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Building a stronger nation through stronger communities

Our Leadership

Board Chair – Ambassador Allan Katz
Founding Co-Chairs – Peggy Dunn and Mary Bloch

Amb. Allan Katz
Board Chairman
Mary Jorgenson
Board Secretary, Community Volunteer
Tom McDonnell
Board Treasurer, Ret. DST Systems
Azzie Amani-Taleshi
Azzie Amani-Taleshi
SVP, Brand and Engagement Strategy Director
McClain Bryant-Macklin
VP of Policy and Impact
Rebecca Coulson
Program Officer at Hall Family Foundation
Judge Jon R. Gray
Jon R. Gray
Judge
Esther George
Esther George
Ret. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton
Sr. Pastor, United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
Larry Jacob
Larry Jacob
Civic Leader
Ward Katz
Real Estate Investor
Regina Kort
Regina Kort
Community Volunteer
Alana Muller
Alana Muller
CEO Coffee Lunch Coffee, Business Consultant
Sue Nerman
Kansas City Art Institute
Greg Orman
Businessman, Entrepreneur, U.S. Political Reformer
Bill Pratt
Ret. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Mary Sanchez
Mary Sanchez
Senior Reporter, Kansas City PBS
Shaun Stallworth
Shaun Stallworth
Holman Schiavone, LLC
Jamila Weaver
Jamila Weaver
Chief Operating Officer, Mission Vision Project KC

APS National Steering Committee

Members of the national steering committee provide strategic support to the organization as it seeks to expand its impact through diverse programming formats, topics, panelists and more. Each member brings a wide array of experiences and expertise, particularly in the national political landscape. They each serve in an advisory capacity to the organization’s Board of Directors, Executive Director and staff.

      • Sally Bradshaw, business owner and longtime conservative political advisor
      • Jason Kander, President of National Expansion at Veterans Community Project, co-host of the Majority 54 podcast, bestselling author, and Founder of American Rescue Project
      • Kevin Madden, senior partner – Penta; former senior advisor – Romney for President
      • Colleen Nelson, executive editor of The Sacramento Bee and McClatchy Regional Editor for California
      • Terry Nelson, founder and managing partner – FP1 Strategies; campaign and media strategy expert
      • Deval Patrick,  author, businessman, attorney and former governor of Massachusetts
      • Margaret Talev, Founding Director of Syracuse University’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism & Citizenship, in Washington, DC, and senior contributor at Axios

Our Team

Claire Bishop
Claire Bishop
Executive Director
Tricia Maxfield
Program Director
Ryan Bernsten
Ryan Bernsten
Director of Brand & Partnerships
Erinn Skepneck
Erinn Skepneck
Operations Manager
Maleah Grigsby
Maleah Grigsby
Event Production Coordinator
Robin Smith
Robin Smith
Marketing & Communications
Brighton Wolverton
William Jewell College, Political Science Major
Alyssa Engle
William Jewell College, Oxbridge Institutions and Policy, International Relations