Our founder and executive director
Trace Carney, JD, MSW, PC
After graduating from Washington University's schools of law and social work, Trace practiced law at Rosenblum, Schwartz, Rogers, & Glass in Clayton, Missouri. While working as a criminal defense attorney, she longed for a way to give her clients a second chance. The universe intervened and Trace found herself training to become a life coach at Erickson International College in Vancouver, Canada. During training, Trace received the transformative coaching she needed to develop a dream, create a plan, and stay committed to her plan. Now, she is making her dream come true and she is able to provide that second chance to those in need through our organization. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Trace with any questions or to get involved, by phone at 314.322.5220 or by email at trace@peoplewithpurpose.org.
OUR Board of directors
Trace servers on our Board of Directors with Judge Nellie Ribaudo and Paul Brusati.
The Honorable Nellie Ribaudo
Judge Ribaudo took the bench as a Saint Louis County Associate Circuit Judge in 2009 after serving over ten years as a criminal defense attorney working for the Missouri State Public Defender's Office and Rosenblum, Schwartz, Rogers, & Glass where she kindly mentored our Founder and Executive Director. The judge continues to share her knowledge with law students as an Adjunct Professor at her alma mater Saint Louis University Law School.
Paul Brusati, Esq.
Paul Brusati is an associate in Armstrong Teasdale’s Litigation practice group. He focuses on contract and commercial litigation defense and appellate law in both state and federal court. In addition, Paul works as a volunteer attorney for the Missouri Coalition for the Right to Counsel, where he takes on complex public defender cases pro bono, often involving criminal appeals. Paul also volunteers for Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry and the Missouri Coalition for the Right to Counsel. Before joining Armstrong Teasdale, Paul served as a law clerk to Judge Laura Denvir Stith of the Supreme Court of Missouri. Before clerking for Judge Denvir, Paul interned at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and served as a judicial extern for Judge Roy Richter of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. He graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude). Professional Activities include the Missouri Bar, St. Louis County Bar Association, National Italian American Bar Association. Paul has been names a Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers®, Rising Star (2019) and he received the Roy F. Essen Memorial Award for Outstanding Work as a Young Lawyer, St. Louis County Bar Association (2020).
