Kauffman narrows Uncommon Leader contenders to five finalists from community orgs
November 12, 2025 | Startland News Staff
Kansas City leaders advancing toward the Kauffman Foundation’s high-profile impact award all demonstrate bold, creative, and inclusive leadership, said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, announcing five finalists for the inaugural honor.
“Each of these leaders reminds us that one person can make a difference, and that compassion and dedication can change the lives of the people we serve,” said Burns-Wallace, president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. “We’re honored to celebrate the finalists, their work, and their impact in Kansas City.”
Curation of the Uncommon Leader Impact Award finalists began in June when the Kauffman Foundation asked the community for nominations to recognize everyday Kansas Citians doing extraordinary things to uplift their neighbors and neighborhoods. Three hundred nominations highlighted the people who are creating lasting change through bold and compassionate action, organizers said.
One winning finalist will receive $50,000, personally, and $100,000 for their nonprofit.
The Kauffman Foundation revealed a list of 12 semifinalists in November.
The Uncommon Leader Impact Award specifically recognizes non-C-suite employees at 501(c)(3) public charities who drive meaningful impact through their work aligned with the Kauffman Foundation’s mission to advance equitable economic mobility. Those who advance in the process exemplify the core values of the organization’s founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman, and demonstrate significant contributions to the Kansas City region, organizers said previously.
Finalists for the honor — set to be announced Dec. 11 at an Kauffman Uncommon Leader Impact Award celebration event — include:
- Joel Barrett, senior business development consultant, Small Business Development Center at UMKC
- Dr. Rachel Melson, outreach clinic director, Swope Health Services
- Anna Munguia, director of community outreach, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City
- Kimberly Weaver, program director, Community Health Council of Wyandotte
- Brandon Yangmi, program director, Rebel Song Academy, Art as Mentorship
Click here to learn more about the finalists, as well as previously announced semifinalists.
Featured Business
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
PayIt exec departs to launch Australia-based OpenCities office in KC
An executive with Kansas City-based PayIt has departed the company to open an area office for another government tech firm. Previously head of local government solutions at PayIt, Luke Norris now is leading the Kansas City office of Australia-based OpenCities, which is a provider of website and digital services for governments across the world. “The…
Cooking class curator wins Google-backed Startup Weekend competition
Nine teams made it through Startup Weekend, but only one team earned the dough: PopChef, which cooked up a platform to sign up for interactive kitchen classes with local chefs. PopChef co-founders Zack Kern and Ruby Montoya were ecstatic to win the competition, Kern said. In addition to receiving an hour of consulting with Lesa…
Preteen inventor’s kid-friendly Comfy Cup athletic gear ready to leave the dugout, family says
A preteen baseball player who helped develop a more comfortable athletic cup for young athletes wants to scale the business to include a deeper product line and sizes for adults. Lenexa native Kyler Russell, who turned 12 Thursday, invented Comfy Cup as a Little League player. He was required to wear an athletic cup, even…
Charlie Hustle returning to founder’s vintage Jayhawk roots with Lawrence shop
A new retail space in Lawrence will be a homecoming of sorts for Chase McAnulty — taking Charlie Hustle back to the college city where he first wove his passion for vintage threads into a business. “It’s huge for me personally because it’s kind of come full circle,” the founder, owner and CEO said. Overlooking…