Young Alumna of the Year

Ellie Harmon (’07)

Ellie Glenn Harmon

Ellie (Glenn) Harmon graduated from Truman State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science degree and received a Master of Public Affairs degree with an emphasis in Public Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2011. She currently works as the Director of Government Relations for St. Louis Children’s Hospital. In this role, she advocates for children’s health care issues on behalf of the hospital, their providers and staff and their patients and families in Washington, D.C. and in the Missouri and Illinois Legislatures.

As the former Director of the Office of Governmental Policy and Legislation for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Harmon helped shape and advocate for evidence-based public health policies that improve the health and lives of Missourians across their lifespans. Prior to this role, Harmon also served two years as the Legislative Director for former Missouri state Senator Joan Bray, working on a myriad of public policy initiatives from health care to tax policy to transportation issues.

Harmon is a native of Louisiana, Mo., and enjoys giving back to the communities around her. She is the immediate past chair of the board of trustees of Lydia’s House, a transitional housing program for battered and abused women and their children, as well as the board secretary for Citizens for Modern Transit. She also serves on the boards of both Kids Win Missouri and the Missouri Network Against Child Abuse; volunteers as a Legislative School teacher at Missouri Boys State; is a guest lecturer for various political science and policy courses at Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis University; and is a founding member of the Missouri Women’s Policy Network. She recently joined the Government Relations subcommittee of the national Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) Public Policy Committee, assisting in advising CHA on federal policy goals and strategy. Harmon served as the co-chair for the St. Louis Children’s Hospital United Way campaign in 2018, 2019, and 2021 raising over a quarter of a million dollars for the St. Louis community during that time. Harmon is a graduate of both the FOCUS Leadership St. Louis class of 2016-2017 and the State Chamber Leadership Missouri class of 2017. She has also served as a faculty affiliate with the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life and was their 2014 Amethyst Award winner. In 2022 she was received Truman’s Echo 25 award.

Harmon lives in south St. Louis City with her husband, Eric, their baby boy, John, and their adopted toy poodle, Gus. When not working or volunteering, Harmon enjoys reading, cycling, unraveling the quandary that is travel with a new baby and occasionally jumping out of airplanes.

About the Award

Truman graduates are eager to make an impact on the world as soon as they can. And they know how to leverage the knowledge, skills, and connections they acquired as a student to lead meaningful lives of influence. This award recognizes the achievements of some of our most outstanding young alumni leaders.


Recipients

2023: Angela Crawford (’08)
2022: Oseyi Ikuenobe (’05) & Sucheta Jawalkar (’06)
2021: Hope (Slaby) Harms (’07)
2019: Robert (’07) & Emily (Kiddoo) Kelchen (’08)
2018: Derek Kent (’04) & Kelli (Floyd) Kent (’05)
2017:  Cody Sumter (’10)
2016:  Justis Tuia (’07)
2015:  Jason Turk (’02) & Janeen (Traen) Turk (’00)
2014:  Ryan Shreve (’02, ’03) & Lauren (Rase) Shreve (’03)
2013:  Jason Hill (’00) & Jessica (Neighbors) Hill (’99)
2012:  Travis McCubbin (’97) & Mindy (Frick) McCubbin (’97)
2011:  Corey Then (’02) & Lauren DeSantis-Then (’03)
2010:  Rudy Arredondo (’02) & Alice (Moore) Arredondo (’02)
2009:  Scott Sifton (’96) & Stacey (George) Sifton (’00)
2008:  Erin (Lesczynski) Church (’02)
2007:  Jaime Geer (’00)
2006:  Sarah (Hartmann) Burkemper (’92)
2005:  Cindy Spiker (’93)
2004:  Brian Krippner (’89) & Ame (Ahrens) Krippner (’90)
2003:  DeAnn Malone (’93)
2002:  Kurt Schulz (’90)
2001:  Chris Geisert (’92) & Kara (Tuck) Geisert (’93)
2000:  Ryan Brennan (’95)
1999: Jeff Poe (’90)
1998:  Joseph Bambenek (’93)
1997:  Jim Cherrington (’85)