In January 2006, Kathryn initiated the process to pass C.J.'s Law, mandating that every mobile home manufactured in the state of Indiana be equipped with a NOAA weather radio which would alert residents to impending severe weather threats. CJ's Law was passed and signed by Indiana Governor, Mitch Daniels, in July, 2007. Congressman Brad Ellsworth and Kathryn announced CJ’s Home Protection Act of 2007 in June 2007. This measure passed unanimously through the United States Congress in October, 2007. Kathryn also spearheaded the building of a memorial park and playground at Eastbrook Mobile Home ark where she once lived and where her family members died. Kathryn received the Lampion Center Community Service Award for her efforts in building the two acre memorial park that was dedicated to those who lost their lives as well as those who survived. A playground was designed in the memorial to help the children who still live in the mobile home park feel a sense of normalcy after their lives were literally turned upside down by the forces of nature. Kathryn also received the prestigious Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award in June, 2007, as well as the Mark Trail Award presented by the National Weather Service. In February, 2008, Kathryn was recognized by MONTEL and Charming Shoppes with the VOICES award. Kathryn continuously advocates for those who remain in Eastbrook by writing to Congress about the need for shelters in mobile home parks.

On Friday, May 26th 2006, Kathryn, a friend, and their children drove to a small Indiana town that was ravaged by a tornado the night before, to lend a helping hand. With coloring books, crayons, fruit snacks, and juice boxes in hand, Kathryn provided a sense of peace to a family she had never met by caring for their children as the parents spent hours sifting through the rubble of their former home. This experience was the catalyst behind the CJ's Bus Foundation.

Mary Hess, Board Member
Mary holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Southern Indiana and a Masters in Counseling from Western Kentucky University. She has worked in higher education since 1986 in student affairs, assessment and advising, and for the last six years as a faculty member, an Associate Professor and as Chair in the Human Services program at Ivy Tech Community College. She holds a license as a Licensed Social Worker in the State of Indiana. Currently she serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for a three county Community Action Program in southwestern Indiana and on the Warrick County Habitat Advisory Board. Prior to her employment at the College, she was employed as a Head Start teacher and later as the Director of a tri-county Head Start program. Mary also worked as an employment counselor for Indiana Employment Security, and for the local CETA and 70,001 programs.

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Alexa is currently the Director of Operations for Skyway Management DBA the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Evansville, Indiana. She earned a degree in interior design from Ivy Tech State College where she was president of the design club. Throughout the years Alexa has been a volunteer coach for more than 13 youth soccer teams and volunteered for Special Olympics in the tri-state area. For Skyway Management, Alexa has overseen purchasing, event planning, advertising, as well as running the hotel with her grandfather (Joe), father (Gary), and husband (Kevin) since 2004. At the hotel she has worked on gala fundraisers for the following organizations: Wish Upon a Star, Arthritis Foundation, and Warrick County Community Foundation. The hotel also hosts an annual fundraiser called Taste of Southern Indiana, put on by the Substance Abuse Council of Southern Indiana in 2007. The Taste was formally with The American Heart Association. She directed the donation of furniture and other needed items including beds, sheets, blankets, and flatware to the Red Cross following Katrina.

Alexa is a member of the Southwestern Indiana Builders Association and the hotel is the host for many of their events. Alexa is also a project coordinator for Nickolick Development. Prior to working with her family, Alexa owned and operated Nickolick Interiors as well as worked as a sales rep / kitchen and bath designer for Home Consultants Center. Alexa is a wife and mother of 2. Her eldest son, Connor, was in CJ Martin’s class in daycare where the 2 CJs became buddies.

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LeAnn Rumsey was born in Evansville and raised in the Tri-State area. She lives in Evansville with her husband (Mark) and their 2 children. LeAnn is currently employed by Wilderman & Associates, a locally owned engineering firm, as the Office Manager. She has over 18 years of office experience with over 14 years as an Office Manager. Her experience has been in sales and customer service related industries. LeAnn's experience includes accounting, job management, payroll processing, human resources, event planning and coordination, and various special projects. Over the years LeAnn has supported various foundations by organizing and participating in local fundraisers. Some of the organizations she has supported are the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the Local PTA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Relay for Life, Colon Screening for Life.

When asked why she believes in The CJ's Bus Foundation she replies, "I have several different reasons that I feel so passionately about CJ's Bus. It's a foundation that I can get my entire family involved in, including my children. This is the perfect opportunity to teach my children what it means to 'help one another'. I admire Kathryn's courage to turn her personal tragedy into something positive for the entire community. I am excited to share the foundation's history and mission with family, friends, and anyone that I come in contact with."

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Mark is a Corporate Training Instructor with Progressive Insurance. His background in disaster service includes several CAT (catastrophe) deployments for local and national events for Progressive Insurance, including Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, Rita, Jeanne and Frances. He also served CAT duty after the tornado in Marengo, IN and the local devastation of November 2005 in Evansville, IN.

He helped victims get back on their feet and was on the first wave of responders in the first week after Hurricane Katrina. These deployments helped to solidify his beliefs in helping those in times of need and to help the foundation achieve its goals. He has worked in various capacities over the years including the Wabash Valley YMCA as a Youth Program Leader, Walt Disney World as Team Lead, Nationwide Financial Services as an Investment Advisor and currently with Progressive Insurance as a Corporate Training Instructor for the past nine years. Mark is a member of the Tri-State Adjustors and a member of the Friends of Florence National Cemetery. He has a B.A. degree from the University of Southern Indiana.

He and his wife LeAnn are from Mt. Carmel, IL, have two children and currently reside in Evansville, IN.
Mark's motto is "110%...part time".

Rick Shanklin , Board Member
Rick graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.S. in Meteorology.  Rick has over 25 years in the Meteorology industry.  He is currently employed at the National Weather Service as the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for Southwest Indiana, Western Kentucky, Southern Illinois, and Southeast Missouri.  Prior to this position, he served as a Forecaster for Kentucky and Meteorologist-in-Charge of the National Weather Service in Stoneville, Mississippi.  Rick worked for the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic Topographic Center in Louisville, KY in 1984 and 1985.  Since 2005, he has served as Vice-Chair of the Kentucky Weather Preparedness Committee, a committee that promotes severe weather preparedness, including initiation of annual tornado drills.  A native of Christian County Kentucky, Rick and his wife DeAnna have two children and currently reside in Calvert City, Ky.  He is involved in his local church where he serves as a Deacon and Director of Sunday School.  Rick has coached youth basketball and served as Team Manager for a U-18 boy's soccer team.  He has also served as a statistician and provided color for local radio and internet broadcasts of Marshall County KY High School soccer games.

"Having conducted damage surveys for tornadoes and other weather disasters for many years, it is very obvious how extremely helpful an organization like CJ's Bus is to those children recovering from weather disasters. I am humbled to be associated with CJ’s Bus Foundation.”

Brandi Neely , Board Member
Brandi graduated from nursing school in 2000 and is currently attending the University of Evansville to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She is employed at St. Mary’s Center for Children. Since 2002, Brandi has been the primary nurse for pediatricians specializing in neurodevelopment, genetics, neurology, psychology, urology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, and feeding disorders. Over the years Brandi has become very passionate about pediatric psychiatry. She has a special interest in Autism and is learning new things everyday about this devastating disease. Brandi feels there is no greater sense of accomplishment than to have a parent say “thank you for giving me back my child”. She truly believes in making a difference in the lives of children on a daily basis.

Brandi is originally from Henderson, KY and now resides in Evansville, IN with her son. She has been an active volunteer in the Tri-State community during children’s events as well as volunteering for CJ’s Bus. “I have a great admiration for what CJ’s Bus embodies and love being a part of this great organization.”

Tara Greenlee , Board Member
Tara Greenlee graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2005 and a Master of Social Work Degree with a School Social Work Specialization in 2006. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Indiana. Since graduating, she has been employed by the Gibson-Pike-Warrick Special Education Cooperative as a Mental Health Consultant serving children with emotional disabilities.

Tara serves as a volunteer coordinator for CJ's Bus and has been on one deployment to date. After the November 6th tornado in Evansville and Newburgh, Tara felt a strong desire to help the families who had become victims of the disaster. She volunteered with friends and the Red Cross in clean-up efforts though this was not quite her forte. So when she found herself at a Children’s Disaster Services training and came across the opportunity to volunteer with CJ's Bus she took it. Tara finally feels as though she has found a good fit for her to help people in need.

• Jeff Parness / New York, NY / Founding Board Member
• Eric Williams / Evansville, IN / Vanderburgh County Sheriff
• Annie Groves/Vanderburgh Co. Coroner-elect
• Emily Smith-McCormick / Evansville, IN / Specializes in education & counseling
• Melissa Marie Rupp / Evansville, IN / Specializes in child psychology
• Drew Speier / Scranton, PA / Media Specialist, News Anchor
• Bridgett Naas / Newburgh, IN / Disaster coordinator and volunteer firefighter
• Tom Brown / Utica, IL / Member of Utica, Illinois Fire Department
• Erik Kreippen / Slidell, LA / Fire Inspector, St. Tammany Fire District #1
• Julia Mudloff / Boston, MA / firefighter & degree candidate in homeland security
• Jon Gates / Kill Devil Hills, NC / Sgt. in the Kill Devil Hills, NC Fire Department
• Debra Orozco / Plentywood, MT / disaster relief coordinator Harbison Canyon, CA
• Ava Reinstein / Miramar, FL / Information technology system specialist
• Cindy Brush / Evansville IN / Evansville Police Department Captain
• Tom Hess/Boonville, IN / Retired County Govt
• Jody Caplan / New York, NY / Executive Director of National Law Enforcement and Firefighters' Children's Foundation
• Sherri Stokes