Committees + Councils
Starlight engages a diverse group of professionals, artists, civic leaders, educators, and advocates through a number of volunteer committees and councils. Members provide valuable insight and guidance to Starlight staff while ensuring relevance and the sustained success of Starlight’s operations and activities.
Governance committees are chaired by members of the Starlight Board Executive Committee and comprised of elected Board members as well as community volunteers. Members serve one-year terms.
Advisory councils and special planning committees support initiatives, projects, and events beyond the purview of Starlight’s governance committees, and may be added or changed based on the organization’s needs and priorities. Members serve one-year terms.
^Denotes ex-officio status. Board Chair is an ex-officio member of all committees.
*Denotes a community volunteer.
Committees
The nominating committee is chaired by Starlight’s Board Vice Chair and comprised of the current Board Chair, Immediate Past Board Chair, the past two Board Chairs, and Starlight’s President & CEO.
Chair: Sabrina Wiewel
Current Vice Chair
Howard Cohen
Current Board Chair
Mark Fortino
Immediate Past Board Chair
Ora Reynolds
Past Board Chair
John Murphy
Past Board Chair
Lindsey Rood-Clifford
President of the Association
Vice Chair: Amy Guerich
Stepp & Rothwell
Denise Bade
Lockton
Cathy Baier
US Federal Properties Trust, Inc.
*Daniel Benninghoff
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
*Mary Buford
PepsiCo
Wendy Burgess
RDD Family Office
*Steve Dietze
Retired
Mark Fortino
Hawthorn Wealth Management
*Tonya Guinn
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
*Stacey Janssen
Janssen Estate Probate & Elder Law
*Mike Lorenz
Jorban-Riscoe
Diane O’Byrne
Competitive Resource Sales Coaching
*Mike O’Connell
Retired
Terry O’Toole
Kansas City Transportation Group
*Amber Struemph
McCownGordon Construction
^Howard Cohen
Deloitte (retired)
For more information about governance committees, contact V.P. of Philanthropy Andrew Lang at andrew.lang@kcstarlight.com or (816) 997-1129.