“My commitment is not theoretical—it is lived. I’ve spent 20 years turning my testimony into a platform for transformation. I have used every hardship as a blueprint for healing.”

2025 BIOGRAPHY

Merideth Rose is an advocate for building healthy family relationships and providing support to children and families in the foster care system. In her more than 15 years of public service in both the Kansas City region and across the nation, she has made a positive impact on thousands of families, and she continues to challenge the limits of what’s possible in serving the community.

Today, Merideth is the president and CEO of Cornerstones of Care, a more than 150-year-old behavioral and mental health nonprofit dedicated to partnering with children and families to build safe and healthy communities.

Merideth has seen first-hand the trauma that the foster care system can inflict on young people. A foster child herself, she struggled with behavioral challenges growing up. After having her two young children taken into custody by the state when she was a young mother, she found mentors that helped her change her trajectory.

After finishing school, she began working for FEMA, where she led support teams for major storm events around the country, including Hurricane Sandy in New York. After making an impact on the national stage, she came back to Independence where she worked with the school districts, the City of Independence and Community Services League before making the move to Cornerstones of Care.

In her more than 10 years working for our local community, she has given support to thousands of families. Under her leadership today, Cornerstones of Care is now serving more than 16,000 children and families across the Kansas City region. She envisions a future where she and her peers can safely end the overutilization of the foster care system by providing resources and support to children and families in crisis.