Board of Directors

Phillip Baney, President and CEO

Phillip Baney is founder of Battered Mothers Resource Fund, Inc. He is the son of the late Rev. Ralph Baney, Sr. who founded and directed the Holy Land Christian Mission based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Mission operated a hospital and orphanage for disabled children and also provided financial assistance to the elderly in Bethlehem, Israel. Baney spent most of his early career at the Mission headquarters in Kansas City. He then lived in Bethlehem for a year where he provided much needed assistance to the poor. In Israel, Philip worked to find and offer aid to needy widows and children who often lived in primitive mud huts without water and electricity. This was a heart wrenching experience that will stay with him forever. It was here where he developed the desire to help others. Seeing truly poor and desperate people trying to hold onto their children, he felt compelled to do something to help. In 2004, Baney founded Battered Mothers Resource Fund, Inc. (BMRF), an organization to help women and children in crisis.

Mary Rice, Corporate Secretary

Mary Rebecca Ann Rice was born in Missouri and has lived in Missouri and Texas most of her life. She is a single mom with three wonderful children. Mary has worked primarily in the fields of law enforcement and nursing. Despite the hardships of a violent, abusive home life, she worked hard to earn her degrees while raising three kids who are now grown and have families of their own. Of course, in her jobs, she has seen many tragic cases. Mary wants women to know that getting free of pain and suffering can be done. There is help out there. Although it is not always easy, it is our survival and key to our becoming happy, successful leaders of our communities. Mary has a strong commitment to helping mothers in abusive situations get the opportunity to restore their self-esteem, get back on their feet and rebuild their lives. She is one of the women who answer our phones. She also does a lot of managing of the day-to-day operations of BMRF. We feel very fortunate to benefit from her services.

Tom Sill, Corporate Treasurer

Tom Sill spent most of his professional years working in service-related industries. Originally from upstate New York, he was transferred to the Midwest in the early 70s. Formerly with the Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries, he has also done fundraising and campaigning with United Way of Kansas City and Wal-Mart’s Children's Miracle Network. Now retired from the corporate world, Sill holds a passionate desire to aid and assist women and children in abusive situations. His interest is in empowering women and children to pursue happy, productive lives. It is his belief that by improving the lives of children, we can stop the cycle of domestic abuse.

Staff

Shelly Gooding, Development Director

Shelly Gooding joins our organization with a culturally diverse background that has provided years of experience in working with children and families. She is a single parent with two children, one son and one daughter, who has been the focus of her life. Interest in the welfare of children began for Shelly prior to having her own children and before she began substitute teaching in the public schools. However, this interest grew to a greater degree once accepting a job teaching in a State Correctional Center for Youth Offenders. Later, spending over a decade working with State Agencies-Youth Services and Family Services, who take children into state custody removing them from their family, only deepened her desire to remain committed to work with mothers and children. Seeing families torn apart for years, Shelly has witnessed the devastating affects on mothers and the children who were separated by the system. Helping families remain together is a passion that will always be one of Shelly's goals. Training and education is also an area, in which Shelly is very committed. Educating community members about the desperate needs of mothers with children who are in unsafe, abusive and controlling situations is an area that she hopes to expand. It is her belief that keeping mothers and their children together, while providing supports and services, is a necessity if we want to give mothers the chance to improve their life and that of their children. With Shelly's experience of working with children and families and her educational background her knowledge and skills will be invaluable to our organization.