FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Megan Ragan, LCSW, is the Executive Director of the Southern Illinois Resource and Advocacy Center. With over a decade of experience in southern Illinois child and family serving systems, Megan has a robust background in leadership, grant management, and program development. She has led numerous state and federal grant initiatives through successful implementation and evaluation, and she is passionate about using these skills to bring more resources and support to the community. Megan is a dynamic presenter, known for engaging workshops on a variety of topics including substance use, mental health, trauma, and neurodiversity. She is committed to enhancing services and support in her community through compassionate engagement.

CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Angela Quigley-Ragland is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master of Social Work from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She currently serves as the Director of Social Work at Chester Mental Health Center. Angela has extensive experience in program administration, clinical supervision, and grant management, having worked with various organizations including Centerstone and Lutheran Social Services. Her expertise includes trauma-informed care, substance use disorder treatment, and community outreach. Angela has also directed several SAMHSA-funded projects and has presented at numerous professional conferences on topics related to mental health and trauma.

CONSULTANT AND VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dr. Dhru first fell in love with the beauty and people of southern Illinois nearly 20 years ago. Although Dr. Dhru has spent recent years outside of southern Illinois serving as an Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of North Texas, he has maintained close personal and professional ties with the community and has been instrumental in bringing millions of grant dollars for services, programs and resources to southern Illinois.

SIRAC EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, TREASURER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Courtney Hish is a lifelong Southern Illinois resident with significant experience in business administration and bookkeeping. When Courtney is not working, she can be found coaching softball, leading the area Girl Scout Service Unit, leading the Happy Hawks Parent Group, or spending time with her family.

MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chris Dennis, a writer and Recovery Support Services Program Manager in southern Illinois, is the author of the story collection Here Is What You Do (Soho Press, 2019). His fiction and essays have appeared in the Paris Review, Playgirl, McSweeney's, Lit Hub, Guernica, and Granta. He holds an MFA from Washington University in St. Louis, where he also won a postgraduate fellowship. Chris is a person with lived experience and has spent the last several years serving as a catalyst in the southern Illinois recovery movement.

MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jessica is a dedicated mental health advocate and a native of Saline County. She is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who graduated from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Jessica owns and operates a private practice in Colorado, specializing in women's mental health issues, with a focus on pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause treatments.

With extensive experience in various mental health settings, Jessica has worked in inpatient eating disorder facilities, substance abuse treatment centers, child and adolescent residential treatment programs, and outpatient psychiatry. Her diverse background equips her with a broad perspective on mental health care and the ability to assist with a wide range of needs.

Jessica is passionate about helping Southern Illinois communities thrive and promoting mental wellness. Her commitment to mental health advocacy is driven by a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the lives of those she serves.

MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Claire is a licensed social ​worker who completed ​graduate fellowship training ​in Trauma-Informed ​Behavioral Health at SIU ​School of Medicine. Claire ​also holds formal training in ​Perinatal Mental Health from ​Postpartum Support ​International. She has been ​working in Maternal and ​Child healthcare and social ​service spaces for over 10 ​years. Claire sits on the board of​ the Illinois Rural He​alth Association, the strat​egic planning committee of​ the Illinois Public He​alth Association, and​ the Workforce Develop​ment Committee for the Nati​onal Association of Commu​nity Health Worke​rs.

MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jennifer Dyhrkopp is a transplant to Southern Illinois. She is originally from Evansville, Indiana, graduating from the University of Southern Indiana with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a social studies minor, and a middle school endorsement. Later, going on to earn her MS in Education, specializing in Teacher Leadership through Walden University. Jennifer is a dedicated junior high school teacher with over two decades of experience working with children. Her passion for helping young people extends beyond the classroom as she volunteers with Happy Feet Equals Learning Feet and the Hawks Lunch Bunch Summer Food Service Program. When she is not teaching or volunteering, Jennifer loves to travel, exploring new places and creating lasting memories with her husband and three children.