Board of Directors
Stephanie Suljak
Non-Voting Member
We began our journey in August 2011 when Founder & Executive Director (and mom), Stephanie Suljak, discovered a large unmet need in the St. Louis area to help families provide for their children. HHMD began in her living room with 12 referring partner agencies and now has well over 125 agencies that refer the service and a whole warehouse to support the need. As of 2024 more than 40,000 children and their families have been served in some way by Helping Hand Me Downs. Stephanie and her husband Chris live in Wildwood with their 2 children ages 9 and 12 and their dogs Bubba, Hank and Macy.
Kaitlin Kelly
President
Kaitlin is serving her fourth year on the Board and her first year as President. She works for Kodi Collective, a Nashville based marketing company. Kaitlin loves working with this amazing organization that Stephanie has built!
Mary Ann Thurby
Treasurer
Mary Ann is starting her second year on the board as treasurer. She is employed at Signify lighting as a Regional Sales Manager for over thirty years selling commercial lighting. Mary Ann is thrilled to be a part of this organization and all they do to help our community.
Kate Scott
Secretary
Kate serves as the Secretary for the Board of Helping Hand Me Downs. She is a mother to a beautiful cat named McHugh, a gardener, a St. Louis native, and an attorney. She is happy to support Helping Hand Me Downs’ mission of connecting moms and their children with essential resources.
Gia Thurby
Member
Gia is starting her second year on the board as a community advocate. She has been employed with Midwest Oral Surgery for 7 years and has volunteered with Easter Seals as a camp counselor along with various school related activities. Her prior board service was with the Lindbergh Hockey Board. Gia loves serving single moms and their children and enjoys celebrating their success.
Jarred Reed
Member
Jarred P. Reed is an attorney in the Madison County, Illinois office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, a full-service law firm with offices across the United States. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and International Politics from George Mason University and a Juris Doctor degree from The University of Tennessee. Mr. Reed is a graduate of Lausanne Collegiate School (Memphis, TN) and has served as a Board of Trustee member and Alumni Association President.
Annie O’Donoghue
Member
Annie is a marketing consultant at Standing Partnership in St. Louis, where she partners with clients to achieve their goals by leading strategic discussions that uncover needs and identify growth opportunities.
In her spare time, Annie can be found running in Tower Grove Park or exploring South City where she lives with her pittie-mix pup, Frankie. She has a wide variety of hobbies—from belting karaoke to knitting a quick hat or baby blanket while watching a series or getting lost in an audiobook. But most of all, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Maggie Kwawer
Member
Maggie is starting her first year on the Helping Hand Me Down board. She has vast experience as a divorced working parent of two, financial industry executive and MO licensed attorney specializing in mediation and arbitration.
As a St. Louis native, she resides in University City, MO with her partner, Gary and their large fur babies. She hopes to work to educate families on budgeting skills, state family law, local resources, and education opportunities available for all families.