Philanthropy leaders mark Women’s History Month with fireside chat at the Kauffman Foundation

In honor of International Women’s History Month, the Kauffman Foundation hosted a fireside chat moderated by President and CEO Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center. Centered on innovative approaches for impact, philanthropic sustainability, and the power of female leadership and representation, the conversation included philanthropic leaders:

• Debbie Wilkerson, CEO, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
• Dr. Marjorie Williams, Sisters’ Giving Circle
• Qiana Thomason, CEO, Health Forward Foundation
• Brenda Sharpe, CEO, Reach Healthcare Foundation

One topic the panel discussed was professional and emotional balance as they pour time and energy into people and philanthropy. Thomason said she has learned that you cannot pour from an empty cup, so she’s found things that restore her.

“For the past couple of years, as this role and the weight of this role has just been ‘weighty’, I’ve been really committed to a belly laugh every day,” said Thomason. Each day, her mother sends her messages and memes to help achieve it.

Wilkerson circled back to pouring into people and how that relates to the power they hold as leaders.

“When I think about power … You have none if people don’t trust you,” Wilkerson said. “Nobody’s following you. Nobody’s listening to you. Nobody even wants to be in your presence if they don’t really trust you.”

She said even in jobs where you spend all day every day with people, loneliness is a real thing. You have to be open to relationship building – it takes time, investing, and re-investing.

Sharpe joked that many women in their roles are secretly introverts, but that they “extrovert” for their jobs. Keeping that energy up in a leadership role is important, especially as the role is modeled for others.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about that next generation of leaders and stacking the deck, whether they take my place or not, but making sure they are learning the ways of philanthropy at least from my perspective,” said Sharpe.

A sentiment Dr. Williams also shared.

“People look to us for the work because we are the faces of trust. Trust is so very important. If people believe they can talk to you … it allows you to build relationships,” Dr. Williams said. “I’m looking at where that person is going to be in five or 10 years from now. What is it that they want to do, and how can I help them on that pathway to having that success?”

Dr. Burns-Wallace closed the chat with a final question that centered on their hope for philanthropy and the leaders of this community.

“I want this sector to have the respect that it deserves for making this country a better place to live,” said Sharpe. “I think we all have to fight for that credibility in certain rooms. I want this sector to receive the respect that it deserves.”