Like many of us, the pandemic brought big life changes for HSS Board Vice Chair Mallory Rodenberg.

A Waterloo native, Mallory spent years commuting across the river to volunteer with and serve on the boards of nonprofits based in the St. Louis communities where she worked. While these opportunities brought much joy to her life, she felt a yearning to serve members of her own community.

In 2020, as her job transitioned to a fully remote work-from-home position with the onset of COVID, Mallory found herself with more time to devote to volunteering. She decided it was time to find an organization here in Monroe County to support. 

In September of that year, Mallory joined the Human Support Services Board of Directors. She chose to volunteer with HSS because she felt a personal connection to the organization and its mission.

“I know and love individuals who struggle with mental health and substance abuse - some of the very same services HSS offers to the community,” Mallory explained. “Through my life experiences, I have been able to voice my opinion and influence decisions to help make HSS the best it can be. Some call this compassionate leadership, and I'm a firm believer in it.”

In addition to a heart for service and her ties to Monroe County, Mallory brings a wealth of professional experience to her role as vice chairperson for HSS.

With a Master of Health Administration degree from Webster University, a Bachelor of Arts in legal studies from University of West Florida, and a certification in healthcare compliance, Mallory has a unique background in both the legal and healthcare fields.

Mallory believes her professional experience allows her to see things through a different lens. Her background allows her to view the services and processes with a critical eye and find ways to improve operations. 

“As board members, we are relied upon to make informed and future-oriented business decisions. It is important to understand how nonprofits operate, how they are structured, and the regulatory obligations of the organization,” she said.

Of course, what really drives Mallory is the clients. She looks forward to getting hugs from clients at every HSS function she attends.

To date, her favorite experiences as a board member have been helping to host the Thanksgiving meal for staff and clients, and attending the annual Celebration Banquet where the clients’ performance brought a tear to her eye.

Mallory is also active as a board member for the Young Leaders of SSM Health, and as a member of the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA), the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). She also volunteers with SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Foundation and Friends of Kids with Cancer.

Mallory and her husband Quinn reside in Waterloo with their two young children.

HSS is always on the lookout for prospective members to join our board of directors. If you're interested in learning more, please contact chunter@hss1.org.