Nonprofit founder, tech people leader join Kauffman as trustees on shared mission: economic inclusivity
May 22, 2025 | Startland News Staff
The year-long transformation of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation continues this week as the influential philanthropic organization announced two new trustees meant to bolster its rebooted grantmaking strategy and commitment to driving equitable economic mobility in Kansas City.
Newly appointed leaders to the Kauffman Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Aimée Eubanks Davis and Kristen Ludgate bring diverse expertise that strengthens the foundation’s trio of refined priorities: college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship.
Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, right, speaks Thursday during the Networked for Change summit in Wichita; photo courtesy of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
“Aimée and Kristen represent the next generation of values-driven, community-minded leaders who understand what it takes to turn opportunity into impact,” said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. “We’re honored to have them join us at this pivotal moment in our journey.”
The addition of the new trustees is a critical step in ensuring broad perspectives in grantmaking and community partnerships from leaders with national experience in fields that span education, workforce development, and business ownership, the foundation said in a press release.
Selected through a competitive national search led by CBIZ Talent Solutions, Eubanks Davis and Ludgate were elected to a three-year term on a board of 12 trustees. The duo joins a community-focused group that already includes Burns-Wallace, Susan Chambers, Matt Condon, Karen Daniel, Esther L. George, Anita Newton, Carlos Rangel, Paul Schofer, Carmen Tapio, and Maurice Alvin Watson.
“They bring unique strengths and proven leadership to help advance the foundation’s strategic priorities for college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship,” said George, chair for the board of trustees. “Their voices will be critical in ensuring our work reflects the aspirations and needs of the communities we serve.”
Click here to read more about the Kauffman Foundation’s strategy.
Eubanks Davis is the founder and CEO of Braven, a national nonprofit dedicated to closing the education-to-employment gap for underrepresented college students.
A Chicago native and former sixth-grade teacher, she led Braven to serve thousands of students through partnerships with higher education institutions and employers across the country. Her extensive experience in human capital, education equity, and talent development reflects a deep alignment with the foundation’s goals in education and workforce pathways.
Ludgate most recently served as chief people officer at HP Inc., where she led global talent, culture, and inclusion strategies for one of the world’s most recognized technology companies.
Her career has spanned leadership roles in human resources, law, communications, and philanthropy, including as president of the 3M Foundation and executive vice president of HR at 3M. Ludgate is a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership and the future of work, and she brings expertise in organizational transformation and employee development.
ICYMI: Kauffman earmarks $32M in grants to boost entrepreneurship, workforce, education efforts
Featured Business
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Black & Veatch delivers first consumer product ever: Solarhood
After more than 100 years in business, engineering giant Black & Veatch has launched its first consumer product: Solarhood. Built through the B&V Growth Accelerator program, the company created Solarhood to streamline the process for homeowners to tap solar power. The Solarhood mobile and web-based app allow homeowners to access the feasibility of going solar,…
Two KC EdTech startups earn spots in latest LEANLAB cohort; launch set for August
It’s a highly selective process to join the fifth LEANLAB K-12 fellowship, said Katie Boody, but two Kansas City startups made the cut. K12 Perform and Base Academy of Music will join four other cohort members — hailing from the Midwest to Washington D.C. — in the August-to-November EdTech accelerator program. LEANLAB is partnering…
HechoKC cast in hand-made image of Chicano artist’s culture, family, community
Witnessing — and participating in — Kansas City’s renaissance has been amazing, said Luis Garcia, the longtime artist behind HechoKC. The Crossroads used to be a ghost town, said Garcia, who has been part of the KC scene since his years at the Kansas City Art Institute. He developed SPYN Studio, a branding and design…
Quartet of startups hop into the Digital Sandbox KC
Four early-stage businesses recently entered the Digital Sandbox KC program. The new startups demonstrate the ingenuity Digital Sandbox aims to attract for its grant-funding efforts, said Jeff Shackelford, director of Digital Sandbox KC. “From helping students prepare for college to analyzing voting records to predict legislative outcomes, the startups in the Sandbox are a great…