Board of Directors
The following people have committed their time and energy to help NextStep Kansas City remain an exciting and respected organization while continuing to move forward with the mission in mind.
Joe Van Oeveren
Board Member since 2013
Joe graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor's degree in Economics, after attending Rockhurst High School. He worked as a manager for a commercial cleaning company, until partnering with his father in 2009 to run Financial Resources of Kansas City, an employee benefit firm.
Julie Smith
Board Vice President Board Member since 2016
Julie E. Smith, Sr. Director, Sales Alignment Organization at Cerner, where she is responsible for the sales support functions for Cerner. Click for full bio
Nick Worth
Board President Board Member since 2017
Nick Worth is the Operations Director and CFO of Worth Harley-Davidson, one of the highest volume and most successful Harley-Davidson dealerships in the world. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he received his degree in Business Administration from the University of Missouri. Nick provides a rare combination of youth and expertise to an aging industry as he continues to make Worth one of the most recognizable names in the motorcycle industry. He is a motorcycle enthusiast and loves to spend his time watching the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals with his wife, Valerie and two German Shepherds.
Caleb Anderson
Board Member since 2017
Caleb Anderson is a Senior Vice President at Netsmart, a healthcare technology company focused on the mental/behavioral health and post-acute care markets. Prior to Netsmart, Mr. Anderson spent two years with Livongo, a virtual care company recently sold to Teladoc Health. While at Livongo, he was responsible for leading business growth and client relationships within employers and health plans. Prior to Livongo, Mr. Anderson spent 15 years at Cerner Corporation in a number of leadership roles.
Caleb is a graduate of Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and economics. He resides in Kansas City and is the proud father of twin daughters.
Susan Baier
Board Secretary Board Member since 2017
Susan Baier has a bachelor's degree in Social Psychology from Park University in Parkville, Missouri. She is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. Susan is employed by Children's Mercy Hospital for nearly 14 years, eight of those as a Patient Advocate. Her passions include spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and raising awareness for spinal cord injury recovery.
Dr. Wilson Ray
Medical Advisor
Dr. Ray is fellowship-trained in both peripheral nerve and spinal oncology. He is the co-director of the Center for Spinal Cord Injury and is the principal investigator of multiple clinical trials on acute spinal cord injury and cervical myelopathy. Click for full bio
Shellee Perkins
Board Member since 2018
As Senior Vice President of ambulatory and revenue cycle, Shellee Perkins lead market and client alignment initiatives across the world. Click for full bio
Whitney Butner
Board Member since 2021
Whitney Butner is the Manager of the Ethics and Compliance Office at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) where she is responsible for privacy and corporate compliance operations. In addition to her experience on the payer side, Whitney previously worked for Saint Luke’s Health System and New Directions Behavioral Health in various roles. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Information Management and Master’s in Health Services Administration from the University of Kansas. Whitney is an avid fan of the Jayhawks and Kansas City Chiefs. She and her husband enjoy spending time with their two daughters and dog.
Michael Farrell
Board Member Since 2022
Michael Farrell, MBA, is a healthcare executive with 15+ years of experience. As ValueHealth’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Farrell leads business development and marketing efforts across the United States. Mr. Farrell has significant experience in the healthcare industry, including working with many of the nation’s largest health systems and payors to achieve their strategic goals. Mr. Farrell most recently spent three years at MDLIVE, a leading virtual care company, as the Chief Revenue Officer. In his position as CRO, he was responsible for their client organization which consisted of managing overall relationships with payors, employers, hospitals, and health systems across the US.
Prior to working at MDLIVE, he spent over 12 years at Cerner Corporation overseeing various sales teams across the country, focusing on hospitals and health systems. Mr. Farrell, his wife Toni, and their three daughters reside in the Kansas City area.