Dena Hibbard grew up in Sedalia, Mo., in a family deeply rooted in public service. She earned a degree in Psychology from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, before heading west. In Los Angeles, she worked with people facing severe disabilities and challenging behaviors, then made an unexpected career turn in San Diego, where she spent several years working with show horses.

Dena returned to Missouri in 1993 and joined the Missouri Department of Mental Health as a case manager, supporting individuals with developmental disabilities in St. Louis. It was during that work that she first encountered the Neighborhood Stabilization program — and in 2000, she accepted the call to work in neighborhood stabilization, where she has continued serving city residents ever since.

Marna Coleman is a St. Louis community leader whose career spans the U.S. Army, government, and nonprofit service. She’s managed budgets, tackled complex projects, and earned recognition from Marquis Who’s Who for her military honors.

In her role as a Neighborhood Improvement Specialist, Marna addresses issues like vacant properties, zoning, and public safety. As a dedicated community leader, she has partnered with groups such as The Little Bit Foundation, Urban League, and Access Foundation to hone skills in strategic planning, financial oversight, and organizational management while helping the community. She is also active in Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Order of the Eastern Star, organizations through which she helps feed the less fortunate during the holidays and year-round.

Marna is also pursuing her doctorate at Liberty University. She continues to use her interests and experience to blend academic rigor with on-the-ground leadership, always focused on building equity, stability, and opportunity in St. Louis.

Keith Minor has spent more than 25 years working alongside St. Louis residents to strengthen neighborhoods and improve quality of life. In the nonprofit sector, he worked with hundreds of kids and young adults through after-school programs and neighborhood activities, organized block units, tackled nuisance properties, and helped young people in gang culture find healthier outlets.

For the past six years, Keith has served as a Neighborhood Improvement Specialist, where he surveys residents, files service requests, connects people with resources, and mediates conflicts. His approach is simple but powerful: empower residents to be good neighbors — one person, one household, one block at a time.