Melissa McAlpine

Melissa McAlpine is Executive Director of Get Healthy DeSoto, which is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. As Executive Director of GHD, Melissa is also responsible for operation of the De Soto Farmers’ Market.
Melissa has a Bachelor of Science in biology from Arkansas Tech University and a Master of Business Administration from University of Phoenix in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has worked as a teacher, both for children and adult and has also spent time working for several nonprofit organizations in the area.
Melissa, her husband, and two daughters reside in DeSoto. Please feel free to contact her by email or phone: 314-471-3681.
Most of the work of Get Healthy DeSoto is done through the hard work of a small army of volunteers. If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, please click here.
Dawna Watkins

Dawna Watkins is the new Market Manager for the 2021 DeSoto Farmers’ Market Season. She is not new to the market though. She has been a vendor since 2013, and you might know her as Darlene Payne’s daughter, the crochet lady, the chocolate rye cookie lady, or the gluten free lady. Last year she served as assistant market manager.
She lives in DeSoto with her husband and two boys. She has a BA in Communications from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, and a MDiv from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. She is a licensed and ordained Christian Church (DOC) minister, who does pulpit supply in the area, leads Spirituality classes for Spiritual Center of Jefferson Country (currently on COVID break), and works part time at CATO.