Ambassador Committee

Carrie Carter serves as the Director of Sales and Marketing at Asbury Village, where she has proudly dedicated the past 12 years to helping families and residents discover the next chapter of their lives. Known for her compassionate approach and deep understanding of senior living, Carrie finds joy in building meaningful relationships and guiding future residents and their loved ones through the transition into community life.

Before joining Asbury Village, Carrie spent 13 years as Director at the Imaging Center of Southern Illinois, where she gained extensive leadership and operational experience in healthcare. Her commitment to excellence and community involvement earned her recognition in the RBGA’s Top 20 Under 40 Class of 2012. Most recently, she completed the LCS Excellerator Program, a year-long leadership initiative that strengthened her strategic and people-centered leadership skills.

Carrie is passionate about seniors and the sense of family that defines Asbury Village—both among residents and her dedicated team members.

Outside of work, she treasures time with her family, especially her husband, Isaiah, her two teenage daughters, Rylee & Karlee, her four dogs, one cat, and several bonus kiddos whom she adores like her own. A lifelong sports enthusiast, she has coached her daughter’s soccer team for nine years and can often be found cheering on her girls on the soccer field and wrestling mat, attending local sporting events, trying new restaurants, or rooting for The Ohio State Buckeyes.

Megan Fairless is the Owner of Megyme Productions. She started her business at 16 years old in 2011. Specializing in high-quality video production, she creates cinematic wedding films and impactful promotional content for local businesses. She is a dedicated member of the Alton community and passionate about promoting the region. Community over Competition is the motto of her and her team.

Heather originally started her yoga journey ten years ago. She had more free time and decided to try something new. It was at this time she fell absolutely in love with Yoga.

It was in September of 2016 when she graduated from Jane’s House of Well Being with a 200-hour certification and began her teaching journey. After working in her community and sharing her knowledge with students as to all the many benefits of yoga she decided to further her individual growth. She continued her education and received numerous certifications in Yin, Restorative, Deep Buti and Yoga for all. She received her 500-hour yoga certification in May 2021. She will finish her certification in Kundalini Yoga in August 2023.

Her passion has always been beginners. She loves to offer classes that are fun, lighthearted, and not so serious. She is always joking around while teaching classes.

She decided to open Heather’s Zen Den Yoga Studio as an outlet to share her love of yoga with the community while offering various classes at an affordable price. She wants students to feel comfortable while attending classes because yoga really is for everyone.

When not at the studio, she likes to spend her free time with her loving husband, Jason. She also has three cats named Sam, Dean, and Maggie. She loves learning new things and meeting new people.

Travis Hunt is the Assistant Group Home Administrator at Beverly Farm Foundation. Travis has been at Beverly Farm for over 25 years. He has held numerous positions: Direct Support Person, Client Program Coordinator, Residential Service Director, Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional, Unit Director, and Assistant Group Home Administrator. Travis has a passion for supporting adults with developmental disabilities within each individual’s functional capabilities.

Travis is a lifelong resident of the Riverbend area. Travis graduated from Alton Senior High School, Lewis and Clark Community College, and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. In May 2025, Travis earned his Licensed Nursing Home Administrator Licensure.

Travis enjoys spending time with his family, especially his nieces and nephews, and friends. He also enjoys shopping, cooking, hosting gatherings, and traveling.

Jordan Hurley serves as the Commercial Services Treasury Manager at 1st MidAmerica Credit Union, where she partners with businesses to deliver treasury solutions designed to strengthen their financial success. Since joining the credit union in 2021, Jordan has built a reputation for providing exceptional service and for helping members navigate their financial needs with confidence. She expanded her impact in the fall of 2024 when she joined the Commercial Team, bringing her expertise and dedication to supporting business growth.
Beyond her role at 1st MidAmerica, Jordan is joining the RiverBend Growth Association as an Ambassador, furthering her commitment to community involvement and local business advocacy. She strives to foster strong relationships, champion economic growth, and create opportunities for businesses to thrive.
Jordan values connection with others, learning from their experiences, and contributing to initiatives that create lasting impact. When she’s not working with members or volunteering in the community, Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband in the beautiful outdoors at their home in Calhoun County.

For over 25 years, Matthew Kotzamanis has been a lender in the Riverbend community. He is currently the Vice President of Lending for Liberty Bank at their Godfrey location where he helps people every day with their mortgage and personal loan needs. Matthew is an active member of the Bethalto Kiwanis and Riverbend Rotary Clubs. He and his wife Brandy have two children, Lacy and John. He enjoys hunting and fitness as well as going to his son’s basketball and baseball games.

Starla Laper is the Member Center Manager for CEFCU in Godfrey, IL. CEFCU is the newest credit union to join the Riverbend area as of 2021. Starla has been in the financial services industry for over 20 years and finds the most enjoyment in helping members of the community exceed their financial goals. She also prides herself on providing a top-notch member experience at her member center.

A lifelong resident of the Riverbend area, she also actively participates in other community organizations such as North Alton Godfrey Business Council, Zonta Club of Alton Wood River, Alton Main Street, and her church St. Paul Lutheran in Wood River.

In her free time, you may find her on a local golf course with her husband Travis or searching for her next great shoe find to add to her growing collection.

Starla gets excited being on the Ambassador Committee because she continues to serve the Riverbend community.

George is the owner of McGilvrey Fine Portraits. He grew up in Danville Illinois, moving to Paris Illinois where he lived his adult life until he moved to Rosewood Heights to marry his wife Kimberly in 2015. George photographed his first wedding in 1981. The couple operates their photography business working on location in the River Bend area while doing location and studio sessions in Paris Illinois. George joined the RBGA not long after moving to the area as a networking tool to grow his reborn photography business and has since attended and/or assisted with as many RBGA events as he could.

McGilvrey Fine Portraits offers a full line of photography services from weddings to family portraits, high school senior portraits, business, and acting headshots, and Kimberly offers boudoir photography. “We find joy in portraying people the way others see them, not the way they see themselves in the mirror daily.” says George, there isn’t anything more satisfying than hearing “Wow, I look good!” from a satisfied customer. “It is our goal to create the best portrait you have ever had taken.”

Lee is a Major Gift Officer for the Foundation at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center.

She works closely with our community to obtain resources, through philanthropy, that are crucial to enhancing the OSF HealthCare Mission. Funds raised through the Foundation are used in a variety of ways at OSF Saint Anthony’s and throughout the Ministry – including equipment, research, building, training, and multiple programs to help care for those who turn to OSF Saint Anthony’s for their health care needs. Getting to witness firsthand the generosity of individuals within our community is truly the greatest reward of her career.

Lee holds an Associate’s degree from Lewis & Clark Community College.

She has two adult children, her daughter is an Intake Coordinator at New Vision, and her son is currently a student at LCCC.

Christy Schult serves as the Development Director at Community Hope Center, where she oversees fundraising, donor engagement, and outreach initiatives to support individuals and families facing crisis. With a strong background in nonprofit development and education, Christy is deeply committed to building meaningful relationships that advance both mission and impact. Rooted in her Christian faith, her work is driven by a passion for service and a steadfast commitment to preserving dignity, fostering empowerment, and offering hope to those in need.

Erin Spain is an account representative for Big Z Media which includes WBGZ 107.1, MyMix 94.3 and AdvantageNews.com. Erin was born and raised in the Riverbend area and has enjoyed working in the Riverbend community for more than 15 years. This has provided her with the opportunity to work with local small businesses to help them not only increase their business but also to promote the local economy.
Erin lives in Godfrey with her husband, Tom. They have two children, Claire and Jack. In addition to her work with local businesses, Erin has spent time volunteering at her church and her kids schools.

Boston Talley serves as the Development Director at Refuge, a nonprofit in Madison County that provides hope and healing to children and families impacted by trauma. A passionate advocate for community, Boston leads with heart, strategy, and a deep commitment to the mission, building relationships, leading fundraising initiatives, and finding creative ways to connect people to meaningful impact.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Boston’s professional journey blends nonprofit development, community outreach, and hands-on experience organizing events and managing donor engagement.
Proud to serve as an Ambassador for the Riverbend Growth Association, Boston believes community has always been an important part of her life. She’s excited for the opportunity to meet more amazing people, build new connections, and support the work that’s making our region stronger.

Nancy Jo Wilson is a third-generation St. Louis Cardinals fan from West-Central Illinois! Since 2021, she has owned Fancy Nancy on Main Boutique, 307 E. Main St., Grafton.

Prior to owning the boutique, from 2005-2020, she owned Jeni J’s Gifts and Guest Houses in Grafton. During a drive up the River Road to Grafton, Nancy stopped and had a vision to purchase and renovate some derelict properties on Grafton’s Main Street. It soon became a collection of six guest houses and a women’s boutique/wine shop. She truly enjoyed her time in the hospitality industry!

Nancy graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business/Fashion Merchandising from Culver-Stockton College, Canton, Missouri. She has 45-plus years of retail business experience.

Nancy has been a member of the RiverBend Growth Association for nearly 20 years! Nancy feels strongly about involvement in the RBGA, and all the benefits available to member businesses and organizations! This is Nancy’s fourth year as an RBGA Ambassador. Her focus has been recruiting new members and sharing her enthusiasm for the development of new business and personal relationships!