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Mental Health —
Champions’ Awards

Every year, three extraordinary individuals from Missouri, who have triumphed over numerous challenges to enhance their lives, positively impact others, and contribute to their communities, are chosen to be honored with the Missouri Mental Health Champions’ award.

May 7th 2026 at Capitol Plaza Hotel

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Champion Nominations

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Lasting Legacy Nominations

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The 2027 Mental Health Champion Awards

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Missouri Mental Health Champions are individuals who make positive contributions to their community, exemplify commitment and vision, and whose actions have increased the potential for independence in others with similar mental health conditions.

Each year an award recipient is selected from each of the three nomination categories: mental illness, developmental or intellectual disabilities, and substance use disorders. They are celebrated at the annual Mental Health Champions’ Awards held in their honor at Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City, MO.

Meet Our 2026 Champions

Brandon Borders

Brandon Borders is an inspiring teen advocate whose leadership, compassion, and courage are already making a meaningful impact in his community. Brandon uses his lived experience with a developmental disability to promote acceptance, inclusion, and understanding for others with disabilities and mental health needs.
  
Brandon has demonstrated remarkable courage as a community advocate. He spoke directly with state senators at a community meeting to advocate for the preservation of local services funded through property taxes, while highlighting the importance of continued support for individuals with developmental disabilities. His advocacy efforts have earned him two SB40 Spotlight Award nominations, recognizing his individual leadership and his commitment to service.
 
Diagnosed with autism, Brandon has faced many challenges related to emotional regulation, communication, and navigating environments that are not always designed to meet his needs. Through self-reflection, perseverance, and growing self-acceptance, he has developed strong emotional awareness and effective self-advocacy skills. He is widely recognized as a compassionate leader among his peers, openly sharing his journey toward understanding his emotions and advocating for his needs while encouraging others to seek support. His willingness to speak honestly has inspired his peers at Kirksville High School to take a more active role in their own self-advocacy and educational planning.
  
Brandon remains actively engaged in programs that promote independence and inclusion, including Boy Scouts of America and Special Olympics Missouri, where he builds leadership skills while uplifting others. With aspirations to work in human services or as a paraprofessional, Brandon is already laying the foundation for a bright future dedicated to supporting others.
 
Through his advocacy, empathy, and determination, Brandon Borders exemplifies the spirit of a Missouri Mental Health Champion. His voice, leadership, and commitment to inclusion are helping build a more understanding and supportive community for all.

Matt Chinn

Matt Chinn is a dedicated advocate for recovery, wellness, and mental health awareness whose experience has become a catalyst for meaningful change across central Missouri. An individual in long-term recovery from substance use disorder, Matt has transformed personal loss, accountability, and perseverance into action that uplifts individuals, families, and his entire community.
  
Matt’s journey to recovery followed significant hardship, including the loss of his career, strained relationships, and run-ins with the law. A graduate of the Cole County Treatment Courts, he embraced recovery and rebuilt his life with honesty, humility, and determination. Since his recovery date of June 18, 2019, Matt has remained committed to openly sharing his story to challenge the stigma surrounding addiction and encourage others to seek help.
  
A central part of Matt’s recovery has been physical fitness, which he views as deeply connected to mental wellness. What began as a personal coping strategy became a powerful act of advocacy when Matt pledged to run 20 miles a day for an entire month to raise funds for a friend living with serious mental illness. That effort evolved into the Capital City Race, Jefferson City, Missouri’s first half marathon dedicated to mental health awareness. Now entering its fourth year, the annual race brings together hundreds of participants and community partners, raising funds to support local Treatment Courts, provide meals for individuals in recovery, and spread suicide awareness.
 
In addition to his advocacy work, Matt is a personal trainer and Downtown Fitness gym owner, where he creates an environment that prioritizes both physical and emotional well-being. He speaks openly with clients and community members about recovery, mental health, and self-care, using vulnerability to build trust and connection. He also serves in leadership roles within Alcoholics Anonymous and co-hosts The Not So Perfect Podcast, where conversations around recovery and mental health continue beyond traditional spaces.
  
Matt leads by example. He is often the “first one there” and “the last to leave.” Through action, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to helping others, Matt Chinn exemplifies what it means to be a Missouri Mental Health Champion.

Stephanie Robinson

Stephanie Robinson is a powerful voice for hope, recovery, and resilience across Missouri. She serves as Executive Director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southwest Missouri, where her leadership is grounded in empathy, authenticity, and firsthand understanding of mental illness. Stephanie has transformed profound personal challenges into meaningful advocacy. She has twice served as a keynote speaker at the NAMI Missouri Annual Conference and continues to use her voice to inspire recovery, resilience, and understanding.
  
Diagnosed with anxiety, panic disorder, and agoraphobia, Stephanie spent 16 years homebound, much of that time confined to her bedroom. Through determination and courage, she sought tools for recovery to rebuild her life and emerged as a leader in mental health advocacy. Today, she is known for her openness in sharing her journey. She speaks frequently in the community and media, tirelessly offering hope to others and reducing mental health stigma through education and connection.
  
Under her leadership, NAMI Southwest Missouri has expanded access to mental health services, strengthened suicide prevention efforts, and fostered collaboration with law enforcement, courts, and community partners. Stephanie oversees the Hope Center in Springfield, Missouri, a peer-run drop-in center that supports recovery and independence for individuals living with mental health conditions. She also played a key role in the development of Eden Village, a community of tiny homes for chronically homeless individuals with disabilities, and spearheaded the Neon Night 5K to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention. 
  
Driven by personal loss and lived experience, Stephanie remains deeply committed to creating a world where mental health conditions are understood, supported, and free from stigma. Stephanie’s collaboration with city councils, law enforcement, courts, and community organizations demonstrates her ability to unite diverse groups. Her leadership, advocacy, and compassion exemplify what it means to be a Missouri Mental Health Champion.

2024 Lasting Legacy Nominations

The Lasting Legacy Award is to honor and recognize an individual or cutting-edge mental health program that serves the Missouri mental health community impacting individuals and families living with mental illness, developmental or intellectual disabilities, and/or substance use disorders over a period of years. For complete details of eligibility requirements for Lasting Legacy nominations, please review the Criteria and Eligibility Requirements document.

Questions? Please contact mmhf@missourimhf.org or call 573-635-9201.

Download Criteria and Eligibility Requirements
Meet Our 2026 Nominees​

  • Molly Adams — Dover

  • Janae Banks — Kansas City

  • Yolanda Barnes — Sikeston

  • John Bartholomew — Anderson

  • Jason Barton — Boone Terre

  • Eleanor Byrd — Festus

  • Lawrence Caldwell — Corder

  • Michael Callahan — Jefferson City

  • Malicka Crandall — Joplin

  • Nathan Cummings — Nixa

  • William “Jacob” Dye — Bolivar

  • Jamie Edmondson — Kirksville

  • Brandon Feagans — Belton

  • Kayn Fry — Mexico

  • Scott Fulkerson — Piedmont

  • Deborah Godding — Bolivar

  • Lora Hardin — Nixa

  • Sue Huey — Bolivar

  • Haleigh Johnson — Rogersville

  • Keishaun Jones — Jefferson City

  • Spring Jones — Republic

  • David Lind — California

  • Carol Martin — Sedalia

  • David McMillian — Chilhowee

  • Zachary Moffett — Kirksville

  • Bobby Morrison — Richland

  • Flora Ngina Mwale — Zomba

  • Steven Neubert — Columbia

  • Tabatha Paxton — Independence

  • Andreas Prince — Collinsville

  • Daniel Pyle — Sedalia

  • Kelly Ray — Carrollton

  • Lindsey Reed — St. Charles

  • Robert Richey — Jefferson City

  • Danielle Rose — Florissant

  • Shawn Russell — Sedalia

  • Javier Sarmiento — Farmington

  • Dale Smith — Poplar Bluff

  • Regan Spargo — Springfield

  • Rita Tesson — Farmington

  • Dana Thornhill — Bolivar

  • Rachel Turner — Mexico

  • Jacob Ward — Poplar Bluff

  • Adam Welliver — Marshall

  • Jason Younger — Troy

2026 Lasting Legacy – Brent McGinty

Brent McGinty is a leader in the behavioral health field from Jefferson City, Missouri. He studied history and political science at Missouri Southern State University before earning a Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Missouri. Brent originally started a career in local government, taking various positions in Columbia, Mexico, Joplin, and Maysville. Searching for more family geographic stability with a new baby led him to stints in the Missouri Senate and Department of Mental Health. While working for the State, Brent was inspired by the mission-driven, collaborative approach at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Brent joined the Council team in 2012 as the CEO/President. Brent is driven by the theory that by treating the mind and body as one and making quality behavioral healthcare available to all who need it, Missourians will genuinely thrive.

2025 Event Sponsorship Opportunities

By sponsoring the 2024 Mental Health Champions’ Awards, you not only get to celebrate success but also play a crucial role in battling stigma and supporting a vital cause. Your sponsorship provides a unique opportunity to connect with the mental health provider community, engage with the business community, collaborate with community resource organizations, and reach the public, representing communities from all corners of Missouri. Your support of mental health advocacy through this event is instrumental in fostering awareness and positive change.

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View a recap from our 2026 event on our Facebook page.