The UMKC Alumni Association recently elected community leaders to serve in leadership roles within the alumni organization. The Alumni Association approved the slate of officers and board members at its annual meeting on Sept. 21.

“This is an exciting time for the Alumni Association, and we’re pleased to welcome to the board many alumni who are so well-respected in the Kansas City community,” said Damon Bryant (B.A. ’88, College of Arts and Sciences), president of the UMKC Alumni Association. “Our new and current board – along with the leadership in our divisional alumni associations – represents a strong base of alumni support for UMKC.”

The new board officially took office Oct. 1.

Following are members of the Alumni Association’s Executive Committee:

President: A multiple Emmy award winner, Damon Bryant is vice president of marketing and creative services at WDAF-TV 4 in Kansas City. He previously worked in television markets in Chicago, Miami and Detroit. A former UMKC Alumni Award recipient, Bryant also has served as the Alumni Association’s vice president for recognition.

President-Elect: An economist, Jerry Lonergan (B.A. ’80, College of Arts and Sciences) is associate director of the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City. He co-chaired the UMKC Alumni Awards Celebration Luncheon for two years and served as president of the UMKC College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Board.

Vice President for Communications: Annie Presley (M.P.A. ’95, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration) is principal of The McKellar Group, a public affairs company that works with nonprofits on their fundraising needs. She has more than 30 years of experience in state and federal political campaigns, and she has provided volunteer leadership for many civic and educational efforts.

Vice President for Events: Michelle LaPointe (B.A. ’80, College of Arts and Sciences) LaPointe is development director for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. The 2011 Bill French Alumni Service Award recipient, she served as co-chair of the University’s 75th anniversary year-long celebration and chaired the UMKC Alumni Awards Celebration event for four years. She is a past president of the UMKC College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Board.

Vice President for Finance: Kevin Vanderweide (M.B.A. ’07, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration) is a commercial banking officer with UMB Financial. He is a member of the Kansas City Equity Fund Advisory Committee, and also serves on the Bloch School of Business and Public Administration Alumni Association board.

Vice President for Leadership: Oliver Burnette (B.L.A. ’01, College of Arts and Sciences) is owner of Muddy’s Coffee Shop near the UMKC campus. He also is president of the UMKC Friends of the Library board.

Vice President for Multicultural and Community Affairs: Regional director of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, Angela Bennett (B.A. ’74, College of Arts and Sciences; J.D. ’77, School of Law) is a Curator Emerita of the University of Missouri. A former Alumni Award recipient, she is a past president of the Alumni Governing Board, past president of the UMKC Women’s Council and a member of the UMKC Board of Trustees.

Vice President for Recognition: Stan Hite (D.D.S. ’72, School of Dentistry) owns D. Stanley Hite, DDS, PC, and has chaired the selections of the Alumni Association’s award recipients for the past two years. Hite also is chairman-elect of the Roy Rinehart Foundation at the UMKC School of Dentistry. He is a former alumni award recipient.

Following are the Directors-At-Large:

Charles Connely, IV (B.B.A. ’72, M.B.A ’73, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration) is president of C.C. Connely & Associates. He is vice president of the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Board of Directors, Kansas City Chapter, and is a past president of the Alumni Governing Board.

Jaime Guillen (B.A. ’05, College of Arts and Sciences; B.B.A. ’05, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration) is legislative aide to Theresa Garza Ruiz in the Jackson County Legislature.

Leo Hirner (B.S. ’87, M.S. ’89, College of Arts and Sciences) is director of distance education at the Metropolitan Community Colleges. He is a past president of the College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Board.

Phillip King (Pharm. D. ’95, School of Pharmacy) is a pharmacist with Pfizer International, Inc. and also is a member of the School of Pharmacy Alumni Association Board.

Ashley Lee (B.A. ’08, College of Arts and Sciences) is program manager for the Main Street Corridor Development Corporation (ManiCor) and ManiCor Board of Directors administrator.

Andrew Moore (D.D.S. ’99, School of Dentistry) is a dentist and owner of Andrew S. Moore, DDS.

Jerry Ogilvie (D.D.S. ’73, School of Dentistry) is a private practice dentist and a UMKC School of Dentistry Clinical Assistant Professor. He also serves on the board of the Roy Rinehart Foundation at the School of Dentistry.

Katherine Ray (B.A. ’02, College of Arts and Sciences; J.D.’05, School of Law) is a law clerk with the Missouri Court of Appeals. She serves on the UMKC Alumni Multicultural and Community Affairs Committee and is a member of the Law School Minority Advisory Board.

J.D. Rios (M.A. ’93, School of Education) is assistant superintendent of the Kansas City Unified School District in Kansas City, Kan. He also is a member of UMKC’s Hispanic Advisory Board.

Carlos Salazar (B.A. ’78, College of Arts and Sciences) is area vice president of the United Way of Greater Kansas City. A past member of the Alumni Board, he was recently named chair of the UMKC Hispanic Advisory Board.

Melanie Tucker (B.S. ’89, M.S. ’90, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration) is vice president of finance for JE Dunn Construction Group. She is a past board member of the Bloch Alumni Association and a member of the Business and Public Administration Accounting Advisory Committee.

The Alumni Governing Board Officers and Directors are joined by the following Divisional Board Presidents, who are elected by their academic program’s alumni:

• Diane Arps (B.S. ’96, School of Dentistry) – Dental Hygiene
• Julie Brown (B.A./M.D. ’00, School of Medicine) – Medicine
• Allison Gardner (M.S. ’05, School of Nursing) – Nursing
• Richard Gibson (B.M.E. ’67, Conservatory of Music and Dance, M.B.A. ’02, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration) – Bloch
• Juana Hishaw (B.A. ’71, M.A. ’73, Ed.S. ’83, Ph.D. ’87, School of Education) – Education
• Julia Kitsmiller (J.D. ’02, School of Law) – Law
• Melody Stroth (M.M. ’81, Conservatory of Music and Dance) – Conservatory
• Scott Saxton (B.S. ’97, School of Computing and Engineering) – Computing and Engineering
• R. Wayne Thompson (M.S. ’67, D.D.S. ’72, School of Dentistry) – Dentistry
• Jennifer Wilding (B.A. ’82, College of Arts and Sciences) – Arts and Sciences
• John Witt (Pharm.D. ’99, School of Pharmacy) – Pharmacy

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit http://www.umkc.edu/. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.