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AMM Communications Certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

image of Ann Marie Mayuga

Ann Marie Mayuga is AMM Communications co-founder and principal

AMM Communications, the leading St. Louis-based PR, digital agency and talent acquisition firm, received the prestigious national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) by the Women’s Business Development Center – Chicago, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

The WBENC certification for women-owned business is the most recognizable and sought-after certification of its kind. WBENC’s national standard of certification implemented by the Women’s Business Development Center – Chicago is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection.  The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.

Founded in 2008 by Ann Marie, AMM Communications, a PR and digital agency, serves clients throughout the St. Louis region, nationwide and internationally. The firm has grown from initially offering public relations, media relations and social media consulting from 10 years ago to evolving into one of the only digital public relations firms in St. Louis using the Paid Earned Social Owned (PESO) model, which was created by Gini Dietrich, PR-thought leader and founder of the influential blog, http://spinsucks.com.

This certification benefits our clients by helping them achieve their diversity initiatives, demonstrating their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier diversity programs. It also provides our clients with a proven professional services partner holding a certification that is nationally accepted by hundreds of major corporations and government entities.

AMM Communications has been certified by the State of Missouri as a WBE since 2011, and by St. Louis County and St. Louis City since 2018. The firm is also certified by the Missouri Department of Transportation as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) since 2018.

 


 

About AMM Communications

Founded in 2008, AMM Communications LLC, the St. Louis-based PR and digital agency, and talent acquisition firm, provides media relations, digital public relation, business development, crisis communications, content marketing, internal communications, communications skills training, digital marketing, reputation management, social media consulting, and executive search services for businesses nationwide. AMM Communications is a nationally certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council ((WBENC), WBE- certified by State of Missouri, and St. Louis County and St. Louis City, and is certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). AMM Communications has been voted one of the “Best PR Firms in St. Louis” by Small Business Monthly from 2010-2018. We want to help you … Drive your sales. Communicate better. Hire well. For more information, please visit, http://ammcommunications.comor call 314.485.9499.

 

About WBENC

Founded in 1997, WBENC is the nation’s leader in women’s business development and the leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, with more than 13,000 certified Women’s Business Enterprises, 14 national Regional Partner Organizations, and over 300 Corporate Members. More than 1,000 corporations representing America’s most prestigious brands as well as many states, cities, and other entities accept WBENC Certification.

Young Friends of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri Adds Three New Board Members

Loren Menefee, Nino Przulj and Ericka Simpson Conner have joined the Board of the Young Friends of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. The Young Friends are a group of young professionals committed to increasing public awareness of the mission of Legal Services within the community and providing volunteer and financial support for the agency.

Loren Menefee, Corporate Counsel with Bayer’s Crop Science Division

Loren Menefee, Corporate Counsel with Bayer’s Crop Science Division

Loren Menefee, corporate counsel with Bayer’s Crop Science Division, holds a Bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University in California and a J.D. from Saint Louis University. She is a member of the Missouri Bar. She joined Monsanto in 2016 as a corporate attorney and previously interned with The Simon Law Firm, P.C. and Hon. Audrey Fleissig in the Federal District Court of Missouri.

Nino Przulj, Associate with Thompson Coburn

Nino Przulj, Associate with Thompson Coburn

Nino Przulj, an associate with Thompson Coburn holds a Bachelors degree and a J.D. from Saint Louis University. He is a member of the Missouri Bar and Illinois Bar. He was formerly court clerk for Hon. Paul C. Wilson in the Supreme Court of Missouri and a Board Member of the Bosnian-American Professionals Association and of the Community Development Corporation Board of the International institute. He was named as a “30 under 30” awardee by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2018.

Ericka Simpson Conner, Associate with Husch Blackwell

Ericka Simpson Conner, Associate with Husch Blackwell

Ericka Simpson Conner, an associate with Husch Blackwell, holds a Bachelor’s degree from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA and a J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law. She is a member of the Missouri Bar and Illinois Bar. She previously interned with Wells Fargo Advisors, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and the Missouri Court of Appeals.

 


 

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri has provided free civil legal help for low-income families for 62 years. In 2017 nearly 30,000 people in 21 counties of eastern Missouri received services from four regional offices. For more information, please visit www.lsem.org.

Healthy Cooking Substitutions for No-No Foods

Substitutions for No-No FoodsPeople with allergies know how difficult it can be to make healthy dietary choices. Individuals that are lactose intolerant, for example, have a tough time consuming dairy and milk products. However, it is not only due to allergic reactions that people struggle in making dietary choices. Over the years, we have developed a strong love for certain foods that are not entirely beneficial for our overall health. Salt is one of the most common examples of such an ingredient. Too much salt can result in a number of serious diseases overtime, such as hypertension.  

So, how does one find healthy cooking substitutions to all these foods? Here is a list of some of the common no-no foods for which you must switch to a substitute.

  1. Milk

Milk is used in a wide variety of ways and some of the most delicious desserts have milk as the main ingredient. This is why the quest for milk substitutes has given everyone access to some great replacements. These include Soy Milk, Almond Milk, Oat Milk, Rice Milk, Cashew Milk, Coconut Milk, Hemp Milk, and Flaxseed Milk. The nutritional snapshot of all these different options is not the same, however, the amount of fat found in cow’s milk is considered to be the greatest. 

  1. Butter

Substitutes for butter are generally made up of coconut or vegetable oils. There is also nut butter that is richer in protein and has a greater amount of carbs in their nutritional content. Substitutes made out of vegetable oils are able to mimic butter very well and have a close nutritional profile. 

  1. Salt

The salt content in what we eat is hard to believe. What most of us do not realize is that this single ingredient has the capability to increase our risk of suffering major diseases, such as hypertension. Luckily, the substitutes for salt are easy to find. All you have to do is switch to spices and herbs or sprinkle some citrus juice to get that extra kick. Garlic and onion are also considered to have the same effect as that of salt.

  1. Yogurt

You can eat yogurt is in a number of ways and can be added to any meal of the day. However, for people that experience a hard time digesting dairy products, some substitutes of yogurt are also rich in protein. These substitutes include Yogurt made out of Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, or Soy Milk. Moreover, Hemp Yogurt is also a substitute that is equally rich in protein content and offers fiber as well. 

  1. Cheese

While soft cheese is easy replicated by its substitutes, hard cheese is much more challenging. For soft cheese, elements such as macadamia nuts, almonds, and cashews can be used. However, if you want the same texture, you could add tofu to your replacement of cheese. In case of hard cheese substitutes, the base can be made form a number of different elements such as soy protein, vegetable oils, or nuts. Nutritional yeast is another common substitute that is commonly referred to as a parmesan-like ingredient.

So, starting today, add all these nutritional substitutes of some of the most desired foods known to us. Here’s to eating guilt-free!

Purk & Associates Welcomes Mallory Sone as an Associate

Mallory Sone, Associate at Purk & Associates, P.C.

Mallory Sone, Associate at Purk & Associates, P.C.

Purk & Associates, the award-winning, nationally recognized accounting and management consulting firm, announced today that Mallory Sone joined as an Associate in the tax division.

In her new role, Sone will prepare corporate and individual client tax returns, research complicated tax matters, and work with clients throughout the year preparing them for their taxes. Prior to joining the firm full time, Sone was part of the Purk & Associates internship program for two years.

“We’re thrilled to have Mallory join the Purk team full time. When Mallory participated in our internship program, she demonstrated a level of maturity, curiosity and commitment to deliver client results. These are the traits we look for in all our team members,” said Bill Purk, CPA, Purk & Associates President and Co-Founding Shareholder.

Sone graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO, with a Master of Accountancy, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting cum laude.

Founded in 2009 with headquarters in St. Louis, Purk & Associates, P.C., is a nationally recognized and award winning, independently owned accounting and management advisory firm that delivers a full range of tax, accounting, audit and consulting services. At Purk & Associates, our focus is to help our clients achieve more financial and business success. To learn more, please visit http://purkpc.com.

The Association of Corporate Counsel of St. Louis Receives 2018 Best Membership / Recruitment Award at National Meeting

The Association of Corporate Counsel of St. Louis Accepts 2018 Best Membership / Recruitment Award at National Meeting

The Association of Corporate Counsel Chapter of St. Louis (ACC STL) received the Chapter Achievement 2018 Membership / Recruitment Award at the national Annual Meeting of the Association for Corporate Counsel (ACC) held Oct. 21-24 in Austin.

The award is given to the chapter that experienced an increase in overall membership with a well-executed membership campaign. Nancy McCahan, 2018 ACC STL Membership Chairperson, and Managing General Counsel, Sugar Creek Capital designed a three-step membership initiative. Current ACC STL officers and board members attended the national ACC meeting to accept the award.

Toni Douaihy, Association of Corporate Counsel of St. Louis 2018 President, and Macy’s Vice President and Assistant General Counsel

“This is such a great honor for the St. Louis chapter. Nancy and her membership committee did an amazing job this year. The dedication, involvement and leadership of the board, committee and individual member contributions is what makes our chapter strong,” said Toni Douaihy, JD, 2018 ACC STL President, and Macy’s Vice President and Assistant General Counsel.

In 2017, the ACC STL was selected as one of 14 chapters globally to receive the Gold Level Award in the ACC Chapter Recognition Program. This award recognizes the Chapter’s accomplishments in areas including programming, membership recruitment, programming and governance / operations.

To read more about the ACC 2018 national award recipients, please click here.

 

Contact:

Ann Marie Mayuga, AMM Communications

314.485.9499

annmarie@ammcommunications.com

 


 

About the ACC STL:

The Association of Corporate Counsel of St. Louis (ACC STL), the pre-eminent professional development organization serving in-house counsel, was founded in 1987. The St. Louis chapter has more than 550 members who represent more than 100 organizations. During its 30-year-history, the ACC STL has grown to become one of the leading chapters in the country by its national association having been selected as a 2017 Gold Level Award recipient and winning the 2018 Best Membership / Recruitment Award. To learn more, please visit,https://www.acc.com/chapters/stlouis/.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri Expands Youth and Family Advocacy Program Team

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri has hired three staff for the recently expanded Youth and Family Advocacy Program. The program addresses the needs of homeless youth and families in St. Louis City and County.  Program funding is provided by the St. Louis County Children’s Services Fund and the St. Louis Mental Health Board.

Emily Autrey, Social Worker with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program

Emily Autrey, Social Worker with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program

Emily Autrey was hired as a Social Worker with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Truman State University and Masters of Social Work from Saint Louis University. She is a former practicum student at Legal Services and has previously worked as a Case Manager at Our Lady’s Inn and at Almost Home.

Clarissa Jackson, Social Worker with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program and the Children’s Legal Alliance program

Clarissa Jackson, Social Worker with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program and the Children’s Legal Alliance program

Clarissa Jackson will also work as a Social Worker with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program and the Children’s Legal Alliance program.  She was formerly a social worker with the Education Justice Program at Legal Services. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Saint Louis University and a Master’s of Social Work degree from Washington University. She previously interned with Wells Fargo Advisors and SAGE Metro St. Louis.

Elizabeth Larsen, Attorney with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program

Elizabeth Larsen, Attorney with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program

Elizabeth Larsen will serve as an attorney with the Youth and Family Advocacy Program. She holds a J.D. and a Health Law Certificate from Saint Louis University School of Law. She was formerly Program Director with the Connecting Kids to Coverage Program at Legal Services and also served internships in the Missouri State Public Defenders Office and with the U. S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs and SLU’s Children and Youth Advocacy Legal Clinic.

 


 

About Legal Services of Eastern Missouri: Legal Services of Eastern Missouri has provided free civil legal help for low-income families for 62 years. In 2017 nearly 26,000 people in 21 counties of eastern Missouri received services from four regional offices. For more information, please visit www.lsem.org.

Easterseals Midwest Concludes Autism Conference Series in St. Louis Nov. 16

Easterseals Midwest Autism Conference Series 2018Easterseals Midwest wraps up its statewide 2018 Autism Conference Series in St. Louis Nov. 16 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at St. Louis Community College, Bridgeton Campus. Designed for individuals, parents, educators, and professionals, the annual conference unites nationally recognized developmental disability and autism experts. 

The 2018 Autism Conference Series held events in Springfield, Cape Girardeau, Columbia, and Kansas City in October and November.

Dr. Michael Mohrland, keynote presenter, is a board certified clinical neuropsychologist at the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Missouri-Columbia. As a nationally recognized leader in his field, Dr. Mohrland will discuss how executive functions play a significant role in functional outcomes. He will share how understanding the assessment and treatment of executive skills in children-adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) holds promise for predictive and practical outcomes. Dr. Mohrland gives his keynote address from 9:00-10:30 a.m.

The rest of the conference is comprised of workshops. The presenters include:

  • Lea Ann Lowery, OTD, OTR/L – An Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Occupation Therapy at the University of Missouri, Lea Ann will discuss common causes of picky eating in children with disabilities and discuss ways for parents and providers to improve their child’s eating habits. 
  • Karen Cooper – Karen works for Family Advocacy and Community Training (FACT), a non-profit, family-run organization in St. Charles, MO. FACT provides Education Advocacy Services and Parent Support Partners to families who have children with developmental disabilities and / or mental health diagnoses. Karen, a parent of an adult child on the autism spectrum, will provide information about the parent’s rights and child’s rights when a child is disciplined and placed on an Individualized Education Program. 
  • Jennifer Haughey, BA; and Randy Sanders, MA / BCBA – Jennifer has worked with Easterseals Midwest for almost 30 years in a variety of roles with the most recent as a Family Navigator developing plans for parents of newly diagnosed children and older children in need of support and services. Randy is a certified speech and language therapist for K-12 and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has more than 25 years of experience working with children and adults with autism. Their breakout session, “Strategies for Teaching Social Skills,” will cover key social skills, how to determine social goals, and provide strategies for teaching social skills.
  • Ann Schad, LCSW; and Jen Hyde, BS – Currently 90% of individuals with autism are unemployed or underemployed. Over the next decade, half a million teens with autism will become adults. Ann, Easterseals Midwest Family Navigator; and her colleague, Jen, Supported Employment Manager, will discuss strategies families and caregivers can take to guide an adolescent or adult with autism to seek, find and maintain employment.
  • Todd Gentry – A Certified Financial Planner and a Chartered Financial Consultant with more than 20 years of financial services experience specializing with serving individuals and families with developmentally disabled loved ones. He will discuss Missouri ABLE, (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts. 
  • Jennifer Haughey – Jennifer will explain what the ASD is and how to support students with ASD. She also goes into the important and growing role paraprofessionals take in the education and care of a students with ASD.

To register for the Nov. 16 Easterseals Midwest Autism Conference Series in St. Louis, please click here.

Parents of children with autism who receive services from Easterseals Midwest and reside in St. Louis County are eligible for 2 free tickets. Tickets are $75 for parents who are non-St. Louis County residents. Tickets are $100 for a professional to attend, and with a group of 4 or more, tickets are $90 per person. (Online registration available for group rates)

Media Contact: Ann Marie Mayuga, 314.485.9499, annmarie@ammcommunications.com

 


 

About Easterseals Midwest 

Easterseals Midwest is a nonprofit organization changing the way the world defines and views disability by making profound, positive differences in people’s lives every day.  The organization employs nearly 2,000 employees delivering services to more than 4,800 individuals statewide through four divisions: Autism Services, Community Living Services, Early Childhood Services and Employment Services. 

To register for the Nov. 16 Easterseals Midwest Autism Conference Series in St. Louis, please click on the following link, http://www.easterseals.com/midwest/get-involved/events/autism-conference-series-2.html.

The Association of Corporate Counsel St. Louis Chapter Members Participate in October National Pro Bono Month

Association of Corporate Counsel St. Louis Participates in October National Pro Bono MonthOctober is National Pro Bono Month and members of The Association of Corporate Counsel St. Louis Chapter (ACC STL), the pre-eminent professional development organization serving in-house counsel, provide pro bono legal assistance and volunteer not just this month but throughout the year.

The 2018 ACC STL Pro Bono Committee Co-Chairpersons and Board Members are Paula Finlay, AT&T Assistant Vice President-Senior Legal Counsel; and Patricia Duft, Medtronic, Sr. Legal Director.

“Each October, we’re reminded of the impact as attorneys we make on the St. Louis community throughout the year. As a chapter, our involvement is not for one month but throughout the year,” said Finlay.

Association of Corporate Counsel St. Louis Participates in October National Pro Bono Month“Our chapter members, for example, volunteer each month for the monthly Nonprofit Legal Clinics at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. Members meet with prospective Legal Service clients for brief one-on-one sessions to respond to questions they may have on legal issues they experience in the formation or management of a business or non-profit. This work is gratifying because we are involved with helping someone launch a new business,” said Duft.

ACC STL members volunteered throughout the year providing free legal counsel and volunteering for non-profits, including:

  • ACC STL volunteers work with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s Community Economic Development Program, whichprovides free business legal assistance to entrepreneurs who are starting or expanding small businesses that provide a benefit to lower-income communities that Legal Services servs and to non-profit entities that promote community development to benefit lower-income individuals.
  • Association of Corporate Counsel St. Louis Participates in October National Pro Bono MonthFor ACC’s Community Service Month in September, more than 20 ACC STL volunteers, which included members’ families, donated more than 60 hours of time helping with everything from organizing a food pantry and painting to cleaning trash and assembling bicycles for children at Loaves and Fishes homeless shelter.
  • On Halloween, ACC members will serve dinner to families at the shelter.
  • For National Healthcare Decisions Day, held April 16, ACC STL members collaborated with Legal Services and ACC STL Gold Sponsor Husch Blackwell, to offer a pro bono clinic at the Family Care Health Center in the City of St. Louis. The same morning, volunteer attorneys participated in a free CLE on Pro Bono Lawyering in Providing Durable Powers of Attorney for Healthcare and Healthcare Directive Forms, followed by a three-hour pro bono clinic in the afternoon to assist low-income individuals in completing healthcare directives.
  • In addition to the monthly non-profit clinics, ACC-STL members engage in one-on-one legal representation of Legal Services’ Community Economic Development clients for start-up and existing enterprises on discrete business law matters.

 


 

About the ACC STL:

The Association for Corporate Counsel of St. Louis (ACC STL), the pre-eminent professional development
organization serving in-house counsel, was founded in 1987. The St. Louis chapter has more than 600 members who represent more than 170 organizations. During its 30-year-history, the ACC STL has been recognized as one of the leading chapters in the country by its national association. In 2017, it received the Chapter of Distinction Award, where only 14 chapters worldwide received this honor; and in 2018, it won the 2018 Best Membership / Recruitment Award. To learn more,
please visit, https://www.acc.com/chapters/stlouis/.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri New Hires

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri has recently hired two new staff members for the Lasting Solutions Family Law Program.

Jessica Emery, Attorney

Jessica Emery, Attorney

Jessica Emery will serve as an attorney with the program. She is a graduate of Washington University School of Law with a JD and an LLM (Master of Laws) in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution. She was previously employed as a civil and maritime litigation associate with Goldstein & Price, L.C. and is a former intern with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri.

Sammie Jurado, Crisis Intervention Specialist

Sammie Jurado, Crisis Intervention Specialist

Samantha Jurado has filled a new position of Crisis Intervention Specialist to assist victims of domestic violence and provide resources for their recovery. Jurado is a graduate of the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice.

 


 

About Legal Services of Eastern Missouri: Legal Services of Eastern Missouri has provided free civil legal help for low-income families for 62 years. In 2017 nearly 26,000 people in 21 counties of eastern Missouri received services from four regional offices. For more information, please visit www.lsem.org.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri Welcomes Lisa D’Souza

On Tuesday, October 23, 2018, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri held a reception for donors whose support helped establish the Hon. Richard B. Teitelman Chair Attorney position at the organization, and to introduce Lisa J D’Souza as the attorney on this new position. The event was hosted by Legal Services Board Member John G. Simon at the downtown St. Louis offices of the Simon Law Firm, P.C.

As the Hon. Richard B. Teitelman Chair, D’Souza will work with a wide range of client issues, to provide systemic advocacy and litigation on issues that affect low-income Missourians statewide.

D'Souza Reception #1

L to R: Dan Glazier, Lisa D’Souza, John Simon, Joel Ferber

D'Souza Reception #2

L to R: Hon. Colleen Dolan, Doreen Dodson, Hon. Glenn Norton

D'Souza Reception #3

Karen McCarthy, Erica Slator, Liz Lenivy, Jerry Dobson

D'Souza Reception #4

Maria Perron, John Simon, Dan Glazier, Liz Lenivy.

D'Souza Reception #5

Lisa D’Souza addresses the audience

 


 

About Legal Services of Eastern Missouri: Legal Services of Eastern Missouri has provided free civil legal help for low-income families for 62 years. In 2017 nearly 30,000 people in

21 counties of eastern Missouri received services from four regional offices. For more information, please visit www.lsem.org.