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.

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

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. Catrice is currently a doctoral candidate in psychology and technology integration at Grand Canyon University.

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 AI pioneer with nearly three decades of experience building digital infrastructure and advancing practical innovation.

In 2025, he was named one of the Top 5 AI Visionaries in the World by the Global Times. His career began in 1996 at Sprint's Think Tank Lab, where his team implemented neural networks (called AI/ML today) for NASA. At Cisco Systems, he helped build internet backbones for eBay, Priceline, and Yahoo, and helped resolve the AOL busy signal crisis, expanding broadband access for millions.

Today, as Chief AI, Intent Digital Marketing, and Data Officer at 3rd Wave Marketing, Kenneth leads AI, data, and intent-driven strategies while creating solutions like Carrie to connect families with telehealth, jobs, and essential resources. He is also the creator of Carrie, a sophisticated AI agent developed by 3rd Wave Marketing as a practical example of AI for Good. Through work supporting Essential Families, Carrie helps connect urban and rural communities to vital resources, including telehealth access, job opportunities, social services, and community support.

Kenneth actively participates in policy and innovation discussions, contributing to federal sessions such as the NTIA Innovation Fund, where he has offered insights on AI funding, policy, and the importance of maintaining American leadership in the global AI landscape. His work is grounded in the belief that technology is only as valuable as the lives it improves. His focus remains on ensuring AI is applied responsibly, deployed equitably, and used to create meaningful human impact.

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.