Prevention Emeritus Awards
ACT Missouri Recognizes Our Heroes
The term, emeritus, is a person retired from professional life but permitted to retain an honorary title. These individuals have dedicated their lives to substance use prevention, assisted communities in developing coalitions, trained volunteers on the latest topics, and helped raise resiliency among Missouri’s youth. The Prevention Field will be eternally grateful for their service.
Diane Ooton
Awarded
2018
Diane Ooton, Prevention Specialist for Compass Health Network
Compass Health Network would like to congratulate Diane Ooton on her extraordinary prevention career in Central Missouri. Diane retired from Compass health after many years of service and missed it so much she came back and gave Compass a few more years of her love for her communities. Prevention has been very fortunate to have such a dedicated, hard-working, knowledgeable coordinator. Diane was also a mentor and a teacher for the next generation of prevention specialists. Her compassion for what she did proved positively through many lives she has touched. We are forever grateful for her service.
Jamie Scott
Awarded
2016
Jamie Scott – Prevention Emeritus Award
presented posthumously to her family
Jamie was dedicated to the prevention of substance use throughout Missouri. Jamie earned Master’s of Social Work from the University of Missouri and spent 15 years at the Department of Mental Health in the Certification Division, the Medical and Clinical Review Unit, and the Quality Improvement and Managed Care Section.
In 2004, Jamie joined ACT Missouri as the Director of Contracts and Collaborations. This position enabled many of our community coalitions to access funding to provide the best prevention services possible. She was a Missouri Advanced Certified Substance Abuse Prevention Professional through the Missouri Credentialing Board. She had a strong passion for prevention because, like many of us, had addiction in her family. She loved working with communities to change the environment in which our children are raised. Jamie was a funny, witty, and just a kind soul.
Jamie lost her battle with cancer in July 2015 but will always be remembered as a role model and a mentor in the prevention field.
Donna Chapman
Awarded
2016
Donna Chapman-Morgan County CLEAR Coalition, Versailles
Donna Chapman of Morgan County CLEAR, Community Leaders Educating About Resistance, has dedicated her life to supporting her community in its efforts to increase education, to promote healthy behaviors, and to reach out to all segments of their county’s diverse population. Prior to retiring to become MC CLEAR’s grant coordinator, Donna was a teacher, a Summer School Director, a Vice principal, a Principal and Title 1A Coordinator. She has spent her life providing healthy, safe opportunities for youth.
Even in retirement Donna has not left the schools and the students she worked so hard for during her career. As grant coordinator of MC CLEAR since its inception in 2006 and as Planning Director for Citizens for Health and Wellness since 2010, Donna’s commitment to her county, to its citizens and especially to its youth in promoting healthier homes, healthier schools, and healthier workplaces has made her their local Champion. The positive change CLEAR has brought to their community deserves recognition and praise for their local champion, Donna ‘Champion’ Chapman.
Gary Hillebrand
Awarded
2015
Gary Hillebrand, Prevention Specialist for
Preferred Family Healthcare, Kirksville
Gary Hillebrand was employed at Preferred Family Healthcare for nearly 26 years as a Prevention Specialist. Primarily serving the nine counties in Northwest Missouri, Gary provided specific technical assistance and training to various community coalitions. Gary has over 20 years of experience in community prevention and educational coordination, and he served as a consultant and trainer for anger management, peer assistance education, motivational interviewing, and public speaking.
Gary has been a tremendous asset to PFH and the statewide prevention network. Gary is compassionate, caring, nurturing, encouraging, thoughtful, and a great communicator. He is the ultimate team player, hardworking, and committed to everything he does, and he can be counted on by anything that is asked of him. As wonderful as he has been as an employee, he is an even better human being. His heart is genuine. Gary has had to overcome a lot of obstacles in his life, but he’s done so with a lot of perseverance and a sense of humor to go along with it. We want to thank you for everything you’ve done for PFH, the prevention world in Missouri, and as a friend. Thank you for being such an inspiration to all of us.
Linda Frost
Awarded
2014
Linda Frost-Director of Prevention,
Family Counseling Center, Columbia
Linda Frost, MACSAPP, worked at Family Counseling Center, later Compass Prevention, for nearly 15 years. She started as a Prevention Specialist and soon became Program Director, then later Prevention Development Director. At the time of her retirement, she oversaw a service area of 29 counties. Her career also included 14 years doing prevention work in the public health and education sectors. Linda was honored in 2014 by the University of Missouri-Columbia for outstanding prevention service, which was one of the highlights of her career. Linda’s greatest privilege was being able to work with fellow staff members, other prevention specialists, coalition members, and community members to help make Missouri a great, healthy place to live.
