MPA Board of Directors

J. Tyler Blickhan

President

Tyler Blickhan is an Associate Director for Ascension Investment Management with experience in social and impact investing. At MPA, Tyler has utilized his professional experience with impact investing and portfolio management while serving on the Partners and Finance Committees, before serving as Board President in 2020. Tyler moved to St. Louis in 2003 to attend Saint Louis University, having grown up in Quincy, IL. Tyler and his wife Jenna have a special interest in utilizing the power of microfinance to help women and their families acquire the tools necessary to improve their health, education, and financial outcomes.

Tim Bubenik

Vice President

Tim Bubenik is an attorney with McMahon Berger, PC, where he specializes in labor and employment law. While he came to the Board simply looking for an opportunity to give back, he has found his time and service extremely rewarding as he has seen the remarkable difference MPA makes in the lives of so many people half a world away.

Julie Shearburn

Coming Soon!

Christina Anderson Oridota

Treasurer

Christina Anderson serves as Vice President, Senior Business Banker for Enterprise Bank & Trust. She has a combined 7 seven years with Enterprise and the 2017 acquisition of Eagle Bank & Trust. In 2018 Enterprise relocated her to Kansas City making her able to serve the business community across the state and Kansas. Her 15 years in banking began in Human Resources – Talent Acquisition for U.S. Bank, transitioned into Project & Product Management for Eagle Bank & Trust and currently Business Development. She holds a BS in Business Marketing from Fontbonne University.

Toni Temporiti, CPPS

Founder & Executive Committee

Antoinette “Toni” Temporiti was born and raised on The Hill in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1975, she joined the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood in O’Fallon.

In 2003, Sr. Toni Temporiti took a sabbatical, camping overland over 8 months from Cairo to Cape Town to Africa. On this trip, Sr. Toni met local women who asked where would they get food for their families; would their children be able to go to school; and what if they or their children got sick?

Upon her return to St. Louis, while eating at a restaurant in Clayton, Sr. Toni realized that for the cost of her lunch, a woman in Africa could get a small loan (microfinancing) to help her business, and have an answer to those questions.

In November 2006, Sr. Toni attended a microcredit summit in Nova Scotia and met Ingrid Munro, founder of Jamii Bora Trust, and Mohammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, both of whom filled her with ideas. With the help of friends and colleagues, MicroFinancing Partners in Africa was founded and received 501c3 certification in December 2006.

John DeGregorio

Board Member

John DeGregorio joins the MPA board with a degree from Georgetown University in Economics and Government and a Law degree from Washington University School of Law. John has practiced law at Medco Health Solutions (today, Express Scripts, Inc) as well Kimberly-Clark Corp. where he was responsible for commercial, regulatory and litigation matters in Europe, Africa and the Middle East for brands like Huggies®, Kleenex®, Cottonelle®, Viva®, Scott®, Depends® and Kotex®.

DeGregorio will bring his years of law practice and expertise with some of the largest brands to serve MPA and help our partners grow.

Linda Hall

Secretary

As the Director of the Tiffany & Company – St. Louis store located in Plaza Frontenac, St. Louis’ premier retail shopping mall, Linda has been serving on the board with an interest in the challenges and potential of the beautiful people of Africa and how microfinance can aid their communities. Along with her husband Ed Hall, Linda currently lives in University City.

Fr. Brad Modde

Board Member

Fr. Brad is a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the pastor of St. Simon the Apostle parish. Since being ordained in 1997, he has served at a number of parishes as well as St. Mary’s High School. When he arrived at St. Simon parish, he noticed “the cow project” display, and learned about MPA. After meeting Sr. Toni and learning about how MPA directly changes the lives of people, he accepted her invitation to join the board of directors, connecting with “the Church spread throughout the world.”

Charise Thomas

Board Member

Charise was previously an office manager for MPA after a career in finance/ accounting for 20+ years. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Fontbonne University in Organizational Management – Business and a certificate from Washington University’s, University College in Leadership and Development. She is an avid reader and the coach and player of 2 softball teams.

Sherry Teefey, M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Sherry Teefey is a Professor of Radiology at Washington University, Saint Louis, Mo with a subspeciality in ultrasound. She has been an MPA board member since 2013 with a focus on the Safe Woman Programs (Safe Birth Program, Village Health Center Microfinancing Project, SWAP, and Post Fistula Women’s Project).

Shilpa Thornton

Board Member

Shilpa Thornton, MD joins MPA with unique experience as an Ophthalmologist. With a BA/ MD from the University of Missouri- Kansas City and completing her residency at Washington University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science Residency she has over 20 years in the medical field.