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
Photos: PorchFestKC activates Midtown neighborhoods with stoop-to-street music
More than 100 onlookers — some neighbors, others just passing through — gathered in the street, along the sidewalk, and on lawns Saturday afternoon outside Ruben Alonso’s Union Hill home. “It was the perfect spot,” said Alonso, president at AltCap and one of dozens of homeowners who offered up their porches, stoops and front yards…
Doodle Dood paints between lines of business and art with Iron District mural, apparel
Evan Brown refuses to draw out his accomplishments — or even the failures behind them — as he paints the career of a budding illustrator and muralist, he said. “I don’t really dwell. … That might be the reason I’ve been getting more and more projects within the past year,” said Brown, KC-based maker and…
UMKC student-led FeedKC will pitch for donations, connections at Pure Pitch Rally
Continuing a tradition of showcasing student entrepreneurs, Tuesday’s Pure Pitch Rally is expected to feature a pitch from FeedKC, a group run by students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. And thanks to a private donor to the UMKC Bloch School of Management, all funds designated for FeedKC will be matched up to $10,000. Click…
Report: KC tech industry brings in $12B, attracts Hyperloop, but city still struggling to fill talent pool
Despite facing a shortage of skilled talent, the tech industry in Kansas City contributed roughly $12 billion — or about 10 percent — to the local economy in 2018, according to an annual report released by the KC Tech Council, a nonprofit that aims to spur tech growth in the city. Nearly one in 10…