Leadership

Catherine Smith-Morgan

SLACO Board President

Catherine Morgan-Smith is the President SLACO under the leadership of Kevin McKinney. Catherine is enamored with everything involved around the ‘communities of people.’ Catherine is a lifelong resident of the City of St. Louis and became Academy/Sherman Park Neighborhood President with a commitment to impact change by working with and on behalf of the community. 

Working 20+ years in the private and public sectors in the field of accounting (i.e., Auditing, Budgeting, Financial Analysis, Financial Accounting, Risk Management, Legal Compliance and Operational Risk Management, and Financial/Regulatory Reporting), Catherine saw an avenue for her skills to serve and advocate for the community.

In June 2019 she became President of Academy Sherman Park Neighborhood Association by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors. To further sharpen her skills Catherine sought opportunities to educate herself on all manners of development and leadership. In September 2020, Catherine became a Neighborhood Leadership Fellow (NLF) graduate from the highly selective and advanced leadership training program at University of Missouri Saint Louis Missouri University Extension, to serve in the St. Louis Promise Zone, City of St. Louis. As a leader in the community Catherine uses her foresight, compassion, and strategic planning skills to lead the community toward progress. In December 2022, Catherine became a graduate of Urban Land Institute St. Louis (ULI) to drive housing and real estate development to help the community thrive and sustain itself. In 2023Catherine serves a member to the Restorative Justice Movement Center (RJM)’s Board of Directors which aims to initiate the healing process within individuals, families and the community who are exposed to symptoms of trauma, mental illness, substance abuse and trauma for our most vulnerable and formerly incarcerated populations. In 2023 Catherine serves on the Community Advisory Board (CAB) of PreventEd, which works to prevent the harms of alcohol and other drugs through education, intervention, and advocacy. PreventEd has ledthe conversation around alcohol and other drugs in spreading solution without the stigma. In 2024, Catherine serves a member of the St. Louis Chapter of The Drifters, Incorporated. The Drifters is a national women’s organization who focus on charitable, civic, and social endeavors to support the elderly seniors and the student-college bound population.

Catherine has a full-time career as V.P., of Citi’s Independent Compliance Risk Manager. Additionally, Catherine is a wife, mother, daughter, and caretaker. Catherine is a resolute member of The Westside Missionary Baptist Church where she relies on God for spiritual truth and insight. 

Sherri Bailey

SLACO Board Vice President

A dedicated community activist with a passion for working with neighborhood leaders, she is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri-St. Louis’s (UMSL) Neighbor Leadership Fellow Program. Her journey in community service began in the Academy-Sherman Park neighborhood, where she took on the role of a neighborhood leader. 

With over 20 years of experience in public policy, she has organized numerous Lobby Day events and provided unwavering support to policy councils. Her work has always been driven by a deep commitment to the community and a desire to make a positive impact.

Currently, she is channeling my passion for service into education as a Special Education Teacher at Soldan High School. Here, she has the privilege of supporting scholars, helping them navigate their educational journey and reach their full potential.

In addition to my teaching role, she serves as the Vice President of the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations (SLACO). In this capacity, she works tirelessly to promote and improve the quality of life in all neighborhoods throughout the St. Louis region.

Her career is a testament to her belief in the power of community and the importance of civic engagement. She is committed to fostering strong, vibrant neighborhoods and empowering others to become active participants in their communities.

Monica Campbell

SLACO At-Large Member

Monica Campbell serves as Vice President, Community Development for Enterprise Bank & Trust. She joined Enterprise in 2014 as an Assistant Vice President, Business Banking Specialist. She has over 28 years of banking experience with an extensive background in relationship management. She is responsible for cultivating strong relationships to implement financial awareness in diverse communities.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Fontbonne University. She serves on the board for the O’Fallon Park Rec YMCA, Ultimate Speed Academy, Community Builders Network, SLACO, and Growing Food Growing People. She is also a member of the Community Reinvestment Association. Monica has a passion for collaborating with community organizations and hosting financial well-being workshops. She partners with organizations such as Urban League, St. Louis Regional Financial Empowerment Coalition, Delmar Divine, and Community of Hope. She is one of the founding members of the Black Heritage Connections Group at Enterprise Bank & Trust.

Monica has been married to Roderick Campbell Sr. for 26 years and they have 5 beautiful children – Brandi, Milton, Tyler, Roderick Jr., and Keshon and 4 darling grandchildren – T aya, Corbyn, Q, and Myles. She enjoys working out and has a fitness center called The GEM Factory. She is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.

Angela Drake

SLACO Board Secretary

Angela Drake is single mother of 3 beautiful children. A St. Louis native, Angela realized early on that she had a love for the beautiful architectural buildings here in North St. Louis and a passion to bring them back to their glory. Angela pursued her real estate career and received her license in March 2003. She became a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Missouri Association of Realtors (MAR) and St. Louis Associations of Realtors (SLAR) and continues to be an active member.

Angela’s interest in the St. Louis vacant land bank, St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority (LRA), led her to research and gain an understanding of how to purchase LRA properties.  This knowledge gave her the incentive to become more involved with the neighborhood association, which lead to her involvement with St. Louis Association of Community Organizations (SLACO).  After joining SLACO, Angela was nominated and elected as the Executive Board Secretary and is currently serving in that position.  Her continued involvement with SLACO and the vacancy issues within her community lead to her to becoming a LRA Committee Member which then led to the formation of the Finest 15 which is a collaboration between SLACO and LRA.  Angela was instrumental in organizing this newly found committee, whose mission is to promote homeownership by educating individuals on how to purchase, and secure financial resources for the renovation of LRA properties and becoming proud home owners.  Currently the Finest 15 has assisted over 50 people with purchasing LRA property, some of which have become individual homes and others as investment property.

Angela is committed to the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association and community improvements.  She is the organizer of the Hyde Park “Purpose for The Park” Fundraising Gala and the Hyde Park HouseTours.

Leah Sweetman

SLACO Board Treasurer

Leah Sweetman, Ph.D. serves as the Director of Community Engaged Learning for the Saint Louis University Center for Social Action. She has over 20  years of experience in community engagement and higher education. Leah has an interest in how universities prepare students to serve in new and diverse settings. She has presented at numerous community engagement conferences and has co-authored articles on community engagement, student voting, and social justice education. Leah regularly teaches courses in public policy analysis and the policymaking process. She also chairs the voter engagement committee at Saint Louis University and is passionate about helping students make connections between their community service commitments and their civic lives. 

She has been on SLACO’s Board of Directors since 2020. She previously served for 10 years on the DeSales Community Development Board of Directors and for 3 years on the Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association Board of Directors. She currently co-chairs the Dog Park Committee for the Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association. Leah enjoys spending time with her family exploring the great neighborhoods, parks, and art spaces in St. Louis.

Mark Dowdy

SLACO Board Sergeant at Arms

Electrical Engineer at St. Louis Community College (Retired)

At Large Board Members:

Greg Meyer

Angela Drake

Leah Sweetman

Monica Campbell

Sherri Bailey