SOS grant evaluation teams for the past five years. She has served as a volunteer for schools and nonprofits around St Louis, including serving on the boards of Junior League of St. Louis, Nurses for Newborns, General Protestant Children's Home, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Kansas and Missouri chapter (now known as Breakthrough T1D). Six years ago, Emily became a yoga instructor and she now operates an online yoga studio.

Barb Meyer - Marketing and Communications Committee, Chair

Barb worked professionally in health care communications and marketing for more than 40 years, retiring in 2019 from Mercy where she held the position of Vice President, Communications. She joined SOS in 2021 and has been active in the grant review/site visit process as well as many grantee volunteer activities. In retirement, Barb is enjoying new travel adventures, hospital volunteering, Pickleball, reading, and spoiling her grandchildren. She and her husband have two adult daughters.

Maribeth Concannon – Technology Committee, Chair

Maribeth joined SOS in 2022. A lifelong St. Louisan, she has volunteered at Visitation Academy for over a decade serving alongside the Sisters in support of quality education for young Catholic women. After having worked in IT for more than twenty years, Maribeth launched a company of her own that helps individuals learn to use their technology with more confidence and ease.

Megan Nangle Riley - Board Member At-Large

Megan has served as a senior retirement plan advisor for Moneta for the last 28 years. In addition to her valuable experience and knowledge in employee retirement benefits, investments, and fiduciary responsibility, Megan is well-versed in working with nonprofits. She served as a board member with Ready Readers for six years and is currently a member of the Ready Readers Advisory Board. She is also involved with a variety of other charities throughout St. Louis. Since joining Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund in 2020, she has been an active member, attending nearly every event. In her downtime, Megan enjoys traveling and cheering for St. Louis City SC with her husband and three children.

Marianne Baer – Board Member At-Large (Volunteer Outreach)

Marianne joined SOS in 2011 to meet new people, learn more about St. Louis area non-profits, and be a part of SOS’s unique collecting giving organization. She has served on the Membership and Education committees and currently is helping connect our members with grantee volunteer opportunities. Marianne is a well-known teacher and artist in the St. Louis area in ceramics and up-cycled fiber work. Some of her many interests are cooking, yoga, travel, and time spent with family.

Shelby Schagrin - Advisory Council Chair/Founder & Initial SOS Co-Chair

Shelby is a managing director of investment banking for Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. She founded SOS and co-chaired it with Susan Block for its first three years, 2006-2009. Her goal was to bring together a group of women and pool their collective resources of time, talent, and money to improve our community.

Susan Block, Founder & Initial SOS Co-Chair/Member At-Large

Susan Block owns The Designing Block, a home décor and designing business. She volunteers with and sits on the boards of various nonprofit organizations. With Shelby Schagrin, she co-chaired the Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund for its first three years, 2006-2009.

Gwen Wesley, Philanos Liaison

As a founding member, Gwen has served in multiple roles with SOS for more than 20 years, including President, Membership Co-chair, a member of the Impact Committee, and as a grants/LOI leader and site team leader. In addition, she previously represented SOS as a board member of Philanos and served as its Governance Chair. Gwen is retired from a career in governmental and regulatory affairs, including serving as executive director of Great Things Incorporated and as a Monsanto loaned executive for the United Way. Among other civic activities, Gwen has served as a board member of Court Appointed Special Advocates for Abused and Neglected Children (CASA) and Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice. Gwen is passionate about singing and is a charter and current member of the In Unison Chorus of the SLSO and also sings with The Legend Singers of St. Louis. Gwen and her husband are proud parents of a daughter, “son-in-love,” and grandparents of three granddaughters.