strengthening families & building healthy communities

Executive Team-St. Louis, Missouri

Sandra M. Moore President	Esther Shin Senior Vice President of Policy and Planning	Wade Baughman Vice President, Senior Services & Chief Operating Officer		t

Sandra M. Moore – President

As President of Urban Strategies, Sandra leads the team of professionals working in communities across the United States where mixed income housing communities have recently been completed or are in development.     They help residents and community stakeholders transform distressed urban core communities into vibrant, safe residential neighborhoods with new housing,  good schools, strong institutions and a range of human service supports and amenities. 

Ms. Moore formerly served as the CEO of the Missouri Family Investment Trust, a public-private partnership entity leading Missouri’s multi-system reform efforts. 
As CEO she was responsible for helping communities across the state, develop, implement and evaluate strategies to improve education, health, mental health, human resources and economic development outcomes for vulnerable Missouri families.

Prior to joining the Family Investment Trust, Ms. Moore was Vice President of St. Louis 2004, Inc., an all out, citizen-based effort to make the St. Louis Region a recognized leader in the 21st century by accomplishing major projects.  She is the former Director of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR) where she served as a member of Governor Mel Carnahan’s cabinet, and a former administrative Judge with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Ms. Moore is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, MO.  She received her J.D. degree from the School of Law in 1979 and a B.A. degree in Urban Studies in 1976. 

Ms. Moore is committed to strengthening the growth and development of citizens and the fiber of the community.  To that end, she serves as a member of the board for Advantage Capital, Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, Center for Urban Redevelopment Excellence Advisory Board, Clear Corp USA, Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis Black Leadership Roundtable, Washington University National Law Council and the YWCA -Metro St. Louis. (Return to Top)

Esther Shin – Senior Vice President of Policy and Planning

Esther U. Shin is Senior Vice President of Planning and Policy for Urban Strategies, Ms. Shin is responsible for the coordination of social and economic strategies for revitalizing urban communities.  Responsibilities include developing long-term sustainability for social service programs and providing technical assistance to community organizations strengthening their neighborhoods. 

Ms. Shin formerly worked as a Community Development Coordinator for McCormack Baron & Associates.  She was responsible for managing the social service aspects of the revitalization effort led by the Washington University Medical Center.

Prior to working for McCormack Baron, Ms. Shin served as a fellow with the Social Security Administration.  Her work involved researching old-age insurance programs in eighteen countries and investigating the success/failure of privatizing social security. 

Ms. Shin is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.  She earned her M.S.W. degree from the School of Social Work and A.B. degrees in Political Science and English Literature. (Return to Top)

 

Wade Baughman – Vice President, Senior Services & Chief Operating Officer

M. Wade Baughman is Vice President, Senior and Supportive Services and Chief Operating Officer for Urban Strategies, Inc.  Mr. Baughman provides legal support for all aspects of agency operations, including reviewing and negotiating contracts and agreements with service providers and funders, analysis of liability issues and managing relationships with insurance providers, ensuring compliance with labor and employment laws, managing process of obtaining authority to conduct business in various states and all related corporate filings, other legal research and analysis as needed.

Mr. Baughman is also responsible for providing senior-level staff support on consulting projects and new business development, including initiating contacts with potential project partners, educating them about agency’s mission and services, writing proposals, and negotiating contracts.  He manages the agency’s relationships with various schools of social work for which we are a registered field placement site and supervises activities of several master’s level interns.  Mr. Baughman partners with McCormack Baron Ragan Management staff to identify community assets, develop programs, and implement strategies for meeting the needs of older adults.

Prior to joining Urban Strategies, Mr. Baughman worked as a labor and employment attorney in a variety of settings.  With his background in collective bargaining, contract administration, and dispute resolution, he offers extensive experience in collaborating with clients individually and in groups to identify concerns, resolve conflicts, set goals, and implement strategies for success.

Mr. Baughman holds a M. S.W. from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, a J.D. from the University Of Illinois College Of Law, and a B.S. in Business Management & Administration from Bradley University. (Return to Top)

 

Copyright 2010. Urban Strategies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Urban Strategies, Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) corporation headquartered at 720 Olive Street, Suite 2600 | St. Louis, Missouri 63101 | (314) 421-4200