KCADC - Key Persons


Addie Linn

Job Titles:
  • Manager / Marketing & Communications

Alicia Bacon

Job Titles:
  • Director, Talent Acquisition

Allison Voss

Job Titles:
  • Director of Recruiting for Moonshot Solutions
Allison Voss is the Director of Recruiting for Moonshot Solutions, an IT Services and Staffing Partner in Overland Park, KS. At Moonshot, she leads a team of industry experts who are responsible for finding qualified candidates covering a variety of professional skillsets, managing the full cycle of recruitment, and ensuring a positive candidate experience. With close to 15 years of experience in the staffing industry, she possesses a strong background in finding and retaining talent, consultant care, business development and employee training. Starting out her professional career as a Partnership Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters, her passion for helping others and building long-lasting relationships wherever and however she can has never wavered. Coming from a small town in Southern Illinois, Allison appreciates community and is active in many organizations across the Kansas City metro, from fostering dogs through a variety of rescues to being a CASA Advocate, where she feels connected and can make a difference. Allison graduated with a degree in Business and Communications from Eastern Illinois University and currently resides in Overland Park, KS.

Amy Lee Sewell

Job Titles:
  • Talent Acquisition Manager, Early Careers Incoming TeamKC Board Co - Chair
Amy Lee Sewell has been with Lockton since 2007 in various roles in Human Resources, always with a focus on attracting top talent. In her current role in the Lockton Founders Series, she leads the early career recruiting team responsible for campus recruiting, university relations, intern and training programs with a laser focus on providing a first class candidate/Associate experience. In 2023, Lockton invested in a workforce development program called the Lockton Learners program, led by Amy Lee. This program has evolved into a Lockton legacy program fueled by Amy Lee's passion to provide students from underrepresented communities access to opportunities. As a Brookside resident, she takes advantage of all KC has to offer, always up to date on the latest and greatest happenings in KC. With a heart for giving, Amy Lee volunteers in the community, stays active in her church, enjoys spending time with her family and is co-founder of the nonprofit, Road Worthy. She considers it an honor and a privilege to serve on the TeamKC board of advisors, always willing to champion the life and talent in Kansas City.

Anna Knoblock

Job Titles:
  • Director, Talent Acquisition
  • Talent Acquisition Director at Children 's Mercy
Anna Knoblock is the Talent Acquisition Director at Children's Mercy. Anna has over 20 years of recruitment experience across several industries including healthcare, technology, and sales. Anna is focused on attracting top talent and fostering a culture employees want to be a part of. The mission of Children's Mercy fuels her passion for the work she does every day. Anna graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business. She lives in Overland Park with her husband and two boys. In her spare time, you can catch her at one of many area sports fields watching her boys do what they love.

Ashley McDonald - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director

Avery Adair

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Manager
  • Assistant Manager, HR
Avery Adair is an Assistant Manager within the Talent Acquisition function for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. In this role, he supports the Bank's recruitment functions with emphasis on programming related to entry-level talent. This support includes responsibility for campus and intern programs as well as various talent needs across the Bank's seven state region. Avery joined the Bank in 2015 and has held various leadership roles since 2019. He holds a bachelors degree in Management and a MBA in Business & Organizational Leadership from Pittsburg State University.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Job Titles:
  • VP, US Global Innovation & US Regulatory Affairs

Bonnie Rush

Job Titles:
  • Dean - College of Veterinary Medicine / Kansas State University

Brandi Riggs

Job Titles:
  • Vice President, HR TeamKC Board Co - Chair
  • VP, Human Resources at McCownGordon Construction
Brandi Riggs is VP, Human Resources at McCownGordon Construction. She leads the Human Resource team to attract and retain the best industry talent through engagement and associate experience initiatives. She also oversees wellbeing initiatives, serves on the Women in Leadership Business Resource Group, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering committee at McCownGordon. She and her team are committed to creating a great place for associates to come to work each day. Brandi serves on the TeamKC Advisory Board Executive Committee, Co-Chair for Workforce Action Team (KC Rising), Board of Directors at her local church, Kansas City Symphony Business Alliance and is a Past President of the Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Kansas City. She has a passion for volunteering in her community, giving back to her profession, serving those around her and seeking opportunities to help and mentor others.

Bridgette Williams

Bridgette Williams | Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City Bridgette Williams | Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City

Bruce Brinkmeyer

Job Titles:
  • Vice President of Sales & Marketing

Carolyn Henry

Job Titles:
  • Professor & Former Dean - College of Veterinary Medicine / University of Missouri

Chris Gutierrez - President

Job Titles:
  • President

Cindy Brittain

Job Titles:
  • Senior Director / Research

Copaken Brooks

Job Titles:
  • Principal
  • Commercial Real Estate

Dana Morris

Job Titles:
  • Director / Finance & Human Resources

Danielle Hilton - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • Managing Director, TeamKC

Darcy Groce

Job Titles:
  • Executive Assistant
  • Office Manager

Dean Newton

Dean Newton | Delta Dental of Kansas and Surency Life & Health Dean Newton | Delta Dental of Kansas and Surency Life & Health

Ed Elder

Job Titles:
  • Colliers International - Kansas City Ed Elder Colliers International - Kansas City
Ed Elder | Colliers International - Kansas City Ed Elder | Colliers International - Kansas City

Elli Bowen - VP

Job Titles:
  • Vice President

Emily McVey - VP

Job Titles:
  • Vice President
Emily manages workforce development and assists with the implementation of strategic priorities. Emily McVey assists with the implementation of the Corridor's strategic priorities and directly manages the workforce development and diversity initiatives. Emily also oversees event management and strategic growth initiatives for the Corridor. Emily has a Master of Business Administration from Rockhurst University and joined the Corridor in 2011.

Erin Roebuck

Job Titles:
  • Talent Acquisition Leader
Erin is the Sr. Talent Acquisition Leader-Global for Hallmark Cards, and a founding member of the TeamKC Board of Advisors, with more than 17 years of experience in talent acquisition, creative, product development, talent development, and culture. A designer by trade and a passionate people-person by nature, Erin brings a unique skillset to the talent acquisition space. She describes herself as a creative thinker, culture driver, community builder and curious connector, and enjoys bringing these talents to the recruiting space for one of the world's most beloved brands. Erin earned her BFA in Graphic Design from Iowa State University. She lives in Shawnee, KS with her husband Eric and three daughters, and enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, cooking, and eating local.

Heather Binder

Job Titles:
  • Director, Human Resources Consulting

Hunt Midwest - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • President

Jack Cooper

Job Titles:
  • Transport

Jami Owens

Job Titles:
  • Chief Financial Officer / Human Resources

Jamie Hirshey - CHRO

Job Titles:
  • Director of Human Resources

Jeff Blaesing

Job Titles:
  • JE Dunn Construction Jeff Blaesing JE Dunn Construction

Jeff Carson

Job Titles:
  • Enterprise Bank & Trust Jeff Carson Enterprise Bank & Trust
Jeff Carson | Enterprise Bank & Trust Jeff Carson | Enterprise Bank & Trust

Jennifer Lyon

Job Titles:
  • Vice President Investor Relations & Marketing

Jessica Palm

Job Titles:
  • Vice President Marketing & Public Relations

Jill McCarthy - SVP

Job Titles:
  • Senior Vice President
  • Business Development
  • Senior Vice President, Corporate Attraction
With more than 25 years of experience, Jill leads the business development team.

John Sweeney - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director

Jonathan Knecht

Job Titles:
  • Senior Vice President / Marketing & Creative Services

Josie Calkins

Job Titles:
  • Project Manager

Julia Loew

Job Titles:
  • Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations

Julie Deane

Job Titles:
  • Chief People Officer / Kansas City University Kansas City University

Kara Brock

Job Titles:
  • Manager / Design & Creative

Karen Hogan

Job Titles:
  • Turner Construction Company Karen Hogan Turner Construction Company

Katie Birchfield

Job Titles:
  • Talent Acquisition Advisor
Katie is an experienced full-cycle talent acquisition business partner currently specializing in executive recruitment at H&R Block. With more than 15 years of experience, Katie has developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges that stem from varying candidate markets. She is dedicated to helping others in and outside of work, and values giving back to my community while delivering tailored talent acquisition and development solutions that align with business objectives. Katie is also a dedicated Jayhawk, wife, mom and Peloton fan!

Kent Luther

Job Titles:
  • Vice Chair

Kerryann Kocher - CEO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Executive Officer

Kimberly Tholl

Job Titles:
  • Manager, Talent Acquisition
Kimberly is a Talent Acquisition Manager at Honeywell and has a passionate focus on Strategic Recruitment, HR Process Development, and Digital Transformation. Kimberly graduated from Ottawa University with her Bachelor's in Human Resource Management and has experience in multiple Human Resources roles, alongside management and field marketing experience. Prior to joining Honeywell, Kimberly worked in Talent Acquisition and Field Marketing Departments at H&R Block from 2011-2017.

Kimberly Young - President

Job Titles:
  • President
Kim is the "go-to" person on life sciences and technology. Kimberly Young manages the day to day operations of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor (Corridor), overseeing implementation of the strategic priorities focused on workforce, innovation, public policy and industry engagement that are governed by the Corridor's Advisory Board. Additionally, Kim directs marketing, brand messaging, media and PR for the Corridor. Previously, Kim held senior leadership positions at the state and regional level. Kim holds a B.S. degree from Pittsburg State University and joined the Corridor in 2011.

Kipp Cooper

Kipp Cooper | Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS Kipp Cooper | Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS

Kira Spring

Job Titles:
  • Talent Acquisition Manager
Kira Spring has had an amazing journey with Black & Veatch, progressing from recruiter to currently coaching a team of seven highly-skilled recruiters in the BV Operations group. Her team specializes in civil environmental, engineering management, specialized solutions, mechanical, instrumentation and controls, land services and contingent programming. Shifting from recruitment to leadership, Kira has used her experiences to build relationships with and offer optimal recruiting strategies to her team and clients. Through former roles, Kira gained experience in full cycle recruitment and internship program development, working in a variety of industries, including power, water, oil and gas, MC, data center, telecom and federal, as well as partnering with more than 50 universities nationwide. She specializes in technical recruitment and has collaborated with various levels of leadership to implement innovative recruitment strategies. Kira's passion is coaching and supporting professionals to achieve their maximum potential. She is committed to driving change, providing a safe and encouraging environment to promote growth, and delivering high-quality services to clients and businesses.

Korb Maxwell

Korb Maxwell | Polsinelli PC Korb Maxwell | Polsinelli PC

Krista Gartelos

Job Titles:
  • Manager, Talent Acquisition
Krista has been in Talent Acquisition for 10 years and has recruited nationwide for all levels of roles, most recently focusing on adding talent to a national dairy cooperative. These roles range from member services, supply chain, finance, IT, manufacturing and human resources. At Dairy Farmers of America, Krista is responsible for full cycle recruiting focused on adding talent to DFA's corporate office and 90+ additional locations, both domestic and international. Krista also manages DFA's internship and college recruiting programs. She is passionate about connecting talented candidates with a variety of job opportunities at DFA. Krista graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in Management: Human Resources. Prior to joining DFA, she worked in the financial services industry.

Kristin Bonham

Job Titles:
  • NA Vice President Animal Nutrition and Health, Dsm - Firmenich

Lacey Foster

Job Titles:
  • Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition Programs
Lacey Foster currently leads the Talent Acquisition Programs team at T-Mobile with a focus on ensuring the right systems, tools and resources are in place to attract and hire talent. With over 700,000 applicants and 20,000+ hires per year, it is essential to focus on the candidate experience. She has over 20 years of experience in the Talent Acquisition space and is responsible for everything from Talent Attraction, Recruitment Marketing, Employer Brand, Talent Acquisition systems, pre-hire assessments, interviewing resources, relocation, and candidate experience. Lacey has grown her career at T-Mobile beginning in 2003 after graduating from Drake University. She started as a Recruiting Assistant and has held various roles such as University Recruiter, Program Manager and has been managing a team for the last 19 years. In her current role, she leads her team to solve business problems, implement new systems and processes and in turn enhance the overall experience for candidates, hiring managers and recruiters.

Laura Phillips

Job Titles:
  • Manager / Marketing & Public Relations

Lauren Bertram

Job Titles:
  • Director, Talent Acquisition TeamKC Board Co - Chair
  • Talent Acquisition Director at Burns & McDonnell
Lauren Bertram | Burns & McDonnell | Representing TeamKC - Ex Officio Lauren Bertram | Burns & McDonnell | Representing TeamKC - Ex Officio Lauren Bertram is the Talent Acquisition Director at Burns & McDonnell with over 20 years of recruitment experience in a variety of industries including healthcare, information technology, engineering, architecture, construction and environmental consulting. She loves all things recruitment, candidate/employee experience, data insights, STEM outreach and Diversity & Inclusion. Lauren leads an amazingly talented team of 40+ employee-owners who share a like-minded passion for bringing the best talent to Burns & Mac! Lauren is a Kansas City native who graduated from Baker University with a BS in Management and Marketing. She lives in Brookside and loves everything our city offers her and her family. She is grateful to be a part of the TeamKC board and excited for KC's continued bright future.

Leslie Johnson

Job Titles:
  • Manager / Research & Real Estate

Makenzie Kalkowski

Job Titles:
  • Technical Recruiter II
Makenzie represents Garmin Intl. on the TeamKC Board of Advisors as a dynamic recruiting professional who brings a blend of partnership and enthusiasm to the world of talent acquisition. Originally hailing from Nebraska, Makenzie ventured to Kansas City 5 years ago in pursuit of her passions which offers her a unique perspective on the board. Her background includes event management, marketing, technical recruiting, university recruiting and university relations. In recruiting, Makenzie has shown a knack for understanding different technical industries from tech, engineering and presently aviation. She prides herself on her genuine approach and ability to connect on a personal level with candidates and employers alike, fostering relationships based on trust and transparency. With that same spirit, she quickly integrated herself into Kansas City making professional and personal connections, and most importantly, finally becoming a Chiefs fan. Being from a small town, she has a true passion for community engagement and is involved in many programs across the city which helps her to be an advocate for relocating multiple professionals to Kansas City in her current position.

Mark Long

Mark Long | Newmark Zimmer | Representing KC SmartPort - Ex-Officio Mark Long | Newmark Zimmer | Representing KC SmartPort - Ex-Officio

Martin T. Rucker - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • President

Matt Benge

Matt Benge | AssuredPartners, Inc. Matt Benge | AssuredPartners, Inc.

Matt Musselman - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman

Megan Segura

Job Titles:
  • Director / Special Projects & IT

Melissa Cooper

Melissa Cooper | Kansas City Aviation Department | Representing Kansas City, MO Melissa Cooper | Kansas City Aviation Department | Representing Kansas City, MO

Merck Animal

Job Titles:
  • Vice President, U.S. Livestock Business

Molly Howey

Molly Howey | Representing the Greater Topeka Partnership/GO Topeka Molly Howey | Representing the Greater Topeka Partnership/GO Topeka

Newmark Zimmer - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • President

Ray Kowalik

Job Titles:
  • Burns & McDonnell Immediate past Co - Chair Ray Kowalik Burns & McDonnell Immediate past Co - Chair
Ray Kowalik | Burns & McDonnell | Immediate Past Co-Chair Ray Kowalik | Burns & McDonnell | Immediate Past Co-Chair

Reid Schultz

Reid Schultz | R/S Electric Corp. Reid Schultz | R/S Electric Corp.

Richard Muller

Richard Muller | VanTrust Real Estate, LLC Richard Muller | VanTrust Real Estate, LLC

Rob Bratcher

Job Titles:
  • Commerce Bank Co - Chair Rob Bratcher Commerce Bank Co - Chair

Robert Miller

Job Titles:
  • Senior Director, R & D

Robin Broder Gibson

Robin Broder Gibson | Henderson Engineers | Henderson Building Solutions Robin Broder Gibson | Henderson Engineers | Henderson Building Solutions

Rosana Privitera Biondo

Rosana Privitera Biondo | Mark One Electric Company, Inc. Rosana Privitera Biondo | Mark One Electric Company, Inc.

Roshann Parris

Roshann Parris | Parris Communications, Inc. | Representing the Greater KC Chamber - Ex-Officio Roshann Parris | Parris Communications, Inc. | Representing the Greater KC Chamber - Ex-Officio

Ryan Wakabayashi

Job Titles:
  • HR General Manager for Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America
Ryan Wakabayashi is HR General Manager for Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America in De Soto, Kansas. At Panasonic, he started his HR career in the company's lighting division where he was responsible for employee relations with union organizations, talent development, workforce planning and hiring. Through his manufacturing HR experience, he was also assigned global talent development at Panasonic's HQ. In June 2017, Panasonic launched its business in Buffalo, New York, and Ryan was assigned to the project as HR manager. He hired more than 500 employees and created the site's employee handbook and variety of policies within the first three years of operation. Following, he was transferred to Panasonic's regional headquarters in New Jersey, where he led the company experience for approximately 400 Panasonic expats in North America. July 2023, Ryan was assigned to the Kansas Project for Panasonic, which plans to create 4,000 jobs and make a $4 billion investment in the KC region. Under his leadership, Ryan is driving workforce planning and strategic hiring for the facility. Ryan graduated with a degree in psychology from Waseda University in Japan and currently lives in Overland Park, Kansas.

Samantha (Pinkal) Jefferson - VP

Job Titles:
  • Vice President

Shelby Harvey

Job Titles:
  • Talent Development & HR Director
Shelby moved to Kansas City in 2016 to begin her career in human resources, and immediately fell in love with the community and energy she discovered. It wasn't long after that she began working at BHC as an administrative assistant, and she has proudly called KC and BHC home ever since. Shelby was recently named Talent Development and HR Director, and with over 7 years of experience in the AEC industry, works alongside her incredible team to oversee training and development, culture, performance management, and recruitment. She is also a certified Gallup CliftonStrengths coach and has her MBA with an emphasis in HR Management from Baker University. Driven by her passion for employee growth, development, and engagement at all levels of the company, Shelby has managed BHC's innovative internship program, analyzed employee engagement survey, made recommendations and influenced progressive policy changes, managed internal communications, and served as co-lead of the DEI committee. In her spare time, she also serves as a member of the Johnson County SHRM DEI committee, volunteers with Inclusion Connections, and was selected as a member of Zweig's 2023 elevateHER cohort. Outside of work, you can find her spending time with her husband Jesse and their two rescue dogs, Nova and Rue.

Sheri Johnson

Sheri Johnson | McCownGordon Construction Company Sheri Johnson | McCownGordon Construction Company

Simon Walley

Job Titles:
  • President Animal Nutrition for North America

Susan Houser

Job Titles:
  • Senior Sales Director

Tim Cowden - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • President
  • Administration

Yvonne Hsu

Job Titles:
  • Vice President, Global Growth and Innovation