2023 Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame

John Ashcroft is a lawyer, politician, author and professor. He served two terms as Missouri governor. From 1995–2001, he worked as a U.S. senator, dedicated to combatting illegal drugs, improving public education and protecting the rights of crime victims. He, then, served as U.S. attorney general, for which he was honored with the Wyman Award.

A dedicated priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Father Moses Berry moved to his family’s farm in Ash Grove, Missouri in 1988. He is a direct descendant of slaves and has made great contributions to educating the public about Afro-American life and spirituality by establishing a museum, founding annual conferences and giving lectures locally and nationally. 

Tom Carlson, a former Springfield city councilman and two-time mayor, led the city through partnerships that resulted in more than $200 million in investments and industrial parks. Carlson spent 20 years as an attorney representing financial institution. He is the current newspaper publisher and financial backer of the Springfield Daily Citizen.

Showcasing an extensive career in the U.S. Army, Lt. Gen. Karen Dyson led soldiers and civilian workforces as a commander at multiple levels. Dyson made Army history in 2014 when she became the first female finance officer to achieve the rank of three-star general. She was later appointed by Congress to the position of military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for financial management and comptroller.

Rachel Mack Robinson is the founder and president of DotCom Therapy (DCT), a leading pediatric teletherapy provider. Robinson has been influential in expanding DCT in order to provide mental health, speech and occupational teletherapy to more thousands of students across the United States.