Candidate Information

Christopher, AshtonElected
Chillicothe, MO
Department of Corrections

I am an active employee of 13 ½ years of the Missouri Department of Corrections. I have seen multiple insurance plans being offered over the years, and they continue to be unpopular among state employees. I feel that I would be a good candidate to represent state employees because I would listen to my fellow state employees’ concerns and bring them to the board. I plan to bring ideas to help solve these concerns. I know cost of health care is a great concern for many people. State employees just received a raise in pay effective Jan. 1, 2020. Many employees believe that insurance benefits are going to increase to offset that pay raise. I don't want to see our pay raise go to higher insurance premiums; instead, it should be well-deserved compensation for the hard work and dedication each employee puts into their job. As an active state employee who provides insurance for my wife and children, as well, I understand the burden of paying medical bills for a family. Most years, we meet our family deductible, and often, our out-of-pocket max. I know that any change in our health insurance coverage or premiums will profoundly affect my family, and the families of my fellow state employees. I would like to be a trustee so that I would have the opportunity to be our voice. I would appreciate your vote to represent the state employees as an active member on the MCHCP Board of Trustees.

Baxter III, Durward Durant “Trey”
Farmington, MO
Department of Mental Health

My name is Durward "Trey" Baxter. I want to be on the MCHCP Board of Trustees in order to represent all my fellow team members and retirees. As a Fiscal and Administrative Manager (CFO) for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, I see the struggles that employees face every day with pay and retention. I have worked in the private sector in corporate accounting and with public accounting. I take pride working as a state employee, and want to make an impact in every role I take on. Your health care plan is important to you and important to me. I want to be involved in the process of providing the best health care plans for all of us. Your premiums and out-of-paycheck costs are a critical component to affordability. Your health care plans need to be reasonably priced for you and your family. The choices you have and the decisions you make affect your family. The board of trustees has an obligation to do what is in your best interest and for the resources of the state of Missouri. It was great that this year the employees got an increase in pay and at the same time no increase in premiums. I want the opportunity to be a voice in the decisions that affect our lives. I am asking for your vote. Thank you.

Siebert, Valarie
California, MO
Department of Social Services

My name is Valarie Siebert. I have worked most of my adult life in order to help make a difference in the lives of others. I am currently employed with Social Services Medicaid Audit and Compliance. I review the DMH Disability Waiver providers. I have worked in one form of insurance or another most of my adult career, starting out as a caseworker for Social Services, working with Medicaid, nursing home vendor Medicaid, food stamps, child care and TANF. I left to go to a private field when my office restructured. I was a senior patient services representative for Human Arc and CRMC for seven years, total, while studying and obtaining my Life/Health/ADD license (also — Property/Casualty). After my son passed away in 2014, I worked as an independent agent in order to help people understand how insurance worked with ACA and Medicare Advantage Plans within our state. I was there to help explain all aspects of insurance and claims in ways that people could understand and not feel overwhelmed with the terms and verbiage. I came back to the state when the opportunity arose in order to help make a difference. I would love to be able to obtain a seat on the MCHCP Board of Trustees to learn and grow in my knowledge of MCHCP, and to be able to hopefully offer good insight from my experiences and knowledge, as well.

Flowers III, William Leon
Columbia, MO
Administrative Hearing Commission

My name is William Flowers. I am an attorney, a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and I was appointed to serve as the National Student Director of a highly respected American Bar Association (ABA) program during my third year of law school. For the past several years, I have been serving as legal counsel for the Administrative Hearing Commission (AHC) in Jefferson City, Mo. The AHC has statutory jurisdiction in over 100 matters affecting state agencies across the state of Missouri. As legal counsel for the AHC, I provide legal advice and draft decisions for four administrative law judges in areas such as Missouri sales and income tax; Medicaid and laws pertaining to other Missouri state licensing commissions, boards and agencies.

I received a scholarship from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, and graduated from there with my Master of Laws in Taxation in May 2015. During my time at Washington University, I was appointed by my fellow graduate students to serve on the University Judicial Board (now called the Student Conduct Board), which is the university’s academic disciplinary board.

During my third year of law school, I was appointed by the chair of the ABA Law Student Division to the position of National Student Director of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. During the summer of 2013, I served as a paid judicial intern for Chief Justice Cheri Beasley of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. In this position, I read and comprehended appellate briefs, drafted memorandums and speeches and completed other projects for Justice Beasley.

My hobbies include practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 3-4 times a week, weight-lifting, reading political and historical autobiographies and traveling to different countries.

Amann, Cynthia
Jefferson City, MO
Department of Commerce and Insurance

I believe my education and work experience of 28 years in the insurance regulatory and compliance areas provides me with the experience, ability and knowledge that will allow me to undertake the many responsibilities of this position on MCHCP’s Board of Trustees. My work in both the public and private sectors uniquely qualifies me for the expertise needed to efficiently and effectively work for the members of MCHCP, and for the board.

My work experience covers all lines of insurance business (both personal and commercial), and all aspects of an insurance company’s operations — from corporate compliance to underwriting and rating, and from complaint handling to claims processing. I not only have experience with understanding and interpreting policy forms, but I have also seen how these contracts are used and interpreted in the everyday world. I believe this experience will be of benefit to the members of MCHCP and the board.

I have a strong background in compliance, regulatory work and staff development and education. My years of supervisory experience have given me the opportunity to develop not only my own skills, but also to recognize process and operational issues, and to offer ideas for resolution and improvement.

My responsibilities have kept me current with technology, the developing business trends in insurance and legal challenges. I welcome hard work and the opportunity to work with and learn from others. I pride myself on my intelligence, dependability and eagerness to work with and for others.