CREATE AWARENESS ~ COMBAT STIGMA ~ CONNECT COMMUNITIES
About us
EH is firmly committed to identifying each person’s strengths, dreams, and aspirations, providing the roadmap for their journey to leading the life they deserve and desire through the support of our innovative Career Services, Community Connections, and Teaching Empowered Communication (TEC) programs.
Staff Contact information
Kelly Cogan, Executive Director
Dr. Kelly Cogan is a Director of Special Education, an assistant professor for a local college, and the Executive Director of Exceptional Humans. She was the driving force behind developing inclusive programs for students with disabilities in school districts throughout the Kansas City northland for over ten years. As the Executive Director of Exceptional Humans, an agency that provides support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, she creates person-centered programming that includes social activities, community integration, career services, and self-advocacy. She led the agency to obtain internationally recognized CARF accreditation. Kelly’s commitment to excellence is second to none. Over the years, she has recruited and mentored exceptional teams to support individuals with disabilities in living the lives they desire and deserve. Kelly has worked in all administrative capacities, including developing and overseeing agency budgets and personnel, community outreach, and donor cultivation. Kelly operated a successful fine-dining restaurant in Weston, MO, for 10 years. Dr. Kelly Cogan published Exploring Postsecondary Transition in Relationship to Quality of Life for Young Adults with Intellectual Disability, which details results and action plans based on information gleaned directly from interviews with young adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Board of Directors
Sarah McDaniels
Special Education Teacher
North Kansas City School District
Sarah McDaniels is a Special Education teacher in the North Kansas City School district and has been teaching for 20 years. She is married to Russ, who is also a well-respected teacher and coach in the North Kansas City School District. Together they have two wonderful children: Payton and Kale. Sarah enjoys giving time and support to young adults and has a strong desire to increase knowledge, inclusion and understanding of all exceptional humans. During her time as a teacher, she also founded Mondays with McDaniels LLC. McDaniels wanted to create a post-secondary option for young adults to continue learning in their community, with the goal of increased independence. Together, MWM and McDaniels work to enhance all areas of independent living, within their community, one Monday at a time. Sarah has served on grant writing committees, career service program and development committees, has implemented career fair and career exploration opportunities and is an active member of her school department and leadership committees. Sarah greatly enjoys spending time with her husband and watching her children participate in their school and extra curricular activities. Sarah is eager to assist with the mission and vision of Exceptional Humans.
Dorthi Blair
Retired~Community Volunteer
Respiratory Therapist/IT Professional
Dorthi is a Registered Respiratory Therapist and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Management Systems. She worked for INTEGRIS Health in Oklahoma as the Education/Clinical Site Coordinator, where she loved working with patients, their families, multiple disciplines within the health system and Respiratory programs throughout the state. She had many duties and truly enjoyed teaching about respiratory and healthcare. Dorthi sat on many hospital committees and was part of a hospital-wide quality improvement project team. She served as system manager for the Cardiopulmonary health information system and implemented the first module for the health system. She was responsible for training physicians, nurses, computer analysts and other disciplines about the new system. She then joined Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, and focused on the design, implementation, and education of software for health systems. Dorthi’s volunteer activities include past president for the Weston Community Theatre, and working with an agency focusing on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is now retired and excited to join the Board of Exceptional Humans and is looking forward to assisting with their mission and teaching about inclusion.
Cheryl Hartell
Entrepreneur~Property Developer
Westside~Kansas City, MO
Cheryl Hartell is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and community leader. A 1993 graduate of Missouri Western State University, Cheryl started her first business in 1995 as chef and owner of the Vineyards Restaurant in Weston, Missouri. After selling the restaurant in 2008, she began writing grants as the PTA president for her children’s school. Since 2017 Cheryl has started two new businesses as a real estate developer in the Westside neighborhood of Kansas City. As an advocate of her neighborhood, she also serves as co-chair of Westside North KC’s neighborhood group. In continuing her culinary endeavors, Cheryl joined Les Dames d’ Escoffier International, a women’s culinary group and is the Vice President of the Kansas City chapter. Cheryl is a mother of two fun loving and beautiful adult daughters, Elle and Halle. Cheryl is excited to join the board of Exceptional Humans to help carry out their mission.
Nicole Noblet
Self-Advocate / Election Judge
Clay County
Nicole Noblet is a self-advocate, her passion is voting rights. She serves as an election judge for Clay County and is a member of Missouri's Voter Protection and Advocacy Coalition with a focus on voting accessibility. She grew up in Rosemount, Minnesota and now lives in Kansas City, Missouri. Nicole lives with her family which includes her mom, Cathy, dad, Ken, a Pit Bull named Pebble, 3 cats named Stevie, Domino, and Minskey, 2 guinea pigs named LillyPad and TillyTwo, and a Red Eared Slider turtle named Sunshine. Nicole is a 2022 graduate of Missouri Partners in Policymaking and is a current LEND trainee at the University of Kansas Medical Center where she is helping with a research project on Supported Decision Making. Nicole is a published author and cotaught writing classes with Cow Tipping Press, a Minnesota based publisher of works by adults with Intellectual and Developmental disabilities. She is excited to join the Exceptional Humans Board of Directors board because as an adult with multiple disabilities she has experienced first-hand the lack of quality service providers and wants to help Exceptional Humans in their mission to serve people with disabilities in living the life they want and deserve.
Anthony Stein
Lawyer
Stein Law Firm
Tony is a graduate of Avila University (1984) where he graduated with Honors with a degree in Business Finance (was named the outstanding Business Finance graduate by the Department of Business), and a graduate of the University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Law (Class of 1987). He has been in private law practice since then. In 1993, Tony founded The Stein Law Firm where he represents many local, regional and national business clients. A number of years ago, he was awarded an AV-Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. This is the highest peer rating standard
and is given only to attorneys who are ranked at the highest
level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers.
Tony is an active member of the National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS.org) where he is a national judge of Corvette Stingrays from the mid-1960s. The NCRS has approximately 12,000 members.
Tony's particular interest in Exceptional Humans is based on his twenty-eight-year-old son who was born with disabilities. His
son recently joined EH. Tony states, his son has made him a better man and a better father. Tony and his family reside in Parkville, Missouri.