About Us
| Greater Horizons Affiliate Partners |
|---|
| Community Foundation for Nantucket |
| Community Foundation of Acadiana |
| Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri |
| Crossroads Legacy Community Foundation |
| Greater Southern Nodaway County Community Foundation |
| Indian River Community Foundation |
| Nevada Community Foundation |
Greater Horizons is administered by one of the nation's most respected community foundations, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. Greater Horizons was established for our corporations, families and individuals whose charitable interests span the nation, and to reconnect natives of the region, no matter where they live, with causes in their hometown!
Laura McKnight is president and CEO of Greater Horizons. Greater Horizons is administered by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, one of the nation’s most respected community foundations. It manages nearly $1 billion in assets and since its establishment in 1978, the Community Foundation and its donors have given more than $1.25 billion in grants. The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation has been ranked in the top 10 in assets, gifts received and grants made among more than 650 community foundations nationwide since 1999. Laura joined the Community Foundation in 2001 and served as senior vice president of development and as executive director of the Community Foundation of Johnson County, one of the Foundation’s regional affiliates. Laura graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in philosophy from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and earned her law degree from the University of Kansas, where she served as managing editor of the Kansas Law Review and graduated with honors. Prior to joining the Foundation, Laura practiced law at Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP, specializing in estate planning, tax and charitable planning.
George S. Bittner is executive vice president for Greater Horizons and for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, where he has worked since 1986. George meets and advises hundreds of estate planning attorneys, CPAs, financial planners, life insurance professionals and investment consultants each year. He meets regularly with individuals, corporations, nonprofit organizations and private foundations to structure charitable funds and vehicles to accomplish each donor's specific philanthropic and financial objectives. George also speaks at a wide range of service and professional organizations about the philanthropic opportunities available through charitable gift planning. Prior to joining the Community Foundation in 1986, George was manager of accounting for the world headquarters of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Mr. Bittner earned a B.S. in Business Administration at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, and attended graduate studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He is also a graduate of General Electric’s Financial Management Program. George currently serves as a board member for several nonprofit and private foundation organizations including the University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, the Gary Dickinson Family Foundation and founding board member of Tri-County Mental Health Foundation.
As executive director of Greater Horizons, Brenda Chumley is responsible for working with donors who are looking for a better way to give. Brenda has led Greater Horizons' engagement of more than 15 national corporations with ties to Kansas City that want to streamline and maximize their charitable giving strategies to reinforce both the company's brand and community commitment. Brenda joined Greater Horizons' parent organization, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, in 1993. As senior vice president of administration at the Community Foundation, Brenda has worked with many donor funds, building the infrastructure and helping donors accomplish their charitable giving goals. Brenda's direction of Greater Horizons includes active involvement in national charitable policy work. Brenda serves on the Council on Foundations' national community foundation leadership team, an elected group of leaders in the field who are on the cutting edge of both local impact and national legislative advocacy to enhance the wide range of charitable tools available to individuals, families and businesses. Brenda earned a B.A. in business administration from Ottawa University and a leadership training certificate from the Center for Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Roxie Jerde is senior vice president of donor relations and education for Greater Horizons, which is administrated by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. She leads the efforts to ensure strong donor relationships with Greater Horizons and oversees donor education efforts assisting donors to be strategic with their philanthropy. Roxie also leads our efforts with partner community foundations utilizing GuideStar/DonorEdge to effectively educate donors about how to achieve measurable social impact with charitable dollars. Roxie joined the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation as the Executive Director of DonorEdge National in January 2005. Previous business experience includes more than 11 years at Hallmark Cards in leadership positions in marketing, sales, creative and corporate development. Roxie has extensive community involvement including former board president of Susan G. Komen for the Cure – Kansas City Affiliate. Roxie received an M.B.A in finance and organizational behavior from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, and a B.B.A. in marketing and management, from the University of Iowa.
Debbie Starke is vice president of donor relations and education for Greater Horizons. She works with individuals, families and corporations to help them be even more strategic with their charitable giving. Debbie joined the Greater Horizons' parent organization, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, in 2005. She works individually with donors to ensure they are achieving their philanthropic goals in a way that is meaningful to them. Through her donor education work she helps donors achieve the greatest impact possible with their charitable dollars. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Debbie was the owner of Ball Communications in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Debbie received a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a master’s degree in public administration, with a nonprofit specialization, from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Debbie is committed to the important impact made by nonprofit organizations on the community and has served on more than 20 nonprofit boards, most recently joining the board of the Women’s Employment Network.
Jean-Paul Chaurand is the senior vice president of community investment for Greater Horizons. In this capacity, Jean-Paul oversees grant making activities for corporations and contracted clients including individual donors and private foundations. Prior to coming to the Greater Horizons' parent organization, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Jean-Paul was executive director of the Hispanic Economic Development Corporation where he worked to improve the quality of life for Latinos in Kansas City through the development and implementation of economic development initiatives. Other work experience for Jean-Paul includes serving as economic development specialist for the National Council of La Raza in Chicago, Illinois; director of development and policy analyst for the Guadalupe Center; and working for the Coalition of Hispanic Organizations as its coordinator. Jean-Paul received a bachelor of arts in urban affairs/urban planning from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and is a graduate of UMKC’s Bloch School executive MBA program.
Janeen Kammerer is the senior vice president of finance for Greater Horizons. Janeen joined the Greater Horizons’ parent organization, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, in 2007 and serves as an advisor to senior management on accounting, finance and investment matters. In addition, Janeen oversees the finance team’s donor accounting and administration. Before joining the Community Foundation, Janeen was chief financial officer and treasurer of a private university. She has more than 15 years of experience as a chief financial officer and eight years of experience in public accounting, managing financial and compliance audits and preparing income tax returns for a variety of entities and individuals. Janeen graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor of science degree and is a certified public accountant.
Deborah L. Wilkerson is Corporate Counsel for Greater Horizons and for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. She was formerly an attorney with the law firm of Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. where she focused on estate planning and charitable planned giving. Debbie earned her B.A. in psychology from the University of Kansas. She graduated with highest distinctions and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Debbie received her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law where was elected as a member of the Order of the Coif and served as managing editor of the Kansas Law Review. She is admitted to practice in both Missouri and Kansas. She currently serves on the Executive Committee for the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Red Cross. Debbie is also on the board of the Mid-America Planned Giving Council and is a member of the Estate Planning Society of Kansas City.
Corey Ziegler is corporate counsel for Greater Horizons and for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, she practiced law for seven years in the Estate Planning, Trusts & Estates Department of Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP. Corey’s practice focused on estate planning and tax matters. Her experience includes estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxation and planning, estate and trust administration, income taxation of estates and trusts and charitable planning. She is a member of the Estate Planning Society of Kansas City and the Eastern Kansas Estate Planning Council. She also serves on Spofford’s Board of Directors. Corey received her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1998, where she was the managing editor for the University of Kansas Law Review and elected as a member of the Order of the Coif. Corey received her B.A. in business administration and B.G.S. in Psychology from the University of Kansas in 1995. Corey is admitted to practice in Missouri and Kansas.