Description

Philanthropy Missouri’s Kansas City Funder Network is set to kick off!  

We invite you to connect with your Kansas City colleagues for a topical panel discussion, From Donors to Data: Navigating the Future of Giving in the Age of AI, and conversations over happy hour refreshments. 

PANELISTS

Jessica Hembree, Platform Civic Strategies, Moderator

Jessica Hembree founded Platform Civic Strategies in 2018 with the mission of providing nonprofit and philanthropic organizations with two key services: strategic planning for public policy change and designing policy advocacy efforts. In this role, Jessica has incubated ballot initiatives, facilitated federal planning grants, and created strategic plans for eight Kansas and Missouri advocacy organizations.

 With 20 years of experience in policy change, including ten years as Policy Director at a regional health foundation, Jessica has experience across multiple issues. From starting new advocacy organizations to researching complex issues to developing model policies, Jessica is an insightful leader in nonprofit advocacy.

 Jessica received her master’s in public affairs from Princeton University. She serves on the Shawnee Mission School District Board of Education.

Dr. Catrice Alleyne, Chief of Staff for BH365 and FTH, Founder of AscendEDU and CNCTD

Dr. Catrice Alleyne is a systems strategist and education consultant. As Chief of Staff for BH365 and FTH and founder of AscendEDU and CNCTD, she brings both vision and execution to her work. With a background in engineering and leadership, she specializes in AI-integrated learning and workforce development, designing human-centered ecosystems that bridge education, technology, and opportunity while connecting talent to pathways that advance workforce readiness for underserved communities.

Glenn Mills, Director, Information Security, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation

Glenn Mills, AIGP, CIPP, CIPT, CISSP, is Director of Information Security at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, where he supports the Community Foundation’s digital governance program, including leading privacy and AI risk management initiatives. He has created and led global compliance programs to meet U.S. and U.K. requirements in digital governance and financial crime prevention within the financial services and donor-advised fund industries. In 2024, he was among the first professionals to earn the AI Governance Professional (AIGP) certification offered by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

Dr. Leigh Anne Taylor Knight, Executive Director & COO, The DeBruce Foundation

Dr. Leigh Anne Taylor Knight is a resourceful, future-focused leader who serves as the Executive Director and COO of The DeBruce Foundation, a foundation whose mission is to expand pathways to economic growth and opportunity.  It seeks to help people discover what they want to do and what they’re good at doing, to open more career possibilities for the future of work.  At The Foundation, Dr. Taylor Knight leads a team that develops innovative solutions to positively impact the way youth and adults might become more agile in the ever-changing world of work.  A teacher at heart, Dr. Taylor Knight has also served as a K-12 assistant superintendent, advised learning institutions across the nation, and led a bi-state consortium providing powerful tools for data-driven educational research to inform practice and policy.  In addition to her leadership role at The DeBruce Foundation, she also serves on several boards and as a mentor to many. 

Kenneth Yancy, Chief AI, Intent Digital Marketing & Data Officer for 3rd Wave Marketing, Top 5 AI Visionaries in the World (2025)

Kenneth P. Yancy is a globally recognized technologist, strategist, and pioneer in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. With a career spanning nearly three decades, he has evolved from building the foundational backbones of the internet to architecting the future of AI governance and multi-agent systems. In 2025, he was named one of the Top 5 AI Visionaries in the World—a testament to his rare ability to bridge high-level machine learning with practical, community-focused solutions. 

As Chief AI, Intent Digital Marketing & Data Officer at 3rd Wave Marketing, Kenneth leads the integration of generative AI and intent-based data strategies to drive measurable business growth. But his influence extends well beyond the private sector. Kenneth is currently spearheading the design and launch of the State of Missouri AI Office, a permanent center dedicated to: AI governance, federal funding protection, digital equity, and ensuring compliance with the 2025 Executive Order on AI to protect billions in infrastructure and technology funding. 

A passionate advocate for using technology as a force for social equity, Kenneth is the creator of Carrie—a sophisticated AI agent developed by 3rd Wave Marketing. Through his work with the non-profit Essential Families, Carrie serves as a real-world application of how AI can transform lives by connecting urban and rural families to critical services, including telehealth access for underserved populations, job opportunity matching, and economic mobility resources. 

Kenneth continues to represent Missouri and the broader technology community at the highest levels of government. He is a frequent contributor to federal sessions, including the NTIA Innovation Fund, where he provides expert testimony on AI funding, policy, and the necessity of maintaining American leadership in the global AI race. 

aUDIENCE & REGISTRATION

This is a program designed for grantmakers* investing and/or living in Greater Kansas City. There is no cost to attend, but advance registration is required. 

PhilMO Members should register through their account. If this is your first interaction with the new PhilMO website, choose “Create New Account” when registering. 

Non-Member Missouri grantmakers should choose “Non-Member Funder” to register. All funders are welcome at no charge to this kick-off program.

If you encounter any challenges registering for this program or otherwise navigating the new website, help is available by contacting info@philmo.org. 

*Eligible participants include community foundations, private and family foundations, donor-advised funds, health conversion foundations, corporate foundations and giving programs, public religious charities, tax-supported funders, and federated funds (e.g., United Way)

About the NetworK

The Kansas City Funder Network is a group of Philanthropy Missouri (PhilMO) Members who are based in and/or invest in Kansas City and surrounding counties. Building on the bistate region’s strong tradition of collaboration, the Network seeks to deepen philanthropic connectivity, support shared learning, strengthen collaborative impact, and ensure that the Kansas City metro area is a strong voice within Missouri’s philanthropic ecosystem. We support Members in advancing effective grantmaking practices and identifying innovative solutions to key regional needs.