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
Even gatekeepers struggle to bring KC’s women-led companies in from the cold
Female entrepreneurs are falling behind as a new generation of highly-scalable startups rises in the Kansas City, said Darcy Howe, reporting too few women-led firms even approaching KCRise Fund for investment. “My experience with those ‘Hey, I hear you have money’ calls that I do get [from female entrepreneurs] — many of them are not…
ScaleUP! KC reveals new 15-member cohort of growing businesses; touts alumni successes
Entrepreneurs joining the latest ScaleUP! Kansas City cohort represent ventures from such varied business sectors as photography, construction, design, counseling, film and engineering, said Jill Meyer. An ability to scale knows no single industry, emphasized Meyer, program director of ScaleUP! KC. “This program has shown us, time and time again, that not only can you…
Sweet & Sassy side hustle: Father-son duo behind Brownie’s bottles a venture to savor
Side hustles of any flavor can provide relief from the daily grind of a stressful startup, said Venture Legal’s Chris Brown of his “hobby” — delivering the homemade Sweet & Sassy Brownie’s Barbecue sauce. “Whether you like hiking or making barbecue sauce or riding horses or doing whatever … I think it’s important for people…
Prestio founder dissolves headaches of business closings, pivots with Liquify Group
Closing a brick-and-mortar space is difficult enough, said Glen Dakan. Why should entrepreneurs be forced to endure the pains of offloading expensive equipment too? Such a predicament prompted Dakan and his partners to create a remedy for the common pain point: Liquify Group, a newly launched service that helps businesses liquidate their assets through a simple,…