Our Team
Emily Smith,
Executive Director
Emily prides herself in being the Executive Director of Wyoming’s only nonprofit specializing in both life and financial management services. She has worked to fill gaps in community services in Wyoming for more than 20 years. Ms. Smith has a degree in Social Work from Boise State University, has been a certified social worker in Wyoming since 2002 and a Nationally Certified Guardian through the Center for Guardianship Certification since 2011. In 2010 she began working at Wyoming Guardianship Corporation, becoming Executive Director in 2011. She has an eclectic work experience which includes home health social work, psychiatric social work, community mental health and crisis work. She sits on the boards of both the National PLAN Alliance, an organization dedicated solely to meeting the planning needs of families with adult children having lifelong disabilities, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne. Ms. Smith currently lives in Cheyenne with her husband, kids and rescued dogs.
Leadership
Jeana Kress,
Director of Financial Management Services
Jeana is the WGC Director of Financial Management Services. Jeana has an Associate's Degree in Business Administration and Accounting. Jeana has an extensive background in business management; accounting; project management and process development. Before joining WGC, Jeana was the Business Operations Manager for Small and Medium Business for IBM Global Business Services managing project financials. Jeana lives in Cheyenne with her husband and enjoys spending time with her family, pets and the beautiful outdoors of Wyoming.
Danica Lamb,
HR & Office Manager
Danica joined the WGC team in August of 2020 as the Office Manager and Human Resources Administrator. For 20 years prior, Danica worked as a Human Resources Manager within the healthcare field at hospitals located in Tennessee, Alaska and Wyoming. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources/Management as well as a certification specialty in recruitment. Danica enjoys being in the mountains, backpacking, hiking , photography and concerts.
Life Management Services
Kenna Hill
Guardian and Facility Liasion, Kenna Hill has been with WGC since 2007. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Wyoming and has been a Nationally Certified Guardian through the Center for Guardianship Certification since 2009. Ms. Hill has extensive experience working with individuals who have serious mental health illness, acquired brain injury and intellectual disability.
Liz Hamann
Liz joined WGC as a Guardian in 2014. She has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a master’s degree in guidance counseling from Tennessee State University. Her professional experience includes managed care, medical case management, quality improvement, federally qualified health care/grants, utilization management, workers compensation case management and cardiac intensive care. In her spare time, Ms. Hamman enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, skiing and swimming and gardening.
Brendi Jensen
Brendi Jensen, National Certified Guardian, came to work for WGC as a guardian in January, 2020 and became the Life Management Services Program Manager in May of 2023. Brendi has spent her career working in human services with at risk and disabled adults, youth and children. In addition, Brendi has also owned and operated licensed childcare/preschools in Casper. Currently Brendi also runs Double Shoe Farm in Casper where they provide farm fresh pork, beef, and lamb to their community and surrounding areas. She enjoys teaching horseback riding lessons and providing equine therapy to individuals with challenges such as autism, anxiety and PTSD. Brendi and her husband have 4 children who are very active in 4-H.
Kelly Headley
Kelly Headley joined the WGC team as the Substance and Mental Health Ombudsman in June of 2020. Kelly currently lives “off the grid” on the Wind River Reservation. Kelly has worked as a care coordinator for Wyoming Services for Independent Living, a paraprofessional in the Fremont County School District, a young adult librarian at the Fremont County Library, a kitchen manager for the National Outdoor Living School in Lander, and most recently as a barista at her daughter and son-in-law’s coffee shop, where she honed her coffee brewing skills. Kelly is an avid outdoors woman, a mother to four successful adult children, and loves helping others, making her a great advocate and ombudsman.
Trudy Kopas
Trudy joined WGC as a Guardian in July 2023. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Wyoming, a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from University of North Dakota, and will receive her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in March of 2024 from Walden University. Trudy also speaks a moderate amount of Spanish and is fluent in American Sign Language. Devoted to helping others, she has worked with individuals with Disabilities her entire life, from birth to old age. Trudy has experience in many settings, including skilled nursing, hospitals, veteran’s, group homes, supported living, and waiver programs. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her partner around the country playing softball, spending time with her family, including her two grown children, and walking her therapy dog, Lefty. In the winter, Trudy enjoys reading, baking, and crafting.
Kerrie Metcalf
Kerrie recently joined WGC as a Guardian in 2022. She has Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Management from Central Wyoming College. Kerrie has over 20 years’ experience in assisting individuals with intellectual disabilities. Mrs. Metcalf has worked with at-risk youth and young adults within the Fremont County drug court system where she facilitated Moral Reconation Therapy and Anger Management groups.
Kerrie enjoys spending time with her husband of 30 years, rock hunting Wyoming back roads, lapidary work and time with her two sons and soon to be first grandchild.
Rebecca Solovey
Rebecca joined WGC in December of 2023. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Eastern Washington University. Rebecca has spent her career serving children and the disabled and geriatric populations. She is actively involved at her church and has volunteered in the youth ministries for over three years.
In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys playing Peppa Pig and Ninja Turtles with her son, doing science experiments with him, cooking, and reading.
Sean Archer
Sean Archer began his journey with Wyoming Guardianship in March of 2024. Sean has an extensive amount of experience working with individuals with disabilities from front line to an administrative manager. Now as a Guardian, he looks forward to embracing what is ahead and ready to advocate for those who he is entrusted to assist.
In Sean’s free time he enjoys being outside walking with his dachshund and enjoying the scenery. He loves going for motorcycle rides and practicing the sport of archery. He is active in church and is a devout family man, often enjoying dinosaur adventure with his 3 year old.
Batina Baker
Batina joined WGC in April of 2023. She was born and raised in Southern Louisiana and Mississippi but has been a resident of Wyoming since 1999, where she raised her family. She has an extensive background working with vulnerable populations, to include homeless veterans, mental and intellectual disabled, individuals with brain injuries, dementia and special education students. Batina earned her BA in Educational Studies from Western Governors University and an AA in Secondary of Education from Eastern Wyoming Community College. Her passion is to inspire, empower and enable others to live their lives with purpose, autonomy and dignity. In her down time, Batina enjoys being outdoors. Her favorite pass time is hiking Casper Mountain in the summer and fall and snowshoeing in the winter and spring.
Financial Management Services
Mary Zuber
Mary joined the WGC team in August 2022, as a Financial Navigator. She loves working with the public and has spent 35 years working in customer service with 17 of those years in Human Services. Mary spent 14 years with DFS, the last 7 years as an Economic Security Analyst.
Mary is an advocate for children and adults who have suffered or are suffering abuse. While at CWC, she completed internships with the Victim’s Assistance Programs in Fremont County. She interned for the RPD, FCAO, and the FCSO. Mary is an Independent Damsel Pro and promotes situational awareness and self-defense.
In her spare time, Mary loves spending time with her husband. They love to ride Harleys, travel to museums, art shows and as many concerts as time allows.
Tristan Johnson
Tristan joined WGC in August 2023 as the Financial Management Services Program Manager. Tristan is a Cheyenne native and a University of Wyoming graduate with Bachelor’s degree in Finance and a Minor in Banking & Financial Services, as well as having her IOM designation (comparable to Master’s Degree in Non-Profit Management). She is also a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator in the State of Wyoming.
When she is isn’t working, you can find Tristan spending time with her two children, a 19 year old daughter and a 16 year old son, and her mom and brother and family. She also enjoys reading a good book, weekending in Glendo and traveling to warm beachy destinations just about anywhere. She is a past Dandy, former Miss Frontier and is still an active volunteer for Cheyenne Frontier Days today.
Amanda Walsh
Amanda joined WGC in April 2023 as the Trust Coordinator. She has a passion for helping people and has spent the last decade in various roles that allowed her to do that. Her professional experience includes being a Realtor and working as a Legal Assistant in a busy family law office. She is looking forward to working with the clients of WGC.
Amanda loves to spend her spare time enjoying quiet cups of coffee, snuggling her two kitties and enjoying every spare minute with her two amazing kids.
JoDee
JoDee joined the WGC team in 2012 as the accounts manager in the representative payee program. She attended Business College in South Dakota obtaining an associate degree in business and accounting. JoDee has experience in bookkeeping, office management and accounting. She enjoys scrap booking and mixed media, antiquing, calligraphy and camping.
Valerie Leseberg
Val joined WGC as a Conservator in October of 2020. She lives in Fremont County where she’s lived most of her life and loves being close to family, trying new foods, heavy powerlifting, all kinds of painting and being a proud dance mom to a competitive dancer! She enjoys supporting her WGC Conservatorship clients across the state with an empathetic approach. Her experience as a personal trainer, wedding planner and in management roles has contributed to great organization, communication and care for her clients. Favorite quote: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” - Nelson Mandela
Winter McGee
Winter enjoys accounting, loves to crunch numbers and figuring out how to make the most of what money people have. She loves helping people working towards goals and figuring out ways they can achieve them financially.
Winter and her family love to go camping, four wheeling and just being int he mountains. She and her husband have three beautiful daughters, one son, one cat and 6 chickens.
Michaella Rauwolf
Michaella, Finance Assistant, joined WGC in September of 2021. She holds a degree in Computer Science and has spent most of her career in accounting and office management.
She is the proud mom of 2 military veterans and Mimi/Oma to 5 grandkids. In her spare time, Michaella enjoys most things outdoors such as camping, hunting, ice fishing and hiking. Her dream is to eventually live on a large parcel of forested land and spend time gardening and taking care of farm animals and pets.
Administration
Molly Johnson
Molly joined the WGC team as an Office Assistant in December, 2020. Molly previously worked at the Wyoming Department of Transportation for more than five years.She loves spending time with her husband and daughter at home in the country with their dogs, chickens, and cat. Her other joys include running and reading a good book.
Amber Barnhart
Amber Barnhart is the Community Liaison at WGC. She has been working collaboratively with community agencies, and the court system on an array of projects that focus on advocating for individuals who have experienced abuse and neglect, poverty, and mental health concerns. Amber is proud to serve on the board of directors for the Wyoming Children’s Trust Fund as well as the Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless. In her free time, she enjoys rucking, road tripping, and floating the river while listening to 80s music.
Memorie Self
Memorie joined the WGC team as an Accounts Receivable Clerk in April 2023. Originally from Oregon, her and her husband moved to Cheyenne in 2022. Memorie has previously worked in the finance industry, with a proven track record of accurately processing payments and maintaining financial records. She is detail-oriented, organized, and committed to providing excellent customer service. When she’s not crunching numbers, Memorie enjoys all things outdoors, catching up on reality TV shows, and spending time with family.