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.

Julie Smith

Board Vice President Board Member since 2016

Julie Smith, Sr.  Director, Sales Alignment Organization at Oracle, where she is responsible for the sales support functions for Oracle.  Her span includes, the solution consultants and the functional specialists who support Ambulatory, Inpatient and Outpatient Physician, RevCycle, Population Health, CommunityWorks and the Vision Center’s Experience Theatre, which includes the RFP and demonstration process. Smith joined Oracle in 2008 as a Velocity Business Consultant, where she was placed in PowerWorks in a sales support position.  She has held roles with the company such as Sales Support, Ambulatory Solution Consultant, Team Lead and Practice Manager.  In Ambulatory, Smith worked to create a rock solid demonstration team and create a full certification process for both presenters and the entire sales team.  She also worked across multiple teams on a quarterly Ambulatory Cross-Functional meeting which included sales, consulting and IP representatives for every solution that touches Oracle Ambulatory.  Since joining the SAO, she has defined a new demonstration for Oracle Corporate Overview presentations and how our solutions are showcased to the market.   

Smith is a graduate of Benedictine College and has a degree in Business Administration. 

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 Zelis, 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.

Tucker hogue

Board Member since 2025

Tucker Hogue is an accomplished finance professional with over 20 years of experience driving strategic growth and operational excellence. As a former client-servicing CPA at Ernst & Young LLP and a finance and sales leader at Abbott Laboratories, Tucker delivered high-impact results including significant cost saving initiatives, securing large strategic partnerships, and leading large global teams.  Currently, he provides fractional CFO and business advisory services, empowering startups and small to medium-sized businesses to scale efficiently

A lifelong Missourian, Tucker holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accountancy from the University of Missouri. Committed to NextStep’s mission, he brings expertise in financial strategy, finance and sales operations, and leadership to the board of directors. Residing in Parkville with his wife and three active children, Tucker enjoys golf, fishing, and outdoor adventures when not serving as the family’s unofficial Uber driver.