GateWay of Hope Staff
OUR TEAM
Staff, Counselors, and Life-Coaches
Deborah Simon, LCPC
Co-founder
Deborah holds a Master of Arts in Counseling from MidAmerican Nazarene University and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Kansas. Deborah counsels’ women in the areas of depression, grief, anxiety and PTSD. She also desires to offer her experience and understanding of Dissociative Identity Disorder to women who have suffered from severe trauma and abuse. She strives to offer a safe and confidential place for women in ministry such as pastors, ministry leaders, church staff or pastors’ wives.
Vernita McMurtrey
Executive Director
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Barbara Beddingfield
Finance Director
Barbara Beddingfield joins GateWay of Hope after a varied career in corporate finance and accounting. After graduating from Denison University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish, Barbara earned her Masters in Business Administration at Boston University, leading to broad management experience in multinational businesses.
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After many years of traveling to Mexico on assignment, Barbara shifted her focus to serving the nonprofit side of financial management.
Barbara grew up in the Kansas City area, and returned to live here with her husband in 2004. Professionally, Barbara became Executive Director of Front Porch Alliance, in Kansas City’s Ivanhoe neighborhood.
KC Healthy Kids in Kansas City, KS was Barbara’s most recent role as VP of Finance & Administration. With food-based missions as the focus, Barbara supported the information needs of staff addressing food and health equity. Grant planning and reporting, and managing the financial strategy and operations were skills which Barbara further developed with a nonprofit perspective.
Barbara is delighted to join GateWay of Hope, where her cumulative experience allows her to provide professional support to the organization and its staff, who directly counsel and coach women in need.
Alycia Keffer
Donor Development Manager
Alycia graduated with her business degree from Oral Roberts University in 2018. She developed a strong sense of devotion for the nonprofit sector through volunteerism and local outreach. She has five years of expereince in the non-profit sector; Alycia desires to utilize her skills in development, event planning, and marketing to help support the mission of GateWay of Hope. In addition, Alycia graduated from Leadership Olathe, a competitive City Leadership Program, in 2022. She is a strong advocate for health equity and helping women grow in healing, hope, and personal development.
Allyson James
Fund Development Specialist
Allyson has been contracted to assist with event and online fundraising. She has worked in the non-profit industry for 20+ years and has a strong technology background. She is very passionate about the need for women’s mental health services in the area and is excited to help GateWay of Hope advance their mission.
Ingrid Chavez
Operations Manager
Ingrid has her Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration from Colorado State University. She comes to Gateway of Hope with many years of Healthcare experience from office work to hands on care. She has a great love for helping others, in particular the elderly and aspires to one day be a director of a senior living facility. Ingrid is a huge advocate for women empowerment and is looking forward to all the new experience she will gain and is delighted to be a part of the Gateway of Hope team.
Alainna Johnson
Office Manager & Receptionist
Alainna graduated with her Bachelors Degree in Health Sciences from the University of Missouri. She is currently attending MidAmerica Nazarene University’s Masters in Counseling program and Family, Marriage, and Couples track. In addition to her education, she has several years of experience in non-profit ministry overseas. She has a heart for helping women with all types of backgrounds.
Marcia Simoneau, LSCSW
Therapist
Not Accepting New Clients
Accepts Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Medicare
Marcia is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker. She has worked in the field of social work for over 20 years. Marcia earned her masters degree from the University of Kansas. She has served as a board member for the Kansas Behavioral Science Regulatory Board for the past eight years. Marcia treats depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, loss and grief, relationship challenges, co-dependency, divorce recovery, foster care, and adoption. She currently enjoys working with women of the middle and later life age.
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Marcia’s clinical history includes providing services for children, teens, and adults. She treats depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, loss and grief, relationship challenges, co-dependency, divorce recovery, foster care, and adoption. She currently enjoys working with women of the middle and later life age.
Marcia desires to support women as they travel the road to wholeness as they reach their Godly potential. She loves people which has contributed to a strong desire to help women overcome obstacles that prevent them from being the women God calls them to be.
Tina Richardson, LPC
Therapist
Accepting New Clients
Tina holds a Master’s of Arts degree in counseling from MidAmerica Nazarene University. She is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in Kansas. Tina counsel’s teens and women in the areas of depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and adjustment. She has over 20 years of experience working with adolescents who have experienced trauma.
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She is passionate about working collaboratively with teens and women to heal. She works by helping them set goals, replace negative thoughts and develop hope.
Vonetta McClunie, LCMFT, OTR/L
Therapist
Not Accepting New Clients
Vonetta is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Kansas and a Licensed Occupational Therapist in the state of Missouri. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Howard University and a Master of Science degree in Family Therapy from Friend’s University. Vonetta works together within the context of women’s relationships to restore health, balance, prayerfully creating a positive impact on the quality of their daily lives.
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Vonetta realizes during life’s journey, women can experience challenges via situations that may be in or out of their control. At these moments, women may feel hopeless, pondering who can they seek out for support. As a result, trauma, anxiety, depression, loss, etc may be experienced. She works together within the context of women’s relationships to restore optimal health, balance, prayerfully creating a positive impact on the quality of their daily lives. Vonetta works with women across the life span who are adversely impacted by relationships, illness, injury, disease, and developmental concerns. Sessions are tailored to their specific needs utilizing proven techniques. Spiritual insight and utilizing a strength based approach is encouraged, so that women can create an authentic and fulfilling narrative for their lives. In addition Vonetta is EMDR trained and looks forward to a therapeutic experience that is mutually transforming for both therapist and client. She will work collaboratively with women in a safe, nurturing environment encouraging renewal of the spirit, mind, and body holistically.
Vonetta is a member of the American Association of Marrriage and Family Therapists.
Eriko Her, LPC
Therapist
Accepting New Clients
Eriko Her has a masters in counseling psychology from the University of Saint Mary. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with the state of Kansas. Eriko is passionate about working with women struggling with postpartum depression, anxiety disorders, depression, parenting challenges, and marital or relationship problems. She provides counseling from a cognitive behavioral therapy approach and a strength focused approach.
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Eriko’s goal is to provide a safe place for women. To ensure the women she works with feel supported and heard. She works from a place of authenticity and compassion. Truly believing that it is God’s will for her to be a counselor. To help the woman she works with find peace, healing, and encouragement in every season of their life.
Megan Ross, LCPC
Therapist
Not Accepting New Clients
Megan holds a Master’s of Counseling degree from Doane College, Lincoln NE. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with the State of Kansas. Megan is passionate about counseling teens and young adults with anxiety, depression, chronic pain and other chronic health conditions such as hypertension. Megan believes in an approach that includes not just the mind but the body as well and how the two work together to make us our best selves. That treating the root cause is more important than the symptoms. Megan uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, mindfulness, and prevention management.
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Jennifer Darling, LSCSW
Therapist
Not Accepting New Clients
Accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield
Jennifer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has over 15 years of experience. Jennifer obtained her Masters in Social Work from the University of Kansas in 2002. She has experience working with a variety of mental health settings with all ages and diagnosis, including anxiety, depression and Borderline Personality Disorder. Jennifer is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and operates from the Strengths Perspective. Jennifer is licensed in Kansas and Missouri and resides in the Kansas City area.
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Jennifer is passionate about helping others, believes in having a non-judgmental stance as a counselor and validating clients. Her goal as a counselor is to provider her clients with skills that they can live a happier and more fulfilled life.
Gloria Derritt, LPC
Therapist
Accepting New Clients
Gloria holds a master’s in counseling from Mid-America Nazarene University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with the state of Kansas. She received her bachelors degree in Biblical counseling. Gloria is passionate about counseling women who have experienced marital/relationship problems, divorce, negative thought patterns, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, parenting, and self-esteem/self worth issues. Gloria provides counseling from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach, in addition to Christ centered counseling, as the client works towards spiritual healing and growth.
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She is passionate about assisting women in learning to love and care for themselves. Gloria finds it important that her clients know that she provides a safe place where they feel heard and supported.
Sara Greeley, LPC
Therapist
Accepting New Clients
Sara holds a master/s degree in counseling from MidAmerica Nazarene University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with the state of Kansas. Sara is passionate about counseling youth and women who struggle with anxiety disorders, self-esteem and self-worth issues, depression, family or origin struggles, and coping with depression caused by chronic illness. Sara uses a combination of primarily Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients move towards change. She also approaches individuals from an attachment perspective and believes that understanding past relationships can help motivate towards change for the future.
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Sara has been volunteering with youth and children in ministry for about 10 years before receiving her counseling degree and believes God has placed a calling on her to help hurting women heal and find purpose and hope through their struggle.
Nora Munzo
Coordinator of Latina/Hispanic Services
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Aliuwa Unoke, LSCSW
Social Worker
Not Accepting New Clients
Accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield & Medicare
Aliuwa is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker in Kansas and Missouri. She holds a Masters in Social Work degree from Washburn University and has been practicing since 2013, with focused specialization in the area of trauma. Aliuwa also works with women experiencing depression, grief, anxiety, PTSD, life transitions, anger management and stress. The integrative therapeutic approaches used in session are Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) and Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) which are emotionally-cognitive-body focused approaches to healing and help to reveal internal hidden resilient capabilities to handling issues in life.
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Aliuwa has worked with diverse populations however her passion continues to be about serving women. She believes in creating an emotionally safe, non-judgmental atmosphere which helps to facilitate and nurture the healing needed in such a space. Aliuwa believes in resourcing clients internally and externally with tools to help them live a life worth living.
Teresa Vining
Life Coach
Teresa is a Christian life and family coach, as well as a writer and speaker on topics relating to relationships, parenting, marriage, and faith. She received her coaching certification through Impact Coaching Academy, accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and completed additional training through Light University, the educational division of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). She has published two books and numerous articles in publications such as Focus on the Family, Marriage Partnership,Today’s Christian Woman, and others.
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Teresa has been married to her college sweetheart for 28 years. She has extensive parenting experience as the mom of 4 and the previous foster mom of more than 50 children. She and her husband served as foster parents for over 20 years and adopted two of their kids as older children through the foster care system.
Her work in foster care has given her the opportunity to personally parent kids with all different backgrounds, ethnicities, personalities, strengths, and challenges, as well as kids in all kinds of schooling situations, including homeschool, public school, alternative school, and online school. She has parented kids with ADHD, reactive attachment disorder, PTSD, and a wide variety of other learning disabilities and behavioral issues.
Teresa loves encouraging families and helping them grow spiritually, overcome challenges, build strong relationships, and achieve their goals. She offers relationship and parenting workshops, as well as provides one-on-one and group coaching to women, couples, and teens both in-person and through videoconferencing. Her website is https://teresaviningcoaching.com.
Gloria Mendiburu
Therapist
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HELPING WOMEN
Who We Serve
WOMEN
You deserve to feel whole. At GateWay of Hope, we work with women of all ages and backgrounds to heal, grow, and thrive in their lives.
TEENS
Teenage years can be scary. We love helping young women recover and heal, deal with tough relationships, and set themselves up for a positive future.
TESTIMONIALS
Love From Our Clients
“I am thankful for God putting the information about GateWay in my path at the exact time I needed it.”
“Thank you for not giving up on me. GateWay is my safe place.”
“GateWay has always been there when I didn’t have the courage to go on.”