Department Directors

City staff are non-elected officials who perform and manage the daily operations of the city. All staff work within one of several departments, listed below. Find more information about services provided by each department, hours and locations, and director contact info on each department’s page.

Mike SchumacherMike Schumacher

City Manager
816-271-4680 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The city manager works closely with all our department directors and is responsible for all day-to-day operations in the city.

Mike brings 35 years of experience to the St. Joseph team, with 25 of those in a management role. As a graduate of Central Missouri State, the University of Kansas Public Management Institute and a credentialed city manager through ICMA, he maintains a focus on customer service, economic growth and financial planning for the organization.

Dawn LanningDawn Lanning

Assistant City Manager
816-271-4818 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The assistant city manager oversees the finance, technology, parks and health departments.

Lanning’s career has been dedicated to public service with the City of St. Joseph, where she has advanced through leadership roles in public safety, technology and finance. As Assistant City Manager, she oversees citywide operations and strategic initiatives. Lanning graduated in December 2025 in Business Administration at Missouri Western State University.

Kaycee GartonKaycee Garton

City Clerk
816-271-4731 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2026

The city clerk keeps the journal of City Council meetings, maintains ordinances and resolutions approved by the City Council, prepares the City Council meeting agenda and all council meeting notices, posts all meeting notices and provides records upon request.

Garton, a St. Joseph native and Benton High School graduate, began her career with the City of St. Joseph as a police officer in 2018. She transitioned to an administrative assistant role in 2022, supporting the offices of the city manager, City Council, legal, communications and clerk. She was appointed deputy clerk in the summer of 2025.

Mary RobertsonMary Robertson

Civic Facilities Director
816-271-4717 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The Civic Facilities Department oversees the Civic Arena, the Missouri Theater and Remington Nature Center.

Robertson started with the City of St. Joseph in 1995 and was based out of the city manager's office until early 2025, when she moved to Civic Facilities.

Nikki PoirierNikki Poirier

Finance Director
816-271-5344 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The finance director oversees purchasing, revenue, payroll, accounting, customer service, utility billing and the Municipal Court.

Poirier graduated from Missouri Western State University in 1999 and began her career as an auditor for the Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  In 2008, she transitioned to the Department of Justice, where she began working as a forensic financial investigator with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  She went on to become a certified internal controls auditor and a certified fraud examiner and was promoted to branch chief overseeing staff in 20+ states.  After 25 years of federal service, she retired to pursue a career in local government.

Ivan KlippensteinIvan Klippenstein

Fire Chief
816-271-4650 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The fire chief oversees all fire operations, including training, fire prevention, inspection, and emergency management.

Klippenstein has been in fire service for 37 years and with the St. Joseph Fire Department since 2002. He has a bachelor’s degree in business from Kansas State University and has obtained several fire and paramedic certifications.

Debra BradleyDebra Bradley

Health Director
816-271-4636 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2006

The health director oversees public health services including clinic services (immunizations, STI testing, pregnancy testing, communicable disease tracking and investigation), community health education, environmental health and food safety (inspections of hotels/motels, swimming pools, daycares, tattoo parlors and artists and food and drink establishments/events), the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition education program with benefits for purchasing healthy foods and the Animal Services division.

Bradley has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's in social work. She spent 15 years working with children and families in child protective services in Kansas and West Virginia. She started as a mental health technician in 1991, advancing up to become the president of the West Virginia program with more than 300 employees and 15 offices providing family preservation and foster care services.

Amy CohorstAmy Cohorst

Human Resources Director
816-271-4672 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2020

The human resources director oversees human resources and risk management for the city.

Cohorst has a degree in business administration with an emphasis in human resources. She has experience working in various human resource positions for more than 20 years. She is a St. Joseph native and graduated from Benton High School.


Josh RoyleJosh Royle

IT Director
816-236-1472 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The IT director oversees technology infrastructure and resources for the City of St. Joseph.

Royle holds a Bachelor of Science in computer information systems with a minor in criminal justice from Missouri Western State University.  With more than two decades of IT leadership experience, he has dedicated the majority of his career to the public sector in Northwest Missouri.

Jeff AtkinsJeff Atkins

Parks & Recreation Director
816-271-5500 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The parks and recreation director is responsible for parks administration, softball/baseball fields, the REC Center, the Bode Sports Complex, Fairview Golf Course, the Joyce Raye Patterson 50+ Activity Center, aquatic programs, tennis and pickleball courts, park concessions, all parks and the Parkway System.

Atkins is a St. Joseph native and began his career with the City of St. Joseph in 1986 as the maintenance electrician for the parks department. He was later promoted to park maintenance field supervisor, followed by superintendent of parks and became the assistant director in 2016.

Paul LusterPaul Luster

Police Chief
816-271-4701 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2022

The police chief oversees all city law enforcement operations, the 911 communications center and parking enforcement.

Luster has more than 28 years of experience in law enforcement and currently serves as the chief of police for the City of St. Joseph, Missouri. Luster began his career with the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department, retiring at the rank of major after serving nearly 26 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Park University and has attended the Senior Management Institute for Police.  

Abe ForneyAbraham Forney

Public Works & Transportation Director
816-271-4653 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2022

The public works director oversees several divisions, including Rosecrans Memorial Airport, transit operations, the metropolitan planning organization, streets infrastructure maintenance and repair, solid waste (landfill and recycling), water protection (sewers) and engineering.

Forney is a certified flight instructor with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Central Missouri. Since graduating in 2003, he has built a diverse aviation and public works career, serving as a de-ice coordinator with Midwest Airlines, airport operations manager at Lambert St. Louis International Airport, assistant to the airport manager at the Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport and general manager at Rosecrans Memorial Airport before being promoted to public works director.

Josh EmbertonJosh Emberton

City Attorney
816-271-4680 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The legal department is responsible for all legal matters concerning the city.

Emberton graduated from the University of Missouri in 2005 with degrees in psychology and sociology.  He graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2013 with a juris doctor.  Emberton then worked at the Polsinelli Law firm for eight years as a litigation associate, followed by two years as a staff attorney at Legal Aid of Western Missouri. He joined the city's legal department in 2023 as an assistant city attorney.

Jason SoperJason Soper

City Attorney
816-271-4680 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The legal department is responsible for all legal matters concerning the city.

Soper graduated from the University of Missouri - Kansas City Law School in 1995 and worked in the public defender’s office for six years. He went out into the public sector in 2001, eventually opening his own law firm in 2006.  He joined the City of St. Joseph as an assistant city attorney in 2017.

Jessica KozelJessica Kozol

Communications & Community Engagement Manager
816-271-4680 I Email
Department Page
Appointed in 2025

The communications department handles external and internal communications efforts for the City of St. Joseph. The department oversees the city’s website, social media platforms, Channel 19 broadcasts, newsletters and releases of information to the public and the media.

Kozol has a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. She worked in print, broadcast and digital media in the St. Joseph market for 30 years, beginning as a reporter covering the police and fire departments and city government and working her way through the ranks to assistant news director before joining the City of St. Joseph in 2025.

Jacy BrooksJacy Brooks

Executive Administrative Assistant
816-271-4680 I Email
Appointed in 2025

The executive administrative assistant provides support services to the city manager and other staff in his office.

Brooks worked as a dispatcher in the city’s emergency communications center for three years, was a bookkeeper/secretary for a year and was a stay-at-home mom for three years before joining the city manager’s team.