STAFF
Pamela Seymour
Executive Director
Pamela Seymour joined River of Refuge in March of 2020 and is thrilled to lead this important organization. She spent the past 10 years as the Executive Director of a local non-profit focused on helping older adults age in place. Though not many people may realize, many of the same obstacles and challenges that children and families experience, older adults do as well. Food insecurity, affordable housing, and access to proper healthcare are not unique to one age group. Prior to non-profit leadership, Pam spent 15 years in high-performance computing as a Sales and Marketing professional. Prior to computing, she spent 10 years in banking. She is passionate about social equity issues regardless of age or demographics. Making a difference in the community is extremely important and what “drives” Pam each and every day.
Cathy DeCamp
Program Manager
Cathy began her journey with River of Refuge as a volunteer helping with fundraising events some years ago. In 2023 she joined the organization as a part-time administrative Assistant and quickly moved to an Operations Specialist position in 2024. She also serves as Connection Leader at Life Church. Her leadership and organizational skills are pivotal in ensuring the smooth functioning of these organizations, allowing them to effectively serve their communities. Her unwavering commitment to advocating for underserved populations spans many life domains, making her a powerful voice for those in need.
Cathy's passion for helping others extends far beyond her professional roles. She volunteers tirelessly, dedicating her time and talents to the betterment of women and families. Her mission to remove barriers and empower individuals to become their best selves is evident in her mentorship and advocacy work.
As a loving mother of two wonderful children, Cathy balances her professional and volunteer commitments with grace and dedication. In her free time, she cherishes moments spent with family and friends, enjoys playing games, and brings people together with her warm and inclusive spirit.
Cathy multifaceted contributions and her heartfelt dedication to making a difference in the lives of others make her an invaluable asset to River of Refuge and a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who know her.
Clark Pickett
Accounting Manager
Clark Pickett joined River of Refuge in February 2023 and is grateful for the opportunity to serve in this organization. He spent the last three years volunteering as a member of the Board of Directors at Woodgate Farm Homes Association, including two years as president. Prior to that, Clark spent more than thirty years in Finance in various industries, including three years in non-profit, twenty years in insurance, and ten years combined in manufacturing, publishing, and warehouse/distribution. He is passionate about accuracy in numbers and systems, and compassionate in relations with people. Continuous improvement in work and encouraging others is what guides him each day.
Gregg Relaford
Facilities Manager
Gregg joined the River of Refuge team in 2018. He started his professional career in retail and customer service management. Gregg has over 15 years of ministry experience, currently serving with his wife as the Community Connection Pastor at River Church Family in Raytown. Prior to joining River of Refuge, he worked as a Maintenance Engineer with a focus on cost efficiency and preventative maintenance. He worked with "Efficiency Program Analysis" as well as with state and local energy guidelines. At River of Refuge, Gregg's goal is to lower the cost of running the facility while making it comfortable for the families in the program. Family is the most important thing to Gregg and he is proud to be at River of Refuge where making families stronger and keeping them together is key.
Michelle Baker
Senior Case Manager
Michelle Baker joined River of Refuge in May of 2023 as a case manager. She graduated from the program in 2020. She has been through struggles and homelessness herself which is why she has such a passion in helping others. She enjoys spending time with her four children, going to church, and doing outreach in the community.
Laurie Carpenter
Clinical Director Volunteer
Laurie Carpenter is dually licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in Kansas and Missouri. Laurie is also a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP) and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, (CCTP) who is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. Currently, Laurie is the CEO of Authentic Life Clinical Counseling and Wellness in Independence, MO as well as the Founder and President of, The Authentic Life Foundation (ALF), a 501(c)(3) corporation.
Laurie graduated with her master's in social work from Park University in, 2016. She completed her practicum at Lakewood Counseling Services where she completely revamped the services delivered in the Drug Addiction Recovery (DAR) program and won practicum placement student of the year. Upon graduation, Laurie took a lead position for Comprehensive Mental Health Services, Inc., at a residential care facility for people diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). While there, Laurie created a program which ultimately led to CARF Certification for the facility.
Next, Laurie became the Lead Therapist at Signature Psychiatric Hospital in the Intensive Outpatient Program for dual diagnosis creating many changes and improving delivery of services along the way. In 2020, Laurie started her own private practice and left agency work to create something of her own. At the end of 2022, Laurie gathered a few friends and started ALF.