Meet our Staff & Board Members
Kathryn Hope Wheat (she/her)
President & Executive Director
Kathryn has been a front line social worker for over 30 years, serving the urban and rural south. The majority of her career was spent in New Orleans working with veterans and then with homeless youth. In her professional capacity, she has been a teacher, case manager, program developer, staff trainer, liaison, event coordinator, curriculum developer, recruiter, grant writer and advocate. Here in Wilmington, she leads our mission as a 501c3 nonprofit as President of the Board of Directors. Kathryn is a Level 2 Reiki practitioner as well as a trained psychedelic doula. Kathryn also has extensive experience in trauma healing. She is a visual artist, an amateur hagiologist and has a passion for felines and spending time in jungles. Fun facts: She lived in the French Quarter for almost 2 decades, and she was in the Peace Corps.
Missy Rust, MSW (she/her)
Founder & Treasurer
Missy completed an MSW in 1989 and has since worked in alcohol and drug rehab, with children of divorce, as a play therapist, as a specialist helping people with their emotional issues related to their personal finances, as a life coach as well as owning varied businesses across many areas. Missy recently moved back to Wilmington, DE after 40 years away spent mostly in Arizona. With Meliorism Works Fund, Missy has found a mission that combines of all her experiences and passions into a 501c3 nonprofit. Missy serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors. Fun fact: Missy lived in a treehouse near Seattle for most of 2 years and in an RV for 3 years on the road. Missy's other passion is RV'ing and scoping out weird locations around the US
Dr. C'MA DSW (they/them)
Board Member
Dr. C’MA (aka. Corine M.A. Brown) is a Co-Creator. They hold a Doctorate in Social Work, and practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Board Approved Clinical Supervisor in New Orleans, LA. Dr. C’MA is committed to a therapeutic paradigm-shift in the field of mental health & wellness using a Social Work Embodied (SWE) approach. This approach emphasizes Systemic Harm Reduction (SHaRe) by utilizing a strengths-focused lens grounded in radical compassion and social work's core values in an effort to re-imagine what healing can Feel like in light of one's own unique circumstances and the inherently oppressive systems we have learned to navigate throughout our lives. They developed a free tool they call Intuitive Vocalizing Therapy (IVT) to help individuals cultivate a felt-sense of empowerment in their personal healing process. Dr. C'MA serves on the Board of Directors of our 501c3 nonprofit because they are committed to the mission in Wilmington and beyond. Fun fact: Dr. C'MA writes graffiti on trucker caps.
Leigh Ann de Monredon, NP (she/her)
Board Member
Leigh Ann is a Nurse Practitioner who works in the field of substance use and is based in New Orleans. Her practice comes from a non-biased belief in guiding individuals to optimal health through harm reduction, trauma informed care, motivational interviewing and providing tools of empowerment that promote wellbeing. She has been working within disenfranchised communities throughout her career advocating for equal access the resources by working with judges, numerous Boards, agencies and peer collaborators. She has been engaged in the psychedelic community and on-going learning to promote the powerful effect of guided non-ordinary states of consciousness as a potent modality of healing. Leigh Ann's professional background is perfect for growing the mission of our 501c3 nonprofit in Wilmington as a member of the Board of Directors.Fun Fact: Leigh Ann grew up in Puerto Rico and loves Burning Man.