Covenant House Missouri gains three new board members

St. Louis, MO – Covenant House Missouri (CHMO) welcomes three new members to its now twenty-two-member board of directors, adding expertise from a diverse range of areas.

Irasa Downing, Ryan Litteken, and Michael Rupinski all continue to demonstrate their dedication to the St. Louis Community through their new board member roles. Their talents and passion for improving lives of young people will be an asset to CHMO’s mission of guiding youth from homelessness to hope.

“The broad depth of skills and experiences of these three dedicated individuals bring so much excitement. We are proud to have these individuals provide leadership to our organization and harness their passion for vulnerable young people,” says CEO, Jessica Erfling. “The direction our organization is heading will be supported through their service, vision, and drive, positively impacting youth who call CHMO home.”

Irasa Downing, a Principal for Edward Jones, has expressed commitment to the organization and her passion for our mission and the young people we serve. Irasa’s extensive knowledge of human resources will support the organization’s strategic priority area of Develop Human Capital. “When an organization commits to hiring and developing quality team members we will see the lives of the young people at Covenant House Missouri improve,” states Downing. “The culture that is created when we invest in and build a strong workforce ensures we can effectively move the organization forward.”

Ryan Litteken currently serves as Plan CFO, Home State Health, Centene Corp and brings with him a wealth of knowledge in healthcare. Litteken shares, “I want to ensure the young people of CHMO have access to quality healthcare and the tools they need to advocate for their health and wellbeing.”

Michael Rupinski, Vice President in Risk Management for the Keeley Companies, has supported CHMO for several years, including participating in the Executive Sleep Out the last two years. He shares, “It has been truly eye opening to learn more about the lives of the young people at CHMO. I am inspired to give back to the mission in a way that supports the young people of today and builds a secure future for those who may need services in the future.”

Service for all three new board members started July 1, at the beginning of the organization’s new fiscal year.  Each board member can serve two, three-year terms for the organization.  

Pictured from left: Jessica Erfling, CEO of Covenant House Missouri; Irasa Downing, Principal for Edward Jones; Mike Rupinski, Vice President in Risk Management for Keeley Companies; Ryan Litteken, Plan CFO, Home State Health, Centene Corp