Meet the Team at Ascension Chiropractic
Karlee Yocum
Co-Owner · Marketing · Team Coordinator
Meet Karlee—the powerhouse behind the scenes who keeps our team organized, inspired, and laughing along the way! A proud mama of three and wife to Dr. Ryan, Karlee brings warmth, heart, and a sprinkle of sass to everything she does. Before joining the chiropractic world, she rocked the classroom as a Secondary English and Gifted and Talented Special Education teacher (so yes, she can spot a typo from a mile away and manage chaos like a pro).
Hailing from the Topeka area, Karlee is fiercely passionate about natural birth, supporting kiddos through today’s “perfect storm” of neurological stressors, and pointing families toward true healing. She’s a PSL-loving, sweater-wearing fall fanatic who can likely be found lifting weights, sipping something cozy, or quoting something goofy with her signature silly, sarcastic (but well intentioned) sense of humor.
A former dancer for the Kansas Koyotes indoor football team, Karlee also has a deep love for Jesus, all things PX (The Pediatric Experience), and—let’s be honest—chips and salsa (best snack ever).
Kendra Niemann
Lead Front Desk Care Advocate · Scan + Imaging Tech
Kendra Niemann, born in Willmar, Minnesota, is a dedicated mother and active community member who finds immense joy in watching her children thrive in their sports activities. Her daughters are competitive cheerleaders, and her son is involved in football, wrestling, and baseball. Kendra herself enjoys staying active and curling up with a good book. Married to her husband Tanner for 15 years, they have three children: Lainey, who is 12, Hudson, who is 10, and Jolie, who is 8, along with their two goldendoodles, Lulu and Taffy. An interesting fact about Kendra is that she has a twin sister and is 11 minutes older than her.
Kendra’s journey into pediatric-chiropractor-raymore-mo began after a back injury led her to Dr. Ryan’s office.
Passionate about holistic health, Kendra is excited to be part of a team that promotes natural healing and wellness for kids. Her favorite food includes mashed potatoes and chocolate, although not together, and her favorite season is fall. She loves watching the TV show “Big Brother” and values family as her favorite core value.
Becky Parrish
Lead Scan Tech + Imaging Tech
Becky was born in New Jersey and then raised in Kentucky and Pennsylvania before moving to the Midwest! This bright, bubbly lady now resides with her family in Belton and has many unique hobbies; for starters, she raises a variety of farm animals, makes her own goat milk soap, gardens + dabbles in herbalism!
Married for 28 years to her husband Mark, Becky is the proud mother of three sons. Becky’s oldest is an electrician, her middle is a mechanic and her youngest is still at home. For nearly two decades, she has dedicated herself to homeschooling her children while maintaining her own love of learning. Her favorite season is spring because she loves to see the greenery return, life show up again, inspiring and spurring on more of her outdoor activities.
When it comes to Ascension’s core values, family resonates most deeply with Becky, who firmly believes it should always come first. Empowerment follows closely behind, as she finds joy in teaching others skills that enhance their daily lives.
Mariah Hanner
Front Desk Care Advocate
Mariah was born in Alton, Illinois and raised in Lee’s Summit. Her favorite color is blue, she’s a big fan of Dot’s pretzels, and she never turns down a Dr. Pepper. When it comes to holidays, nothing tops Christmas.
Her passion for holistic health was born out of personal experience; through her own healing journey, Mariah discovered the importance of listening to her body and working with it as much as possible rather than against it.
Outside of her passion for wellness, Mariah finds joy in playing and coaching slow pitch softball. She also cherishes time spent with friends and deeply values moments shared with her parents, siblings, as well as moments with her nieces and nephews. Family and connection are at the heart of her everyday life.
Among her values, authenticity stands out as her favorite. Mariah believes that God intentionally knit each person together and qualifies people for the paths they are called to walk. To her, living authentically means embracing who God created her to be and choosing to live for Him above all else.
Sam Buis
Marketing + Social Media Care Advocate
Sam was born in California but grew up in Virginia. She met her husband—who grew up in Illinois—while they were in college in Idaho. After moving around over the years, they happily settled in Missouri in 2020.
Together they’re raising three amazing kids and a lovable goldendoodle named Cubby (GO CUBS!) As a family, they love being outdoors, playing games + cheering on the Chiefs. Her perfect day would consist of a cold drink from Dutch Bros, a great book in hand, and soaking up warm sunshine by the pool. Pure bliss! And if tacos are on the menu—even better.
Sam’s journey to chiropractic care is deeply personal. She first started looking into care when her oldest was just a baby, searching for answers and support for her “perfect storm” kiddo.
Her favorite AC Core Value is Empowerment because it reflects her own story. During a season when she felt overwhelmed and searching for answers, the support of Dr. Ryan and the team helped her feel seen, heard, and truly capable. Now, her heart is to give that same feeling of empowerment to every mom who walks through our doors.
Stephanie Hornbeck
Front Desk Care Advocate
Stephanie started as a rockstar mom who quickly caught the vision of Ascension and neurologically focused chiropractic care and has since joined the team as an amazing Care Advocate. Stephanie has lived in Raymore most of her life and married her high school sweetheart—they’ve been together an amazing 28 years. She’s a proud mom of four and recently stepped into her newest (and favorite) role yet—Grandma.
When it comes to food, she refuses to choose favorites; it’s a constant toss-up between Mexican + pasta (and honestly, we respect that decision). On her days off, you’ll most likely find her curled up with a good book—that’s her perfect way to relax + recharge.
Next time you’re in the office, ask Stephanie to wiggle her ears or do different voices or accents—if you hear something unexpected around the office, it just might be her keeping things entertaining.
One of the things she loves most about AC is the core value of Family. From the doctors to the care advocates, everyone takes time to truly know + understand patients. “It truly feels like we’re with family when we’re here.”