Fredrik O. Andersson is an Assistant Professor at the Indiana University (IUPUI) School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Fredrik’s research sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, civil society, and nonprofit organization studies. His main scholarly interests include new nonprofit emergence, governance, and capacity building. His most current research considers the entrepreneurial dynamics of the voucher school population in the City of Milwaukee. Fredrik joined the O’Neill School at IUPUI in 2017 from the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where he taught and conducted research from 2013 to 2017 with the Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management. Fredrik completed an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship and Public Affairs from the Bloch School of at Management the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

An advocate for Black girls and women, Terri is the Founder and President of The Nia Project. The Nia Project advocates for, celebrates, invests, and reimagines possibilities for Black girls and women. For more than 15 years, Terri served as Co-Founder and President of Trace’s Place – A Community Resource for Girls and Women, an organization that focused on mentoring and personal development. She served 12 years as President and served for more than 22 years as a volunteer at the W.E.B. DuBois Learning Center. These two experiences provided up close and personal challenges that young people and families face, particularly girls, in simply trying to live their best lives.

The Nia Project is a way for her to commit her time and resources to be part of a solution. For the past two years, The Nia Project has hosted summer programming for middle and high school girls and uses a retail service model to introduce entrepreneurship and workforce development skills. The Nia Project has launched a program designed for middle and high school students and is available year around as a resource and to provide necessary supports for girls. Terri is the convener of Black Women Get Fit, a series of health & wellness events led by local practitioners and designed specifically for Black women. She is also the convener of the Black Nonprofit Leadership Symposium and creator of The Beloved Community – A Black Nonprofit Resource Directory. In 2023, Terri was appointed, Chair of the Mayor’s Commission on Reparations, and is thrilled to be part of this historic work, uncovering and sharing the truth of the Black experience in Kansas City and how City policies, practices and operational norms may have contributed to significant disparities for Black families.

With more than 35 years of progressive leadership experience in financial service and healthcare organizations, Terri has a wide range of skills and expertise that have proved valuable in the work she does today.

A lifelong Kansas Citian, she received her undergraduate degree in Business Management from Park University. Terri is married to Lee Barnes Jr. and has a brilliant son, Lee Barnes III, who currently works and resides in New York. In her spare time, she enjoys live music, exploring new restaurants and supporting efforts to help improve the living conditions of people in our most challenging communities, and uplifting the leaders and organizations that serve them.

Phyllis Becker is a Senior Fellow of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership and former Deputy Director of the Missouri Division of Youth Services: Quality Improvements, Leadership & Professional Development. Phyllis’ professional experience includes community assessment and development, training and facilitation, program and curriculum development and consultation in the human and social services arena.

Matt is the chairman and CEO of Kinetic, a Kansas City-based global fundraising consulting firm. He joined Kinetic in 2001 as executive vice president, has served as CEO since 2011 and became chairman in 2019. During his more than 20 years with Kinetic, Matt has helped thousands of nonprofits in the United States and around the world raise billions of dollars to expand and build facilities, create and enlarge programs, and initiate and grow endowments.

Matt is a founding advisory board member of the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy in Plymouth, United Kingdom, having served as its first chair. He also is an adjunct instructor of organizational behavior in the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) and is a senior fellow of UMKC’s Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership. He has served on the boards of trustees of Avila University in Kansas City and Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, and in multiple local, regional, national and global board and committee roles.

Matt is a featured speaker on fundraising and fundraiser compensation in the United States and abroad. He is the author of Performance-Driven Fundraising: Taking Control of Your Success and author/co-author of multiple academic textbook chapters and journal articles. Matt holds a bachelor of journalism in news editorial from the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master of public administration in nonprofit management and doctor of philosophy in organizational behavior and higher education administration from UMKC’s Bloch School of Management and School of Education.

Jamie has 30+ years of executive experience in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. As the CEO of The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, Jamie gained valuable experience and insight into the challenges and rewards of working directly with founders and founding families. During her tenure, she helped the organization move onto the national stage, raise more than $11M to finance a complete renovation of their facility, and successfully complete that renovation on time and on budget. The museum re-opened to rave reviews and has since seen increased visibility and support both locally and nationally.

After leaving the museum, Jamie has worked as a consultant providing services to other nonprofits around strategy, interim CFO duties, and financial planning. Jamie’s focus has been on helping organizations create infrastructure and build financial sustainability. She has experience working with founders or founding boards as a guiding force to enact positive change and forward motion.

Jamie possesses a strong background in finance and has served as Chief Finance and Compliance Officer in an academic setting, as well as a school finance manager and business consultant. Since then, she has used her financial skills and training to provide turnaround services for nonprofits struggling to sustain themselves financially. Through operational analysis and discussions with leadership and the board, Jamie identifies key levers and then works to create a plan to help the organization stabilize and then move towards growth.

Jamie recognizes the complexities and sensitivities of working in mission-led organizations. Her communication style facilitates collaboration and transparency in a way that honors the organization and those involved but creates an honest and shared understanding of what it will take to move forward. Clients appreciate her ability to listen, engage, and problem-solve efficiently and effectively.

Jamie has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri- Kansas City and is currently a Senior Fellow at the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, also on UMKC’s campus. Over the years she has served on a variety of nonprofit boards in the Kansas City area. This has given her a well-rounded perspective on how nonprofit organizations are viewed.

Jamie earned her B.A. in Business & Psychology from William Jewell College and completed her Executive MBA at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. She is a life-long Kansas Citian who enjoys serving those in her community with a focus on creating long term impact.

Jessica Blubaugh brings over 20 years of experience driving revenue strategies and advancing community impact. As Chief Philanthropy Officer at United Way, she leads transformative initiatives that strengthen the organization’s mission and reach.

Prior to her role at United Way, Jessica served as the Director of WIN for KC, guiding operations, strategic initiatives, and event execution in support of the Kansas City Sports Commission. With a background in development, events, and marketing, she has spearheaded multi-million-dollar fundraising efforts for Visit KC, the Women’s Sports Foundation, and Teach For America and previously, the Kansas City Sports Commission, amplifying their impact on communities nationwide.

Jessica holds a bachelor’s in communication studies from the University of Kansas and a master’s in organizational development & leadership from Rockhurst University. A dedicated servant, civic leader, Jessica values communication, connection with people and the community, and believes in having fun doing serious work.

Shara Brice, MBE is an internationally recognized nonprofit executive with over three decades of experience founding and scaling mission-driven organizations across the U.S. and U.K. She currently serves as Executive Director of Gift of Life, a Kansas City–based nonprofit with national reach that promotes organ, eye, and tissue donation through education and mentoring. Gift of Life’s Life Savers program educates over 40,000 students and families annually, contributing to donor registration rates as high as 98% in some counties. Its Transplant Mentors program has supported more than 1,200 transplant patients, living donors, and care partners across 47 transplant centers nationwide.

In East London, Shara founded the Ascension Eagles youth leadership organization, which defied demographics to become one of Britain’s most exemplary programs. She later launched the London Cheerleading Academy and Talent Central UK, serving over 1,000 youth monthly through scalable, self-sustaining models. Her work earned recognition from the British Home Office and culminated in her being awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty the Queen—an honor rarely bestowed upon non-nationals.

In the U.S., Shara led regional and national initiatives for the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities, where she developed partnership models that reduced costs by 60% and increased engagement across sectors. Her facilitation work has equipped thousands of educators, first responders, healthcare providers, and nonprofit leaders with skills to strengthen relationships and build resilient communities.

Shara holds degrees in Public Relations and Psychology from William Jewell College, where she was named to USA Today’s Top 20 Academic Team, and a Master of Public Administration with a Certificate in Gerontology from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. She has been honored as Citizen of the Year in both Missouri and London and was selected as an Olympic Torchbearer for the London 2012 Games.

As a Senior Fellow, Shara brings a legacy of strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and a deep commitment to empowering people and communities.

Mary Mooney Burns is a mission-driven leader and consultant with over 30 years of cross-sector experience in the nonprofit field. As the CEO and Founder of OnBoard KC, she leads efforts to connect engaged volunteers with purpose-driven nonprofit boards and offers strategic board consulting services that enhance board diversity, engagement, and effectiveness. Through her consulting company, MMB Connect, Mary also works closely with nonprofits to elevate their philanthropic impact by implementing a tailored donor-investor approach.

Before founding her own ventures, Mary served as Vice President of Advancement at Rockhurst University. Over her ten-year tenure, she led transformative initiatives, strengthened alumni and stakeholder relations, and successfully raised over $100 million to further the university’s mission. Her extensive experience also includes leadership roles with the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the Park Hill School District.

Mary holds a BS in Communications and Nonprofit Leadership, as well as an Executive MBA certification in Advancement Leadership from Rockhurst University. She is a Certified Nonprofit Professional through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance and a BoardSource-certified consultant.

Mary and her husband Brian have three adult daughters and live in Kansas City, MO.

Doug Day currently serves as the Chief Marketing & Development Officer at KC CARE Health Center. In addition to contributing to executive leadership decisions, his responsibilities include oversight of fund development, brand marketing, patient messaging, community engagement, and political advocacy strategies.

After graduating from William Jewell College, Doug joined the staff of MMG Worldwide (now MMGY Global), the world’s largest integrated marketing firm serving the hospitality and travel industry. During his 16-year tenure, he was the Vice President of the Field Marketing division, generating company revenue and expanding client relationships through direct sales, product marketing campaigns, major account acquisitions, and innovative online solutions.

Doug served eight years as the Executive Pastor of a local congregation. While directing daily operations and managing strategic initiatives, he revitalized the church’s community engagement efforts and brand marketing. Doug recruited and led passionate teams of volunteers to affect positive changes in their neighborhoods. He continues to serve in a volunteer leadership role within his faith community.

Doug is proud to have served on the board of directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Greater Kansas City, as the Marketing co-chair and is presently the President of the William Jewell College Alumni Board of Governors.

Gene Dooley is a distinguished leader with over 40 years of service in the YMCA movement, including 23 years as Executive Director of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. Upon his retirement in August 2010, Gene established a consulting firm that provides specialized executive coaching in leadership development, strategic alliance analysis and development, operational alignment, succession planning, and transitional leadership planning and assisting with community collaborations and management agreements. Gene fully utilizes his training and expertise as a Certified Executive Coach, and he has convened a rich and diverse network of associates in areas such as architectural design, construction cost analysis, facility assessment, construction owner representation, leadership development, membership development and keynote speaking, to fully serve the needs of his clients.

Known for thinking outside the box, Gene is committed to staff development and fund development, to the importance of collaborations and strategic alliances, and to providing management services to mission driven organizations. Gene brings communities together for the common good of service. During his tenure with the YMCA, community partners placed into operation over $35 million dollars in facilities managed by the YMCA.

Gene’s leadership in Kansas City began in 1987 with an operating budget of $3.1 million dollars and an endowment of $2.3 million. The YMCA of Greater Kansas City had six membership facilities serving five Missouri counties, 18,900 members and 41,230 program participants, and in 1987 provided no child care. When Gene retired in August 2010, the annual operating budget was $47 million and the Y had expanded to include

• 19 membership facilities across ten counties in both Missouri and Kansas,
• five early learning centers,
• 98 before & after school program sites serving six school districts,
• six Head Start centers,
• 92,321 members and
• 347,000 program participants.

The YMCA of Greater Kansas City’s endowment realized a significant increase during Gene’s tenure, which led to the establishment of the YMCA Foundation of Mid America; it now holds a portfolio of $12 million.

While in Kansas City Gene also shared his expertise in nonprofit management. He served as an Adjunct Professor at Rockhurst University for 13 years and a guest presenter for the Masters of Public Administration program at University Missouri-Kansas City and the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership.

Jim Doyle has been focused on Strategic Management (Planning and Implementation) for nearly 20 years following a career related to management and accounting. After 10 years at Sprint, Jim turned to the nonprofit sector graduating from the Bloch School of Management with degree in Public Administration in 2010. Since 2010, Jim has worked in several organizations focused on strategic management as well as engaged in various consulting arrangements for Kansas City area nonprofits primarily in the area of business planning and development.

Jim recently joined the executive leadership team at The Family Conservancy. Prior to joining The Family Conservancy, Jim led performance improvement teams at University Health where he taught Six Sigma as change management and successfully implements strategic projects. In addition, Jim teaches Strategic Management and Six Sigma in the Avila University Graduate Professional Studies program, and recently embarked on a Public Administration Doctoral program focused on applications of complex system science.

Scott Helm accepted a position with Children’s Mercy to lead the department of organization development and the growth of their Berry Institute in October 2021. Previously, he had been the director of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, director of the Bloch executive MBA, and a professor of practice at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management. Scott continues to be involved with the Midwest Center as a Senior Fellow. He has a B.A. in economics from Washington College, a M.P.A. with a concentration in nonprofit management from UMKC, and an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in public administration and economics from UMKC.

Christopher Hoyt is a Professor of Law at the University of Missouri (Kansas City) School of Law where he teaches courses in the area of federal income taxation, charitable organizations and retirement plans. He received an undergraduate degree in economics from Northwestern University and he received dual law and accounting degrees from the University of Wisconsin.

Professor Hoyt has served as the Vice-Chair of the RPTE Charitable Group of the American Bar Association and he serves on the editorial board of Trusts and Estates magazine. He is an Academic Fellow at the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”). He was elected to the Estate Planning Hall of Fame by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. For the year 2024, Professor Christopher Hoyt was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® as the Kansas City 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” award recipient in two different fields of law: Tax Law and Trusts and Estates Law.

Janine M. Hron, M.A., is Associate Director and Research Programs Director at the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research (CPPR), where she leads statewide initiatives that strengthen organizational systems capacities, advance trauma-informed behavioral health networks, and meaningfully engage community-driven solutions.

She has devoted her career to expanding access, improving quality, and building sustainable systems of care for children, families, and communities. At CPPR, she spearheaded the Kansas Fights Addiction Needs Assessment, a comprehensive, mixed-methods study that identified gaps, strengths, and investment opportunities across Kansas’ substance use disorder system to guide allocation of opioid settlement funds. She also directed Sunflower Summer, an ESSER-funded program expanding family access to educational enrichment, and developed Kansas Future Fellows, a statewide leadership network focused on strategic foresight methods for systems change.

Her nonprofit leadership includes over two decades in direct service, organizational management, and systems innovation. As Chief Executive Officer of Crittenton Children’s Center in Kansas City, Hron guided the organization through the 2008 financial crisis while expanding its continuum of care. During her tenure, she pioneered Trauma Smart, a nationally recognized model that equips educators and service providers with trauma-informed tools to support children’s social-emotional and behavioral health needs. Featured by PBS NewsHour, Trauma Smart became a model for integrating mental health supports into early childhood and school settings. Earlier leadership roles at Spofford, Union Station Kansas City, and Saint Luke’s Health System further reflect her expertise in advancing behavioral health services and strengthening community-based care.

Hron holds an M.A. in Marketing from Webster University and a B.A. in Music Therapy from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. She is recognized nationally as a systems leader, coalition-builder, and innovator in behavioral health, committed to aligning policy, practice, and community voice to create sustainable, trauma-informed, and equity-centered solutions.

Nicole Jacobs Silvey is a coach, consultant, speaker and writer but above all, she is a connector. Driven by a desire to connect people to their purpose and passion so they can reach their potential, Nicole founded Connection Coach KC, a firm focusing on executive coaching and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) consulting. Nicole is also a sought-after speaker and writer with an expertise in topics related to DEI, leadership development and women’s empowerment.

Connection Coach KC (CCKC) utilizes a listen-learn-lead approach that engages clients in crucial content, strategy and action. Nicole meets clients where they are while challenging assumptions, identifying blind spots and encouraging personal reflection and action. CCKC’s antiracism work is rooted in the history of oppression with a focus on dismantling systemic racism.

Nicole’s most celebrated DEI work is in not-for-profit board development. After over 20 years in the not-for-profit sector, she was inspired to develop a training series called At the Table that focuses on fostering a board culture of inclusive leadership and shared power that promotes the intentional recruitment and retention of people from diverse backgrounds.

CCKC’s strengths lie in content delivery and facilitation as well as program design. Topics such as implicit bias, allyship, pipeline-building and the history of oppression are areas of expertise for the firm and provide the foundation for DEI strategy.

A former leadership development coach for the Kauffman Scholars program, Nicole returned to Kauffman Scholars as a coach in their BIPOC coaching program. In this role, she worked specifically with BIPOC young professionals to equip them with the skills to navigate complex work situations that stem from inequities in the workplace.

Nicole is also the Co-Founder of the Sisters’ Circle GKC, a giving circle for Black women, and the Rise Tribe, a group of Black women who hosted a podcast addressing the unique complexities of life for people of color. In addition, she co-hosts The Roundtable, a dialogue series that convenes community in crucial conversations.

She is active on several boards and committees such as: The Coterie Theatre, KC Rising’s DEI Advisory Committee, KC Ballet’s Education and Engagement Committee, Executive Women’s Leadership Council (Greater Kansas City Chamber), C3KC Community Advisory Committee (Junior League) and St. Peter’s Catholic School Board of Directors. A servant leader at heart, Nicole is passionate about philanthropy and volunteerism.

Nicole was selected to the 2018 Class of Rising Stars (The Independent Magazine) and was also named the 2018 Emerging Volunteer by NonProfit Connect. She is also a graduate of KC Tomorrow and the AHEAD program (Central Exchange).

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rockhurst University and also earned her Not for-Profit Fundraising Certificate from the UMKC Bloch School of Management.

Nicole has a variety of interests but is most passionate about empowering women, access to quality education and issues of social justice. She resides in Fairway, Kansas with her husband, Patrick, and her son, Rowah.

Brent Lager started Uncover KC (UKC) in 2013 to build a bridge between those who want to improve their community and those who need help doing so. Since then, UKC has recruited over 85,000 volunteers and helped them complete more than 251,000 service hours, leading to $8.4 million in valued impact for local nonprofits. In 2024, Uncover launched its first two affiliates — Uncover Volusia County (Florida) & Uncover Garden Empire (New Jersey) — to begin its national network. Beyond his nonprofit work, Mr. Lager has also served as an adjunct professor at the William Jewell College Pryor Center for Leadership Development and holds a Minor in Spanish, a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, and a Master’s of Education in journalism and English from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Jane Lampo, EdD, CFRE recently retired from her position as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences where she oversaw all fundraising and alumni activities.

Prior to joining KCU in 2014, Jane was Managing Director of Planned Giving at Children’s Mercy Hospital. She first came to Children’s Mercy in 1994 as Director of Planned Giving, and over a period of 18 years she helped build the planned giving program to one of the largest among children’s hospitals. At Children’s Mercy, Jane also served as Senior Director of Leadership Gifts and had the responsibility for the major gift program in addition to planned giving program. She also served two years as Vice President of Advancement at Rockhurst University.

A Certified Fund Raising Executive, Jane is an adjunct professor in the UMKC’s Nonprofit Leadership Program teaching classes on major gift and planned gift solicitation. She is an active member and former board member of AFP, the Mid-America Planned Giving Council (recently renamed Mid-America Charitable Gift Planners), CGP (national association of Charitable Gift Planners) and the Kansas City Estate Planning Society. She also serves on the Kansas City Estate Planning Society Symposium committee.

Jane earned a B.A. in French and Education from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, and an EdD in
Higher Education Administration, with a focus on philanthropy, from the University of Kansas.

Professor Tony Luppino teaches or co-teaches business, entrepreneurship, and tax courses, including several interdisciplinary entrepreneurship courses relating to for-profit, social and civic entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial practice of law. He also serves as the Law School’s Director of Entrepreneurship Programs and a Senior Fellow with UMKC’s cross-campus Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. In 2017, he was named the inaugural recipient of the University of Missouri System Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year Award. In 2018, Prof. Luppino received the UM System President’s Faculty Award for Economic Development, and in 2019 the UMKC Trustees Leo E. Morton Community Service Award.

Prof. Luppino’s scholarship and conference presentations focus primarily on legal and policy issues significantly affecting entrepreneurs, and on entrepreneurship education. He was the principal organizer of the Law & Entrepreneurship Special Interest Group of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE), and has served for several years as lead editor of the Entrepreneurship Law (EshipLaw) website (http://www.EshipLaw.org) powered by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. As outgrowths of his work in urban innovation and civic entrepreneurship through the interdisciplinary Law, Technology & Public Policy course, he has become one of UMKC’s principal contacts with the MetroLab Network, and a founder and leader of the Legal Technology Laboratory (see http://www.thelegaltechlab.com).

Before joining the faculty on a full-time basis in 2001, Prof. Luppino practiced law with firms in Boston and in the Kansas City region. His practice included a wide variety of business, tax planning, and transactional work, involving multiple disciplines within the law. He received his A.B. from Dartmouth College in 1979. In 1982, he received his J.D. from Stanford Law School where he served as an associate editor of the Stanford Law Review. While in private practice in Boston early in his practice career, he earned his LL.M. degree in Taxation from Boston University, and in 1986 was articles editor of the Boston University Journal of Tax Law.

Dr. Shirley Marie McCarther is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She has over 30 years experience in the field of education as a teacher, principal, curriculum director, and central office administrator in urban, rural, and suburban school districts across the country.

Dr. McCarther teaches courses in educational administration, foundations, and diversity. Her research agenda focuses on equity and access and embraces narrative studies, ethnography, documentary, and historiography; all giving voice to those long silenced across race, class, and gender boundaries. Dr. McCarther has been published in numerous scholarly journals and presented at national conferences including the American Educational Research Association, American Educational Studies Association, Organization of Educational Historians, and the National Association of Multicultural Education.

Dr. William (Bill) Moore is Principal at The Strategy Group, an international consulting firm serving as a thought-partner, advisor, coach and consultant to philanthropic, nonprofit, and community network leaders working to bring about change through system-level approaches and strategic collaboration. Dr. Moore provides rigorous strategic planning, program evaluation, and theory of change training, workshops and supports. Bill is the past President & CEO of Support Kansas City, Inc. a Kansas City-based nonprofit providing strategy and operations support to more than 170 nonprofits annually. Bill is the former Vice-President of Programs at the REACH Healthcare Foundation and Senior Research Associate at the Kauffman Foundation. Bill’s community service includes serving on the Board of Directors for the Association for Consultants to Nonprofits. He is a former Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and Auburn University. Bill holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Kansas.

Juan Manuel Rangel, Jr. is a dedicated civic and nonprofit leader whose career has been defined by building bridges between people, organizations, and opportunities. With more than three decades of leadership in education, community engagement, and nonprofit management, Juan has consistently worked to advance equity, inclusion, and opportunity for young people and families across the Kansas City region.

As Vice President for Metro Expansion at SparkWheel, Juan leads efforts to deepen the organization’s presence in the Kansas City metro and beyond, developing partnerships with schools, funders, and civic leaders to remove barriers and expand access to resources for students and families. His work centers on cultivating relationships that lead to shared success and sustainable systems change.

Before joining SparkWheel, Juan served as Chief Partnership Officer at SchoolSmartKC, where he led cross-sector collaborations with schools, nonprofit partners, and funders to address food insecurity, mental health, and family engagement. He also held leadership roles with Donnelly College, Metropolitan Community College, and the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), where he directed equity initiatives, raised more than $5 million for DEI and youth programs, and developed leadership models that remain active today.

A lifelong educator, Juan has taught at William Jewell College and Avila University, engaging students in dialogue around culture, pluralism, and civic responsibility. He holds a Master of Education from Kansas State University and a Bachelor of Science in International Business, Marketing, and Spanish from Northwest Missouri State University.

Deeply rooted in Kansas City’s civic fabric, Juan has served in leadership roles across many of the region’s most respected institutions. He currently serves as Board President of Swope Health System and Vice Chair of the Ewing Marion Kauffman School Board. He has previously served as a Commissioner for KCATA and PortKC, as well as a Trustee for Rockhurst University and a Regent for Northwest Missouri State University. His prior board service includes Children’s Mercy, Guadalupe Centers, Health Forward Foundation, Menorah Heritage Foundation, Synergy Services, St. Luke’s Health System, Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, and the Latinx Education Collaborative, among others.

A recipient of the Evelyn Wasserstrom Award for Justice & Equity and an Oak Park High School Hall of Fame Inductee, Juan is also a graduate of Kansas City Tomorrow (Class 42) and a proud mentor, speaker, and advocate for community collaboration.

As a Senior Fellow with the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, Juan continues to champion inclusive leadership and cross-sector partnerships that strengthen communities and create lasting impact across the Midwest.

David Renz is Professor Emeritus of Nonprofit Leadership and Director Emeritus of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, the public service leadership research and development center of the Department of Public Affairs in the Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri –Kansas City (UMKC). The center, a key contributor to UMKC’s community engagement mission, serves approximately 3,500 leaders of nonprofit and other public service organizations each year.

An award-winning educator and scholar, David teaches and conducts research on nonprofit and public service leadership, especially nonprofit governance and board effectiveness. His current research focuses on governance and management in networks and socially-entrepreneurial organizations. Recently, David was honored with a Special Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kansas City nonprofit association, Nonprofit Connect; in 2017 he was recognized with the “Distinguished Achievement in Leadership and Nonprofit and Voluntary Action Research Award” from the international scholar association, the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA).

David serves public service organizations in many capacities, including consulting and service on councils, task forces, and governing boards. David has worked with more than 160 boards, commissions, and networks in the past two decades. Among other initiatives, he helped found the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (a network of university-based nonprofit centers) and the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers.

David writes frequently for both the academic and practice communities and, with his colleagues and coauthors, has produced more than 155 chapters, reports, and articles for journals such as Nonprofit Management and Leadership, The Nonprofit Quarterly, Strategic Governance, Public Administration Review, and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. He also is editor of the fourth edition of The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management and co-editor of The Research Handbook on Entrepreneurs’ Engagement in Philanthropy. David earned his Ph.D. in Organization Studies from the University of Minnesota.

Tim is a founding partner in Praxis Nonprofit Strategies. He has 30 years of experience in fundraising and strategic planning. His work includes sponsorship fundraising with Habitat for Humanity, corporate fundraising with United Way, capital campaign consulting and management, and facilitating organizational strategic plans.

Tim served as a full-time volunteer for both the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (Milwaukee) and the Peace Corps (El Salvador). He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with his wife and four kids.

Emily is the Director of Development for Legal Aid of Western Missouri where she oversees a fundraising team of three. Prior to Legal Aid, Emily spent ten years with Unicorn Theatre where she held several roles including Director of Development, Director of Production, and Technical Director. Emily was a founding member of the Emerging Professionals Board at First Call, where she served as Chair for two years. Emily holds an MPA with an emphasis in Nonprofit Leadership from UMKC and is honored to join the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership as a Senior Fellow.

Wim van Klinken EMPA MAR – After a successful career as entrepreneur in Europe, Wim van Klinken refocused his passion from the for-profit sector to the public sector. He currently serves as a senior executive at Community of Christ’s international headquarters. He is also associated with the Henry W. Bloch School of Management as Associate Professor in the Public Affairs department and as Senior Fellow at the Midwest Center For Nonprofit Leadership. Wim studied economics at the Erasmus University Rotterdam with an emphasis on business management information systems. A life-long learner, he also studied music and took post-graduate studies in business administration, asset management, and the prestigious European Comenius Course by the Academy of Management of the University of Groningen. In the U.S.A., he received a master of arts in religion from Graceland University and a master of arts in public administration from UMKC.

Jennifer Wampler has served the Kansas City community in philanthropy leadership roles since 1992. After spending most of her career at UMKC and Kansas City Ballet, she is currently serving as Chief Development Officer at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. She has extensive experience in all aspects of annual giving and has also led several multi-million-dollar capital campaigns and recently completed a $22M endowment campaign.

Jennifer is a Senior Fellow with the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership at UMKC. She has a BA from Iowa State in Religious Studies, an MBA in Nonprofit Management from UMKC, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).

Gene Wilson has worked in Public Affairs for nearly 60 years. Starting in higher education, he ultimately became Vice President of Institute Relations at The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. He then moved to the Atlantic Richfield Company in Los Angeles and led the organization of the ARCO Foundation as President until his retirement in 1994. During his ARCO tenure, he served as an officer of INDEPENDENT SECTOR; Chair of the Contributions Council of The Conference Board; and Senior Advisor to the Council on Foundations. He came to Kansas City as President of the Youth Development Division of the Ewing Marion Kauffman, then became Senior Vice President of the Foundation, responsible for National Programs and Planning until his second retirement in 2003. Since then, he has served on numerous nonprofit boards and councils including United Way, United Community Services of Johnson County, and Senior Fellow and member of the Public Affairs Council of the Bloch School at UMKC. He also is an Advisory Board Member of the Center for Philanthropy and Public Policy at the University of Southern California, and is a Charter Trustee of the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. He continues to serve on the Advisory Council of MARC’s Kansas City Communities For All Ages. He is an Elder at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. And for nearly 20 years he has sung with the Kansas City Men’s Ensemble, all of whom are currently or have been members of the Kansas City Symphony Chorus.

In 2013, he was named Volunteer of the Year by Nonprofit Connect, Kansas City’s association for philanthropy, and in 2015 was recognized with the Regional Leadership Award from the MidAmerica Regional Council. Through MARC, he has spoken frequently for the past 15 years on the implications of the demographics of the Baby Boomers, and how we can view the increasing number of these older adults as opportunities, rather than as problems.