Urban Ranger Corps’ Urban Rendezvous IX will be held on October 25th at The College Basketball Experience and The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Dr. Kimberly Beatty and Dr. Vince Key will be honored with Urban Ranger Corps’ 2018 Community Service Award. Nicole Jacobs Silvey is serving as the honorary chairman. Also featured in […]

Andrew Lang is a member of the Spring 2020 Class of Centurions, where he serves on the recruitment committee and the Wildcard Task Force. His title at Starlight Theatre is development coordinator. Andrew’s home life is centered around his wife, Katherine, and their dog, Carter. Volunteering is an important part of his life. Among the […]

Libby Irving is a dedicated volunteer at The Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. She also brings her attention to detail and zest for life to the leadership roles she has held on the Friends of the Arboretum Advisory Board and for events such as Stems: A Garden Soirée and Botanical Brewfest. Libby Irving and […]

In the Directors of Philanthropy issue, The Independent celebrates the remarkable people in Our Town who donate so much of their time and talents to charitable organizations. They make Kansas City a better place to live. Wonderscope Children’s Museum To spark a lifelong love of learning through the power of play. Board Members: (Front row) Katie […]

Ryan Shreve is the chief financial officer for Fishtech Group and is a Rising Star, class of 2018. After serving six years on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City, he is currently a member of the Ambassador Board. He enjoyed spearheading the agency’s largest annual fundraiser, Bowl for Kids’ Sake, […]

Julie Steenson is a member of the Centurions Spring Class of 2020. She serves on the community leadership committee and on the first task force to focus on women in Kansas City. Julie came to Our Town in 2006 as a Cookingham-Noll management fellow. She has continued to work for the City of Kansas City, […]

Shelly Doucet is currently the director of development at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Education. She has both a juris doctorate and a master’s degree in social work, but her passion is serving as a fundraiser for non profits. While Shelly has lived in Our Town, she has been the development director at […]

Solissa Franco-McKay is the alumni relations manager for Kauffman Scholars. She holds two degrees from the University of Missouri–Kansas City: a bachelor of arts degree in middle school education and a master of arts degree in higher education administration. In the past, Solissa worked in higher education and as a middle school teacher. The San […]

Women and children is the current focus area of The Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri. One of its partners is Amethyst Place, which provides recovery housing. Amethyst Place’s EnCompass program features pairs of mentors who work with women who have children and low incomes. The emphasis is on solving personal and family issues in […]

The BOTAR Ball  will be held on October 20th at the Muehlebach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. This marks the 69th anniversary of the Ball, which is a benefit for the American Royal. This year’s BOTAR president is Blythe Leonard Robertson (Mrs. John Scott Robertson).      It takes two hands to count […]

Jabbar Wesley is a government affairs specialist for Spire and is a member of Centurions, class of 2020. He also is the founder of the Novel City Chamber of Innovation, which is a community economic development organization, focusing on maximizing the value of unified diversity through community events, education resource development services and business incubation […]

October 18th through the 21st are the dates for The Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri’s Holiday Mart, to be held at Bartle Hall. The fun-filled weekend will feature a diverse selection of retailers, a new special event and a new Holiday Mart printed program with information about the League. Co-chairmen Aubrey Holden and Courtney […]

Shalea Walter received her bachelor’s degree in marketing and legal studies from the University of Central Missouri and is a member of Centurions, class of 2019. She is vice president and marketing manager at Arvest Bank. Shalea served as an event committee chairman for the eighth time for Phoenix Family Housing’s Annual Ungala this year. […]

Mary and John M. Edgar will serve as the honorary chairmen of the 2018 Symphony Ball, “To Paris With Love,” presented by the Symphony League of Kansas City. It will be held on September 8th at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Music Director Michael Stern will present the Symphony’s first performance of the […]

Raised on a family farm in rural Iowa, Michael Condon is a graduate of Iowa State University. He is a Centurion, class of 2019. Michael is an active volunteer in the Shawnee Mission School District, Curé of Ars Parish and Saint Luke’s Hospice. He and his wife, Carrie, have three daughters, Lilly, Cecilia and Margaret. […]

Christy and Bill Gautreaux are serving as the honorary chairmen of the 2018 Kemper Gala. The event will be held at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art on October 13th, and the culinary experts at Café Sebastienne are in charge of the delicious fare. Proceeds will go toward ensuring that more than 100,000 people enjoy […]

A member of Centurions, class of 2019, Amy Kligman serves on the Arts, Culture and Entertainment Task Force and on the curriculum committee. She is the executive/artistic director at the Charlotte Street Foundation and also serves on the board of directors of Nonprofit Connect. Amy previously worked for Hallmark Creative, where her titles included art […]

Jackie Vavroch is in-house counsel at Dairy Farmers of America and an active member of the legal community, graduating from both the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s Robert T. Roberts Trial Academy and Leadership Academy. Said Trina Le Riche, Ogletree Deakins: “She has the capability to see an assignment through, going above and beyond what […]

Sharon Gartin started volunteering as a dog walker years before Kansas City Pet Project (KCPP) took charge of the Kansas City Shelter. As her Facebook friends know, she is constantly posting photos in order to help dogs find fur-ever homes. At KCPP, she is known for her caring, positive attitude and the countless ways she […]

Bess Wallerstein Huff is a native of Our Town. She became associated with Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in 2010 and currently is the director of marketing. Bess is a member of Centurions, class of 2019. She serves on the diversity committee and the Arts and Culture Task Force planning committee. Bess is also […]

Milburn Country Club will be the setting for Welcome House’s Swing Fore Recovery Golf Classic on September 10th. Ryan Shriver is serving as the chairman of the inaugural event. Welcome House is one of our community’s longest-standing residential sober living organizations. It has served nearly 16,000 men seeking recovery and support for drug and alcohol […]