Sherry Comer has served as Director of Afterschool Services for the Camdenton R-III district's innovative before/afterschool programs for 18 years overseeing 8 sites serving about 900 students annually. She is the Central Missouri FIRST Robotics Affiliate lead and a FIRST robotics coach for the Camdenton’s highly successful FIRST LASER 3284 team. She has combined private and federal funding to sustain programs. Program funds include 21st CCLC Federal Funds, private company donations from organizations like JC Penney and Boeing, and school district buy-in and support. Sherry Comer has received numerous awards for her work including State Champion in 2011 at the National Breakfast of Champions in Washington, DC. Others honors include: Missouri School Age Care Outstanding Professional, Missouri School Age Care Program of the Year, MU Extension Leaders Honor Roll, Top Ten Woman of the Year, The Deverne Lee Calloway Women’s Legislative Award and the Camdenton R-III Outstanding Leadership Award.

Jillian Luchner is a Policy Manager at the Afterschool Alliance where she identifies policy trends and best practice across states and districts in achieving equitable, high quality, accessible afterschool and summer opportunities for youth. In her work, she has mapped all 50 state ESSA plans identifying holistic opportunities for students and works on needs assessments inclusive of positive youth development. Jillian has her Master's in Public Policy specializing in Education from the University of Maryland College Park, and a degree in Economics from the University of Rochester. Prior to her policy work, Jillian taught 9th grade algebra in a Title I high school, and was an afterschool and summer educator.