Meet Our Board
CRCSTL is currently recruiting new board members! Learn more about the expectations of board members and apply online.
Jesse E. De Graftenreed III
Board Chair
Jesse (he/him) is a proud, retired United States Army veteran who served in various leadership positions during combat and humanitarian operations worldwide. He joined the CRC team in 2018 as a volunteer mediator. He has been negotiating and mediating for over a decade, receiving his formal training in mediation from Missouri State University in Civil & Family mediation.
Jesse also has extensive knowledge and training in business, community, police, and neighborhood mediation. He is a private consultant in human-resource-related issues ranging from workplace investigation, Equal Employment Opportunity issues, and State and Federal workplace compliance.
In 2019, Jesse graduated from Washington University School of Law, earning a Master’s in Legal Studies and a Certificate in Conflict Resolution. He attended his undergraduate studies at Drury University, graduating with honors receiving a Bachelor in Organizational Leadership Studies and a Bachelor of Business Administration.
Jesse is a strong advocate for youth in leadership and community volunteerism. He understands we all deal with conflicts and miscommunications in our everyday lives, personally and professionally. He passionately believes mediation can resolve all disputes by being mindful, compassionate, and respectful towards each other during the process. Jesse is married, whose wife is a United States Army veteran as well. Together they are raising a large, blended family.
Don Morgan
Vice-Chair & Secretary
Dr. Donald Morgan (he/him) came to St. Louis in 2014 after twenty years of teaching and as the director of the Clinic at Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.
In addition to his work as a faculty member at Rutgers, he maintained a private practice in clinical psychology for 35 years, specializing in working with couples and with people dealing with medical illnesses. He is very happy to be able to contribute to the training of volunteer mediators and to the organization and administration of the Conflict Resolution Center.
Don is also Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Benton Park Neighborhood Association Saint Louis city, where he and his wife make their home.
Mary Wheeler
Interim Treasurer
Founding Board Member
Mary Wheeler (she/her) is the Interim Treasurer of CRCSTL and a trained mediator. She has been a lifelong resident of North St. Louis City and has been a long-term leader and advocate for equitable change in her neighborhood and throughout the region. Growing up, she recalled how beautiful the homes were maintained and the apparent neighborhood pride. As a result, Mary’s focus has centered on neighborhood revitalization and sustainability efforts. Recently, Mary along with 8 other committed community leaders co-founded the Fairground Park for All non-profit to bring the park to its neglected splendor and bring residents out of their homes to utilize the park to its full potential. Mary was also recently appointed by the Mayor of the City of St. Louis to the Senior Fund Board, providing funding opportunities to agencies that service St. Louis City's senior population, 60 years and older.
She is a former board member of the Wesley House Association and a current member of the O’Fallon YMCA Recreation Center Complex Advisory Board in the 11th ward. In addition to these boards, she is also a trained mediator, co-founder and the former Vice Chair of the Conflict Resolution Center,
Mary Wheeler is a member of the inaugural cohort of the Neighborhood Leadership Fellow Program sponsored by the St. Louis Promise Zone and facilitated by the University of Missouri - St. Louis Extension Office. As a fellow, Mary developed and implemented with fellow team members a strategy to lead change in her neighborhood and beyond.
After over 25 years with the City of St. Louis, Mary retired in early 2018. Most recently, Mary served as the Democratic Director of the Board of Election Commissioners from 2005 to 2018. Mary emerged as a national leader among the Board of Elections community.
Mary’s commitment to community has been a deeply held core value throughout her life, and she is thrilled to continue to embody that value as a community volunteer in the years to come.
Tia Davis
Board Member
Tia (she/her) is a dedicated member of the St. Louis Conflict Resolution Center. Originally from Chicago, she has been an integral part of the St. Louis community since 2007. With a background as an R&D Analytical Scientist in the pharmaceutical industry for over 20 years, Tia brings a wealth of expertise to her current role as a life science regulatory expert. Her commitment to conflict resolution is evidenced by her completion of Civil and Family Mediation Training in March 2019, as well as her achievement of an MLS with a Regulatory Compliance focus from Washington University Law School in May 2019.
Tia's extensive experience in using analytical skills, reasoning, and logic to contribute to the development of chemotherapeutic drugs and as a regulatory expert has had a profound impact on many lives. Her contribution in mediation reflects her desire to continue utilizing these skills to make a direct and positive impact on the lives of individuals in need of conflict resolution.
Bill Duffe
Board Member
After serving for four years as an officer in the US Navy, Bill (he/him) worked for the federal government and then the city of Saint Louis. Between 1978 and 2004 he served as the Director of Personnel for the city of Saint Louis, and since 2005 he has been a human resource consultant to various public jurisdictions around the country. Bill brings his many years of experience dealing with employer/employee issues, labor relations and diversity to CRC’s efforts to mediate conflicts.
Patti Fox
Board Member
Patti (she/her) is a trained mediator and completed the CRCSTL’s MAP program. She is currently serving as chair of the National High School Mediation Tournament Committee. She is past Co-Chair of the International Academy of Dispute Resolution (INADR) Pilot High School Mediation Tournament Committee; Associate member of Association of Conflict Resolution; has traveled nationally and internationally as the National Field Recruiter for Principia School, and also served as Lead Resident Counselor at Principia.
Patti has worked extensively with youth in various positions such as Resident Counselor, varsity tennis and mediation coach, and advisory leader. She is especially passionate about empowering youth by helping them gain practical skills in learning how to work together, collaborate and be peacemakers. Patti was recently chosen to be a co- leader for the upcoming class in the National Leadership Council program, a four year servant leadership program for high school students designed to foster spiritual growth and develop servant leadership skills. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Science in Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In her free time, Patti enjoys pickleball, walking her dogs with her husband, Larry or being on the water. Patti and Larry have two children, a daughter in law school and a son who recently graduated from TCU in Texas.
Dr. Joseph King, Jr.
Board Member
Dr. Joseph King, Jr. is an Executive Human Capital Officer and the Principal and Director of The King Group Consulting. His current work includes Field Instructor with Washington University/Brown School and the St. Louis Field Education Collaborative. He has also filled the role of Adjunct Professor and Professional Development Consultant with Webster University Management and Human Resource Departments for graduate students and executive development of corporate and governmental leaders. Before this, Dr. King worked with the U.S. Army CCDC Armaments Center, (formerly ARDEC)which is the government's #1 Research, Development, and Engineering Center with 3,000 employees, a $1Billion budget, and bragging rights as a winner of the 2007 Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award making it the first and only government agency to win. As a human capital officer, Joe established the first Human Capital Management Office for the U.S. Army CCD Armament Center, developed and executed policies and programs, and selected the Chief Learning Officer. He has instituted talent management and acquisition programs and audits, Pay for Performance, tuition reimbursement, and hiring bonus policies.
Dr. King received his Ph.D. in Applied Behavioral Science and Educational Leadership from the University of Cincinnati, his master’s degree in National Securities Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Xavier University. He completed the Senior Executive Fellowship Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Additionally, he has multiple certifications in addition to the Six Sigma Black Belt, such as Human Capital Executive Certification, Malcolm Baldrige Examiner Certification, Human Capital Strategist Certification, Acquisition Technical Evaluation Certification, and Shingo Prize Certification. Dr King has served as a mediator for over 35 years; his initial training was conducted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Former Board Members
Carrie Crompton
Jane Davis - Founding Board Member
John Doggette - Founding Board Member
Denyse Jones
Grace Lee
Barbara Lucks
George Nikolajevich
Jamala Rogers
Austin Walker
JoAnn Williams - Founding Board Member