CIVIC COUNCIL - Key Persons
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- Retired Chairman / Crown Center
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- President - CEO / the University of Kansas Health System
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- President and CEO / Bank of Blue Valley
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- Managing Partner / KPMG LLP
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- Senior Vice President and Kansas City Branch Director
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- Program Manager, KC Rising
C.J. Charbonneau supports KC Rising as the Program Manager. Before joining the KC Rising team, C.J. served in a variety of roles in the Kansas City arts and nonprofit communities, as an arts writer, curator, administrator, organizer, and advocate, with a focus on issues affecting women and folks with disabilities.
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- CEO / Spring Venture Group
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- Executive Administrative Assistant to the
Cianah Faust serves as the Executive Administrative Assistant to the Civic Council. She joined the team in November of 2021. Prior to joining the Civic Council, she worked for a startup Specialty Home Infusion Pharmacy for over six years, where she served as the Executive Assistant, Patient Experience Navigator, and many other supporting roles. Cianah was raised in Hoyt, Kansas and now resides in Lee's Summit with her family. Cianah has an Associate Degree in Science from Johnson County Community College.
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- Director of the Kansas City Tomorrow Leadership
- Director, Finance & Administration and Kansas City Tomorrow
In addition to managing the financial and administrative aspects of the organization, Consuelo Ross is the director of the Kansas City Tomorrow Leadership program and provides staff support for KC Rising's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Committee. Before beginning work with the Civic Council in 2016, she served as an executive administrator with two Kansas City area businesses. Ross is also the Founder and President of Surviving the Odds, Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on breast cancer awareness in minority women. She holds a BA in Organizational Leadership and Communication from Rockhurst University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Western Governors University.
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- Chairman of the Board
- Chairman of the Board / Lockton Companies, LLC
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- CEO / Hallmark Cards, Inc
- Retired, Chairman of the Board / Hallmark Cards, Inc
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- Chancellor / the University of Kansas
Dr. Dred Scott was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from Bishop Hogan High School, a small Catholic high school in the inner-city. Dr. Scott obtained an undergraduate degree from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. Later, he obtained a master's degree in School Administration from Central Missouri State University. Dred Scott earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership at Baker University, located in Baldwin City, KS.
Dr. Scott worked in different capacities for 11 years in the Raytown C-2 School District. He first worked as an elementary teacher, teaching for four years in a CWC (Class Within a Class) classroom. This inclusionary model allowed students with special needs to receive instructional support in the regular classroom who would have normally been self-contained. Dred was honored as the District's Teacher of the Year during his third year of teaching. Next, Dr. Scott worked as an elementary school building principal. His school contained the highest at-risk population in the district. Throughout Dr. Scott's tenure, he helped lead the staff in transforming the school from the lowest performing school in the district to one of the highest. This is an accomplishment that remains one of his proudest to date. Finally, Dred Scott worked as the Executive Director of Support Services. This was a district level position involving oversight of the transportation, buildings and grounds, and food service departments. The position also included management of new construction as part of a thirty-million-dollar bond. Dred supervised the construction of a new elementary school, early childhood center, and additions to both of the district's high schools.
Dr. Scott joined the Independence School District in 2008. He was the Deputy Superintendent responsible for all aspects of curriculum, instruction, and assessment across the district (PK-12). Dred worked closely with the district's superintendent and Board of Education on matters related to the district and community. He led several district-wide initiatives including employee negotiations, leadership selection and development, and employee recognition.
Dr. Dred Scott was the President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City from 2018-2022. In this role, Dred brought an increased level of leadership on the Club's strategic priorities and assuring the Clubs' success for generations to come. His experience, vision, passion, and leadership were a great match for Boys & Girls Clubs youth, staff, and community partners.
Dred joined the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City as president in August 2022.
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- President / Kansas State University
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- Chairman of the Board
- Chairman of the Board / Tension Corporation
Neal Sharma, current co-chair of KC Rising, reviewing the current priorities recently established through collaborative conversations with each of the KC Rising committees.
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- President and CEO / Federal Reserve Bank
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- Chairman, Chief Executive and Owner / Partner / SpecChem LLC
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- Central States Office Leader
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- Chief Marketing Officer
- Senior Vice President
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- CEO of the KC Chamber
- President and CEO / Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
Joe Reardon, CEO of the KC Chamber, speaks to the definition of quality jobs along with Frank Lenk of Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) and James Bryant of the Full Employment Council.
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- Vice President of Hospital Operations
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- Chairman and CEO / Commerce Bank
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- COO
- Executive Vice President
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- Chancellor / Metropolitan
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- Administrative Assistant / Program Coordinator, KC Tomorrow
Kiva Donahue joined KC Tomorrow and the Civic Council as the Administrative Assistant/Program Coordinator in July 2022. Before joining the team, she used her data and organizational strategy experience to deliver meaningful HR and DEI programs, and talent management recommendations for several companies. Kiva holds a BS in Psychology, MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Statistics & Research Design from Missouri State University. Join us in welcoming her to the team!
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- President / Executive Hills, Inc.
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- Managing Partner / Dentons US LLP
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- Communications Manager, KC Rising
Maddy joined KC Rising and the Civic Council as the Communications Manager in 2022. Before joining the team, she spent time learning the ins and outs of the development process in marketing roles for construction and engineering firms in Kansas City. Maddy graduated from the University of Missouri - Kansas City's Urban Planning and Design program in 2015. While there, she worked with social organizations and communities in the metro to advocate for equitable planning. Her unique experience in community outreach and marketing allows her to successfully help tell the KC Rising and Civic Council story in her current role.
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- Treasurer
- Regional Vice President - External Affairs
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- President and CEO / Kansas City University
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- Retired National Group President / U.S. Bank
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- President and CEO - Greater Kansas City
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- President / CCB Financial Corporation
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- CEO and President / Mariner
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- Co - Office Managing Partner
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- Market President - Kansas City / First National Bank
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- Director of Public Policy
The Civic Council of Greater Kansas City proudly introduces Megan Crook as our new Director of Public Policy. Drawing on her experience in economic and community development, Megan will play a pivotal role in shaping our policy initiatives with a strong community-focused perspective. We look forward to her guidance as we bring together corporate and civic leaders to advance innovative and effective policy solutions.
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- President and CEO / CrossFirst Bank
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- Co - Chair of KC Rising, Reviewing the Current Priorities Recently Established through Collaborative Conversations With Each of the KC Rising Committees
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- President / LANE4 Property Group
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- Senior Vice President, Director of Strategic Planning / HNTB Corporation
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- President & CEO / Health Forward Foundation
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- Director, Community Initiatives
Randy Riggs provides staff support for the Heartland Civic Collaborative, transportation issues, and a variety of Civic Council committees and task forces, as well as the administrative needs of the organization. Prior to arriving at the Civic Council in 2016, Riggs served as city manager in the municipalities of Sterling, Chanute and Newton, all in Kansas. A native of the Kansas City area, Riggs Holds a BA in Public Administration from Ottawa University and a Master's of Public Administration from the University of Kansas.
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- Partner / Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
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- Office Managing Partner / KPMG LLP
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- President / Bernstein - Rein Advertising, Inc.
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- CEO, Distribution Operations & Gas Utilities / Spire, Inc
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- General Manager
- Vice President
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- General Counsel and CAO / H & R Block, Inc.
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- Market President KC / Oklahoma / Dallas / U.S. Bank
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- General Counsel / Black & Veatch
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- Corporate President / HNTB Holdings Inc.
Tom Sack - CEO, President
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- President and CEO / Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
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- President / CEO / Tension Corporation
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- Managing Partner / MLP Holdings LLC