KC IMAGINE 2024
Conference Speakers
Panel Discussion: Skills-Based Hiring & Training 11:00 - 11:50
About Our Panelists
Jake Akehurst | Executive Director, UMKC’s TalentLink
Jake Akehurst serves as the Executive Director of University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) TalentLink, a UMKC Forward initiative focused on providing expert-led professional development for individuals and businesses. Jake’s career spans 20 years of higher education experience that includes roles in student advising, student life, and continuing education leadership. He received his BS in Public Relations from Northwest Missouri State University and an MS in Counselor Education, Student Personnel Services from Emporia State University.
Alan Boyer | Director of Digital Innovations, Kansas State University
Alan Boyer, a higher education digital innovator, focuses on developing and expanding access to noncredit skills badges, courses and certificates to help build the digital workforce online, on campus and in rural communities. Boyer is the founding director of K-State's Digital Kansas 2030 Initiative that is an interdisciplinary multi-campus collaboration designed to ensure that every Kansan—whether a student, employee, job seeker or community member—has the opportunity to thrive in the digital future. A K-State master's alumnus, Boyer worked 30+ years in marketing, communications and digital media for global Fortune 500, FinTech 100 companies and organizations, including The Coca-Cola Company, AT&T, First Data, Equifax, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and others.
Kate Moore | Associate Director of Recruiting, Barkley
Kate Moore is a seasoned recruiting professional with a passion for building high-performing teams. Currently serving as the Associate Director of Recruiting at Barkley in Kansas City, Missouri, she has a proven track record of attracting top talent to the agency. Prior to her role at Barkley, Kate held various HR positions at Target and Isle of Capri Casinos. With a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a certification as a Certified Diversity and Inclusion Recruiter, Kate brings a unique blend of skills and experience to her work. Her dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, combined with her expertise in talent acquisition, has made her a valuable asset to Barkley.
Fabiola Riobe | Vice-President of Educational Innovation & Global Programming, Kansas City Kansas Community College
Dr. Fabiola Riobé is an accomplished international researcher, industry expert, and education advocate passionate about promoting entrepreneurship and empowering female leaders. Over the years, she has led several successful initiatives in the education and technology sectors, leveraging her extensive experience and expertise to bring together leading experts and foster collaboration among stakeholders in the education, business, and government sectors.
Dr. Riobé is widely recognized for her contributions to education and entrepreneurship in Africa and beyond. As a pioneer alum of the African Women's Economic Consortium, she has facilitated workshops and thought circles to promote socio-economic development and empower women to take on leadership roles in the business world. She has also been featured in the Center for Global Enterprise (CGE) for her outstanding work mentoring entrepreneurs.
Fabiola's journey to success is a testament to her resilience and determination. Raised in the outskirts of New York City, she received her education in France, Canada, and top-tier establishments in the United States, where she honed her skills and expertise in business and education. With firsthand knowledge of the importance of technology and a global perspective in today's workforce, she has worked across the European and African continents, making significant contributions to international education and social development.
In summary, Dr. Fabiola Riobé is a visionary leader and trailblazer in the education and technology sectors who has made significant contributions to entrepreneurship and female empowerment. Her outstanding work has earned her international recognition and inspired and impacted the lives of many.
Molly Weaver | Senior Director of Talent Acquisition, Children’s Mercy Hospital
Molly Weaver is an innovative talent acquisition strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations design and implement candidate-focused experiences that attract top talent. With a specialty in the healthcare industry earned during her tenure as the Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at Children's Mercy in Kansas City, Weaver launched Sunflower Talent Strategies to help organizations navigate the new world of work by enhancing their recruiting processes and creating a pipeline to produce the talent they need for the future.
Breakout Session One 1:00 - 1:30
money
Angela Baker | Workforce Development Consultant, SAFAL Partners
As a Consultant and Registered Apprenticeship (RA) Subject Matter Expert, Angela Baker has over 16 years of experience in workforce development. She works with employers on Safal’s Department of Labor national industry intermediary contract to design, implement, administer, and expand high-quality RA programs for cybersecurity and tech roles. She has extensive experience helping employers, secondary-level educational institutions and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs develop RA programs and leverage federal, state and local resources to ensure long-term sustainability. Because strong participation is the key to successful apprenticeships, Angela effectively engages all stakeholders to build sustainable registered apprenticeships that meet 21st century workforce needs, expanding access to quality career pathways.
Kristie Davis | Director of Missouri OneStart, Missouri Department of Economic Development
Kristie Davis, Director of Missouri One Start, is an accomplished leader in workforce development and economic growth. With a Master of Business Administration from William Woods University and a Bachelor of Science from Central Missouri State University, Kristie has cultivated a robust background in business and education. Since 2018, she has been at the helm of Missouri One Start, a division within the Department of Economic Development (DED), overseeing more than $40 million in annual state appropriations aimed at aiding companies with workforce recruitment and training needs. Her responsibilities include budget oversight, strategic program decisions, and promoting Missouri One Start on a national scale. Kristie leads a team of 10 program staff and collaborates with community and technical colleges to ensure the successful administration of training programs across the state. Additionally, she serves on the State Workforce Development Board, further influencing workforce initiatives and policy.
Prior to her current role, Kristie held significant positions in the Division of Workforce Development at DED and the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education. As Manager of Business Services and Workforce Initiatives from 2015 to 2018, she provided leadership and strategic planning for multiple workforce units including WIOA Dislocated Worker, Trade Adjustment Assistance, and Sector Strategies. Her tenure at the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education included launching the Pathways to Prosperity Network and supervising federal and state grant funds. With a career spanning various roles, from lab technician to project manager, Kristie’s diverse experience has equipped her with a unique perspective on workforce development, education, and economic advancement. Her commitment to aligning educational initiatives with practical workplace skills has consistently driven her to foster strong partnerships between businesses and educational institutions, ensuring a skilled and prepared workforce for the future.
Gary Sage | Senior Business Development Officer Emeritus, Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City
Gary Sage is the principal for consulting for Applied Economic Development Research and Policy. He retired in June 2018 from the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City where he had served as their Research & Policy Officer, Senior Business Development Officer & EDC Co-President. During his 17 years with the EDC, Gary’s work included fundraising, business development and legislative affairs. He also served as the President of Metropolitan Community College’s Business & Technology school from 2005 to 2010. His 34-year career in economic development and community college administration has helped him provide leadership to Thank You Walt Disney’s funding and development activities. He is a current member of the Board of Directors for Thank You Walt Disney, Inc. a Director-At-Large of the UMKC Alumni Governing Board, a member of the board for digiSTORY KC, and a member of the Board of Directors for Urban TEC.
Craig VanWey | Manager of In-State Business Development, Kansas Department of Commerce
Craig VanWey joined the Business Development Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce in January of 2004. He serves as the Manager of In-State Business Development which involves supervising a staff of seven Regional Project Managers around the state. In addition, he covers a 16-county area of southeast Kansas. His primary focus is in working with businesses, economic development professionals and city & county officials in facilitating business expansion and retention within the southeast Kansas region.
Prior to joining the Department of Commerce, Craig spent five years as a Small Business Consultant for the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University. He covered a similar territory and provided one-on-one assistance to small business owners as well as conducted workshops on business-related topics. Previous work experience includes positions with both private companies and public sector organizations. These include the mortgage and transportation industries as well as the Resolution Trust Corporation.
Craig is a native of southeast Kansas, having lived in both Fort Scott and Parsons. He is a graduate of Parsons High School, attended Labette Community College and then graduated from Pittsburg State University in 1991 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. Craig and his wife Jill have two grown daughters and reside in Pittsburg.
Web3
Connor Borrego | CEO, playhaus
Connor Borrego is the Founder and CEO of playhaus, a growth and technology support agency, specializing in helping businesses harness the full power of their digital assets to support growth investments saving them 30% or more on existing digital advertising initiatives. Connor holds a Master's degree from Syracuse University and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, with formal training in Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing, Political Communications, and Entrepreneurship, and as a Midwest-based technology entrepreneur, Connor is committed to using web3 technologies to provide better options for small businesses, and all internet users, take real ownership over their digital identity and data breadcrumb trail.
Troy Carlson | Founder & CEO, Initiatives Inc.
Troy is a business executive with over 30 years of diverse business development and leadership experience with a proven record for driving business growth and increasing market share in a competitive environment. Throughout his career, he has consistently taken various businesses to the next level through vision, strategic planning, and execution. He founded Initiatives, Inc. in 2005 which provides organizations a pathway to launch into new projects and expand into new markets that require direct contact with C-level executives, public officials, end users, and market influencers.
He is the originator and co-founder of the KC Futures DAO, a Decentralized Autonomous Organization designed to transform Kansas City into a premier global hub for talent and innovation, having recruited a founding team of eighteen members with strong business and technical expertise. The KC Futures DAO held an “Inaugural Event” last May hosting national and international Web3/blockchain luminaries; this built strong industry ties to Kansas City globally. The KC Futures DAO is now partnering with the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, the only university in the world offering accredited graduate degrees in Blockchain, Digital Assets and the Metaverse. The KC Futures DAO is also the first and only DAO to ever partner with the University of Nicosia.
gamechanger
Rachel DeSchepper | Lead Content Strategist, Andrews McMeel Universal
Since 2020, Rachel DeSchepper has led content strategy—social media, newsletters, SEO, games, video, and more—and written most of the words for digital products at Kansas City’s own Andrews McMeel Universal. Before comics and puzzles, Rachel led digital content strategy for national publications including Better Homes and Gardens, Modern Farmer, Country Living, and Every Day with Rachael Ray; and also spearheaded the digital content marketing for Women Leaders in College Sports, a nonprofit association here in Kansas City.
Brian Kaberline | Editor-in-Chief, Kansas City Business Journal
Brian Kaberline has been with the Kansas City Business Journal for more than 35 years, doing nearly every job and task in the newsroom. He has been editor since 1999, overseeing the publication’s transformation from a print-only newspaper to a digital-first publication.
Kendra Stiles | Director of Syndication Sales & Operations, Andrews McMeel Universal
Kendra Stiles has worked for Andrews McMeel Syndication for 13 years, working closely with newspaper editors as they navigate retaining print subscribers and growing digital subscribers in a challenging industry. She is now the Director of Syndication Sales & Operations, overseeing the sales team as well as the team of content producers and distributors
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Brett Kisker | Director of Education, Make48
Brett Kisker joined Make48 and The DeBruce Foundation in January 2024 and will play a key role in advancing the impact of both organizations within high school and college settings by spearheading the development of the Make48 Innovation Course, designed to teach the core concepts for success in the Make48 competition environment as well as the Agilities© that individuals need to know to be considered Employment Empowered. Brett has nearly two decades of leadership experience in educational settings, including several years teaching Project Lead the Way (PLTW) engineering classes, physics, math, and coaching. More recently, he served as the Executive Director of the Northland CAPS program in Kansas City, a program serving 18 high schools in Clay/Platte counties that focuses on helping students develop professional skills in a work-based learning environment. He has been recognized as a national PLTW Engineering Teacher of the Year, Missouri Chamber STEM Educator Innovator, and Liberty Public Schools Teacher of the Year for his efforts to connect his classroom and students to the professional world. Brett spends his free time with his wife cheering for his children at their activities and serving at his church.
Breakout Session Two 2:30 - 3:30
Breakout Two Speakers
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Oscar Monterroso | Founder & CEO of Tico Productions
Oscar “El Tico” Monterroso is the Co-Owner, Founder and El Jéfe of Tico Productions, LLC a full-service, multi-cultural, multi-media production company located in Downtown Kansas City Missouri. Tico Productions LLC has produced a wide array of external messaging marketing videos, radio broadcasts, short films, graphic design, logo animation, and photography for a diversity of clients locally, nationally and internationally. In 2016 Oscar and his wife founded Tico Sports, and the company became the official Spanish broadcaster for the Kansas City Chiefs, and established a third-party solution for sports teams, seeking to build their Latino audiences. The sports platform expanded quickly with the addition of the Oakland Raiders in June 2017, the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Jose Sharks in 2019. Currently Tico Sports produces the Spanish broadcast for the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings, and at the collegiate level, for KU Basketball and Football, Nebraska Huskers and K-State.
ai
Lauren Kimball | Associate Professor of Animation, Johnson County Community College
An animation artist and educator from the Midwest with a passion for 2D animation (both traditional and digital), 3D animation, and story art. She's also an avid reader, die-hard dog lover, and purveyor of the growth mindset. Lauren is also a member of the JCCC A.I. Explorers Committee that explores the implications and applications of A.I. for education.
Simon Kuo | Partner at BetaBlox and Co-founder of the Kansas City AI Club
Simon Kuo, Ph.D. is co-founder of the Kansas City AI Club, partner in the startup accelerator Betablox and principal of Westside Studio, a commercial photography studio. Previously he was vice president of strategy at Sprint-Nextel and vice president and head of strategy at its $6B spinoff, Embarq; vice president of Enterprise Web Solutions, responsible for the development of all Sprint-Nextel’s internal and external websites including Sprint.com and SprintPCS.com, chief-of-staff for the president and COO and director of eCommerce and Product Management, responsible for the online P&L for the $2.7B Local Consumer Division.
He is also past president of the American Society of Media Photographers KC/Midwest, past president and chair of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce, co-founder of Guildit, the Kauffman and Ford Foundation-funded network for the arts, and an original co-founder of the Social Media Club of Kansas City.
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Kyle Jefferson | Animation Instructor, Hollywood Animation Academy
Kyle Jefferson is an instructor at the Hollywood Animation Academy. Kyle is a creator and filmmaker with over twenty-five years of Hollywood experience. He is currently writing and directing animation content for a world stage. He spent seventeen years working with Dreamworks Animation as an artist and filmmaker on more than fourteen feature films. He has served in a wide range of roles in the industry such as Creative Director, Development Director, Previsualization Supervisor, Director of Cinematography, Animation Director, Pre-production Director, and BaseFX Director. He has worked on many notable productions and games such as Battleship Ninghai, Song of the Creator, Out of the Nest, Gana, Lord of the West, Spider-Man Homecoming, Sin City—A Dame to Kill For, Megamind, The Prince of Egypt, The Croods and Shrek.
disney
Dan Viets | President, Thank You Walt Disney
Dan Viets is President of Thank You Walt Disney, Inc., the Kansas City not-for-profit that owns and is restoring the building which housed Walt's first professional film studio, Laugh-O-gram, at 31st and Forest Streets. Dan suggested this project to the Board of TYWD and negotiated the purchase of the building, He is co-author of the book, "Walt Disney's Missouri: The Roots of a Creative Genius" published by The KC Star. He has written articles about Walt's Missouri history for the Jackson County Historical Society, the Missouri Historical Society, Missouri Life magazine, Truman State University, and others. He lectured about Disney's Missouri history for many years as a member of the Missouri Humanities and State Historical Society of Missouri Speakers' Bureau. He has spoken at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, the Marceline Boyhood Hometown Museum, the San Francisco Walt Disney Family Museum, at Planet Comicon in KC, and at Union Station in conjunction with the "Disney 100" exhibit there.
Vice President for Development—Thank You Walt Disney
Gary Sage is the principal for consulting for Applied Economic Development Research and Policy. He retired in June 2018 from the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City where he had served as their Research & Policy Officer, Senior Business Development Officer & EDC Co-President. During his 17 years with the EDC, Gary’s work included fundraising, business development and legislative affairs. He also served as the President of Metropolitan Community College’s Business & Technology school from 2005 to 2010. His 34-year career in economic development and community college administration has helped him provide leadership to Thank You Walt Disney’s funding and development activities. He is a current member of the Board of Directors for Thank You Walt Disney, Inc. a Director-At-Large of the UMKC Alumni Governing Board, a member of the Board of Directors for digiSTORY KC, and a member of the Board of Directors for Urban TEC.