Power through purpose: How a winding journey led this eco devo steward to deep-rooted impact

Editor’s note: The following story was written and first published by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC). Click here to read the original story.

Going behind the scenes of CCED with the people who make it happen

Some people are drawn to city-building because of the bricks and steel, the architecture, the skyline, the grandeur of transformation. For Sherise Kirkwood, the draw has always been people.

Raised in the Virgin Islands and shaped by a culture where community is a way of life, her journey to Kansas City was not exactly linear. After graduating from Columbia College, Kirkwood accepted a position far removed from planning or development.

Life, in its winding way, brought her to Kansas City, a place that immediately felt familiar, she said. It was not the palm trees or ocean air that reminded her of home, but the feeling, the closeness, the culture of care, the rhythm of a city where people still look out for one another.

Kansas City became a place to grow roots.

Since arriving in 2010, Kirkwood — now program administrator for the Central City Economic Development (CCED) program at Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC) — has witnessed the city’s evolution, neighborhoods shifting, momentum building, and the sense that something meaningful was taking shape. She chose to stay not just because of what the city was like, but because of what it could become.

Her path into public service led her to Kansas City’s Housing and Community Development Department, where she became deeply involved in CCED. That experience carried her to EDCKC, where she now helps lead the program into its next chapter. 

What hasn’t changed through those years: her mission, to ensure that economic development stays grounded in the community.

A steward for the people

Kirkwood describes her role simply, but powerfully: a steward for the community.

That title captures the heart of her work. She manages contracts, supports developers, coordinates with departments, and ensures public dollars are used responsibly. But more than that, Kirkwood builds bridges between process and purpose, making sure that development isn’t just efficient, but meaningful.

Her daily work includes checking in with developers, reviewing financials, resolving logistical hurdles, and pushing projects forward. It’s detailed and demanding, but Kirkwood’s perspective never drifts from the bigger picture.

“Economic development should be about more than buildings,” she said. “It should be about people, neighborhoods, and the future we’re creating together.”

Growth that honors community

CCED reflects that philosophy.

Funded through a voter approved sales tax, the initiative invests in historically under-resourced neighborhoods within Kansas City’s Central City Area. The projects vary, from affordable and market rate housing to youth centers, art museums, hotels, childcare, and small businesses. Each one speaks to a real need, and together they form something larger, an ecosystem for equitable growth.

“Some communities expand without intention,” Kirkwood noted. “But CCED is growth with a purpose.”

It is a program rooted in accountability, inclusion, and legacy. When ribbon cuttings take place and doors open, she sees the culmination of countless conversations, contracts, and commitments.

For her, those moments are more than milestones. They keep promises.

Rendering of Heroes Home Gate

A favorite project: Heroes Home Gate

One project specifically captures what purpose driven development looks like in practice, Kirkwood said. Heroes Home Gate creates 24 units of transitional housing for veterans in the Ivanhoe neighborhood.

She describes it as “a project that meets a real human need while strengthening a historic community.”

Her role touched the day-to-day details that make impact possible, from coordinating with the developer and city departments to tracking budgets and timelines so public dollars were used responsibly.

The result is more than a building. It is stability for veterans and momentum for a neighborhood that continues to invest in itself.

A place to belong

Kansas City is more than a workplace, Kirkwood said. It’is home.

“Home means peace,” she said. “It’s where I raise my family, where I find pride in the place we live, and where I see a future worth building.”

Her values were shaped by her upbringing in the Virgin Islands, where neighbors are treated like family. That outlook defines how Kirkwood approaches her work.

Whether supporting a developer or connecting with a colleague, she brings the same principle: treat people the way you would want your own family to be treated.

Looking ahead

As Kirkwood continues her journey at EDCKC, she’s excited to learn more about other programs, expand her understanding of incentives, and collaborate beyond the CCED scope. 

Land development has sparked her interest. For Kirkwood, it’s about continuing to build the physical and social fabric of Kansas City in ways that leave a lasting impact.

Her “why” is clear: to help create a city where everyone has a place to thrive.

That vision lives in every project Kirkwood touches, in every relationship she nurtures, and in every neighborhood that begins to see itself not as forgotten, but as foundational to the future.

Her story — with its vision, humility, and purpose behind her work — is one of persistence, heart, and a belief that progress only matters when everyone has the chance to be part of it.

Inspired by Kirkwood’s work? EDCKC is hiring a director for the Central City Economic Development Sales Tax District. Click here to learn more about opportunities to help shape equitable growth in Kansas City.