Park University Board of Trustees Elects Jeanette Prenger as Chair; Adds Three New Members
July 8, 2019 — The governing body of Park University — its Board of Trustees — has elected Jeanette Prenger to serve as its chair for the 2019-20 year. Prenger, a resident of Weatherby Lake, Mo., is a 2009 Park graduate. She is the president and chief executive officer of ECCO Select, a technology and human enterprise consulting firm in Kansas City, Mo.
The Board of Trustees also elected the following board officers:
• Vice Chair: Jackie Snyder, Ed.D., Parkville, Mo.; chancellor emeritus, Metropolitan Community College, Kansas City, Mo.
• Secretary: Troy Teague, Kansas City, Mo.; recruiting director, Cerner Corp, Kansas City, Mo.
• Treasurer: Lynn Craghead, Kansas City, Mo.; senior vice president, U.S. Bank, Kansas City, Mo.
In addition, the Board of Trustees elected three individuals — Mitzi Cardenas, Mara Cohara and Sarah Moe Meyers — to serve a three-year term on the board, effective July 1. Profiles of the three new board members:
Mitzi Cardenas
Cardenas, a resident of Kansas City, Mo., serves as the executive chief administrative officer for Truman Medical Centers, Kansas City, Mo. An information technology and health care executive with more than 19 years of experience, Cardenas provides leadership to the organization in developing leading clinical and administrative information systems and technology, as well in non-clinical areas.
She serves on the executive committee for the Lewis and Clark Health Information Exchange and several national advisory and vendor committees. In addition, Cardenas serves as chair of the American Hospital Association’s interoperability work group, and she has served as the chair of the Missouri Hospital Association’s Health IT committee.
Cardenas, who will be a member of the Academic Affairs Committee for Park’s Board of Trustees, earned a Master of Science degree from Troy State University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Mara Cohara, J.D.
Cohara, a resident of Weatherby Lake, Mo. is an attorney and partner at Lathrop Gage in Kansas City, Mo., where she is the leader of the firm’s Environmental and Tort Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. The focus of her practice is in litigation matters involving toxic tort, nuisance, product liability, premises liability, breach of warranty and the defense of religious institutions.
She is active in many civic and legal organizations, including serving as a board member for groups including Camp Fire, Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge Foundation, Lawyers Encouraging Academic Performance and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation. Cohara has been recognized by Ingram’s, a Kansas City business magazine, in recent years as a “50 Missourians You Should Know” in 2019 and as a “40 Under Forty” in 2015.
Cohara, who will be a member of the Marketing and Advancement Committee for Park’s Board of Trustees, earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Sarah Moe Meyers
Meyers, a resident of Kansas City, Mo., is the federal affairs manager at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Mo., where she is responsible for representing the company on federal issues with Congress, government agencies and trade associations. She also serves as president of Hallmark’s political action committee, working to ensure that all contributions to candidates align with the mission and values of the company and its subsidiaries.
She chairs the Greeting Card Association’s public affairs committee, serves on the Envelope Manufacturers Association board of directors and public policy steering committee, and she is a member of the Consumers for Paper Options executive committee. She is also active in the National Association of Manufacturers, serving as the Great Plains regional chair.
Meyers, who will be a member of the Marketing and Advancement Committee for Park’s Board of Trustees, earned a master’s degree in international commerce and policy from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish from Mount St. Mary’s University (Los Angeles).