St. Francis Foundation welcomes 4 to the board

The St. Francis Foundation has welcomed four new board members during the 2025 fiscal year.

During the July quarterly board meeting, the St. Francis Foundation will welcome Michael Baumgartner, Elizabeth Christiansen, Judy Frueh and Doug Sutton as new members of the board of directors.

“We are so grateful to have Michael, Elizabeth, Judy and Doug joining us on the St. Francis Foundation Board of Directors,” says Megan Jennings, director of development for the St. Francis Foundation. “They bring a vast amount of knowledge and expertise to the board, but most importantly, a passion for ensuring quality, sustainable and exceptional health care for all we serve.”

Baumgartner served numerous health care organizations as president and CEO during his 44-year career, including SSM Health St. Francis Hospital. He most recently retired as SSM Health Illinois Region president. He is a board member for Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County and president of the Maryville Rotary Club.

Christiansen is a third-generation St. Francis Foundation board member, following in her father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. A Maryville native, class of 2004, Christiansen attended Highland Community College and William Woods University where she played collegiate softball and earned a bachelor of science in management information systems. She began her career at Cerner Corporation as a system engineer and strategist, until she joined the family business, MTE Office Center, in 2016, as the fourth generation Baker to work there. She and her husband, Kyle, and two children moved back to Maryville in 2021. She continues to work for MTE, creating marketing and sales strategies. She is also involved in children’s and women’s ministries at The Bridge, along with supporting Maryville Chamber and Downtown Maryville.

Frueh is the director of clinic services at Wellness Services at Northwest Missouri State University. She is also a women’s health nurse practitioner. She loves working with college students and enjoys the diversity of the students she has the opportunity to work with. Judy is married with two children and three grandchildren. Her hobbies include health-focused volunteer work, singing, spending time with family and friends and walking/jogging.

Sutton, a native of Gordon, NE, studied at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and came to Maryville in 1989 to serve as the plant manager for Kawasaki for 16 years. He is an active board member of the New Nodaway Humane Society and the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments.