Missouri Patriot Pals Board Members

Missouri Patriot Pals  Board Members

Board Member / Grant Writer

Russ is an Army veteran with over 21 years of combined service in the Active Army, Army Reserves, and Missouri Army National Guard. He worked for the US Army Engineer School for 30 years as an Instructor and Training Specialist. Russ and his certified therapy dog, Angus (a rescue dog), regularly visited veterans at the St. James Veterans Home for over 10 years, up until Angus’s passing in 2022. They also participated in local parades where Angus pulled his wagon arrayed with patriotic decorations. Russ has been involved in several other local volunteer organizations over the years and has been involved with Missouri Patriot Pals (MPP) from the organization’s beginning. His main MPP duty is applying for grants and maintaining and providing documentation required by organizations awarding the grants. He also assists with administrative duties and performs other tasks in support of MPP, as required.

Shay Hawkins

Shawn Wethington

Tim Kirchoff

Shay Hawkins is the Marketing Coordinator for Town & Country Bank, a community bank that operates in nine markets across south-central Missouri. With over thirty years of experience, she blends creativity and strategic thinking to understand people and build brands, products, and messages that connect with various audiences.

She shares her time and talents in her spare time by serving on the Phelps County Habitat for Humanity board and in 2025 was named the "Person of the Year."​
She is also a Rolla Chamber Ambassador and volunteers regularly with the Rolla Downtown Business Association.

Shay and her husband have been married for 31 years and have two children. Their son is an officer in the US Army, and their daughter is a third-grade teacher in the Rockwood School District. Her favorite things include spending time with her family and their dogs, Echo and Foxtrot.

Tim is a nine-year veteran of the Missouri Army National Guard. He achieved the rank of Sergeant E5 and is a graduate of the "Sapper Leader Course" combat engineer leadership school at Fort Leonard Wood, MO.  

His father, a decorated combat veteran, completed multiple tours in Vietnam. His brother served in Iraq, and his close friend, Navy Reservist Chris Walsh, who was also his EMS partner, was killed in action (KIA) while serving as a Navy corpsman attached to the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq. He comprehends the challenges and hardships faced by military personnel and their loved ones. ​

He dedicated many years of his life helping others in their time of need, working as a firefighter and paramedic, first with the St. Louis Fire Department and later with the St. Charles Fire Department. After sustaining career-ending injuries in a structure fire, he was forced into retirement.

Tim and his service dog, Ozzy, went on to become Missouri Patriot Paws’ very first “first responder” service dog team.

He now spends his time sharing his story with other first responders. He collaborates with organizations that assist veterans and first responders grappling with PTSD and mentors whenever he can at a free holistic healing program in Kansas City called Warriors Ascent.

Russ Hinkle

Caren Whites

I’ve been a dog lover for as long as I can remember. Partner that with being an Army brat, and you see why being a part of Missouri Patriot Paws is a perfect fit for me.​ My father and brother both served in the Army and are both Vietnam War veterans. Having been raised in the military, I know firsthand the sacrifices that these service men and women (and their families) make so that we might enjoy the freedom we have in this country. I will always be grateful to them. I have been in the banking business for many, many years and currently serve as the Treasurer for Missouri Patriot Paws. It’s my honor to do this small part to help our veterans. 

James & Jana

We first became involved with Missouri Patriot Pals in 2023 after finding the organization online while searching for a service dog program. We had recently rescued a dog from one of the local rescues in Camdenton and decided to begin the Missouri Patriot Pals program.

PJ, Jim’s first service dog, went through the program and graduated in 2024. PJ has been an incredibly important part of our family and has shown us just how meaningful the service-dog program can be.

We have been involved with animals in one way or another throughout our lives, but since becoming part of Missouri Patriot Pals, we have developed an even deeper passion for service dogs and the difference they can make in people’s lives.

Susan has encouraged us along the way to keep moving forward, and Jesse Queen, our trainer, has continually pushed and encouraged us to stay involved and continue growing with the program.

More recently, we welcomed a new addition to our family, Georgie, who will eventually take over as Jim’s service dog when the time comes. Having gone through this journey with PJ and now beginning it again with Georgie, we wanted to become more involved and be a bigger part of an organization that means so much to us.

We are honored to have been asked to serve on the board. We look forward to working alongside this wonderful group, supporting Missouri Patriot Pals, and doing whatever we can to help the program continue to grow and succeed.

We are excited for what the future holds and grateful for the opportunity to give back to an organization that has already given so much to our family.