Marygrove Welcomes New Board Member, Jamela Griffin
With over 17 years of experience in security, governance, risk management, and compliance, Jamela is a seasoned leader who brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our team. Currently serving as the Vice President of Security Governance and Risk at Navvis Healthcare, Jamela excels in guiding multi-disciplinary teams to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, enhancing resilience and ensuring compliance.
Jamela’s strategic vision and innovative solutions drive exceptional performance, while her commitment to mentoring fosters team growth and a culture of accountability. Known for translating intricate regulations into actionable strategies, she has successfully led numerous projects that have significantly reduced risk exposure and improved compliance across organizations.
A St. Louis native, Jamela faced significant obstacles early in life, but her resilience and determination fueled an unwavering commitment to success. She earned degrees in Management Information Systems (Columbia College) and Information Technology Management (Webster University), while balancing the responsibilities of parenthood. Her career includes impactful leadership roles at Navvis Healthcare, Boeing, and Centene, where she led initiatives that delivered innovation and collaboration.
Passionate about youth empowerment, Jamela actively mentors young individuals facing similar circumstances, proving that dedication and perseverance can lead to success.
Marygrove Welcomes New Board Member, Nathan Bennett
Nathan, along with his wife Christina, have owned and operated Hendel’s Restaurant, a beloved Florissant staple, for 26 years. They are heavily involved with their parish, helping young couples prepare for marriage through their marriage preparation program. Nathan has been involved with the church’s youth group, as well as serving as a sponsor for their RCIA program. He’s also been a mentor for Marygrove!
Their community involvement has been recognized by many awards, and they are also members of various North County organizations such as Old Town Partners, North County Chamber of Commerce, TEAM Food Pantry, and St. Vincent DePaul Society.
They have three children and one grandchild. Their roots run deep and spread wide throughout their family, church, and community!
Marygrove Welcomes New Board Members, Mike Nardini and Joe Devereux, III
Mike is president and founder of IP Symphony. With more than 30 years of experience in assisting customers with their Business IT needs, IP Symphony provides cost effective IT business solutions to its’ clients. Mike graduated from Eureka College with a degree in Mathematics before attending Illinois State University.
Mike and his wife, Chrissy, reside in Ladue and have 3 adopted sons. Prior to joining Marygrove’s Board, Mike served on the Board of Directors for Good Shepherd Children & Family Services for nine years. He also currently serves on the shared Facilities Committee for Marygrove and Good Shepherd. The Nardini’s are very involved in the community and remain passionate about causes that directly impact urban children and youth. They are a mission-focused family and continue to do whatever they can to make a lasting impact.
Joe is an attorney at Sandberg Phoenix whose practice focuses primarily on commercial and construction litigation. He represents contractors, subcontractors, engineers, architects, and real estate developers in litigation arising out of design and construction defects, delay claims, mechanic’s liens, and bond claims. His other areas of expertise include litigating employment matters and business torts, such as non-compete, non-solicitation and discrimination and harassment cases, as well as breach of contract, tortious interference, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation claims.
Prior to joining Marygrove’s Board, Joe served on the Board of Directors for Good Shepherd Children & Family Services for nine years. He also is a board member of Heart House, a member of the St. Louis University High School Alumni Board and board member for the St. Louis chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
In his free time, Joe enjoys spending time with his wife and children, attending Cardinals and Blues games, and fishing. He is also an avid golfer.
Marygrove Welcomes New Board Member, John Kovac
We are thrilled to announce John Kovac as the newest member of our Board of Directors! As Managing Partner at Aspire Consulting, John is responsible for the strategic and tactical initiatives that drive the expansion of the business. He founded the company in August 2006. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Aspire Consulting is an information technology consulting company that focuses on providing world-class solution delivery services. Aspire Consulting’s core application competencies are PeopleSoft, Oracle Cloud and Workday.
John also serves as co-owner of Kovac Mechanical, a third-generation HVAC and refrigeration company providing exceptional services since 1947.
John is a graduate of DeSmet Jesuit High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis. John was a pitcher on the UMSL baseball team. He was a member of the 1993 UMSL baseball team that participated in the NCAA Division II College World Series. In 2018, John was inducted into the UMSL Sports Hall of Fame along with his 1993 teammates.
John currently serves as a Board Member for the Mary Culver Home for Visually Impaired Women. He is a Board Member & Treasurer for the Father’s Club at the Saint Louis Priory School. John was a member of the Priory Scoreboard Upgrade Committee and is a member of the Priory Athletic Facilities Improvement Committee.
John’s community service includes the Community Service Initiative (CSI) within the VP of St. Louis organization. CSI works with many charity partners to make St. Louis a better place to live for all.
John is the Head Junior Varsity Baseball Coach for the Saint Louis Priory School and is an Assistant Coach for the STL Naturals Club 15U Baseball team.
John and his wife Kimberle reside in St. Louis with their two children and two dogs.
