Verna Laboy is Health Educator with Columbia/Boone County Public Health & Human Services, overseeing the national, state and local award-winning Public Health initiative, Live Well by Faith. This initiative addresses health disparities in the Black community through the Black Church setting.  

She comes to public health from a grassroots organizing background in the first ward Columbia community for over 25 years. She has birthed several ministries from her home, "Ladies Night Out @ Worley St Manor," (where every Thursday evening women in need received elegant home-cooked meals,) has done monthly diaper and wipes drives, baby showers for expectant mothers, hosted the Smithton Valley Neighborhood Association, the Worley Street Project, the Worley Street Park Neighborhood Association (to fight crime and stabilize a crime-ridden neighborhood) and various beautification initiatives for her community. 

She is known as a community activist and a voice for the people.  She has received several community leadership awards as a Columbia Community Champion: Liz Schmidt Award from the League of Women Voters, 2009 Martin Luther King Jr Award-Stephens College, Black Women Rock Award, Fun City Community Champion Award. She also serves on The Board of Directors for FACE (Family Access Center for Excellence) and Community Foundation Central MO, in addition to the Worley Street Roundable Board.