Thank you to everyone who joined us

IN HONORING THE 2023 NEWCOMERS

WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN KANSAS CITY

In June we honored:

The Honorable Jalilah Otto was appointed as Circuit Judge in October 2017 by Governor Eric Greitens. Judge Otto had served as an Associate Circuit Judge in Jackson County from 2014-2017. Prior to her appointment to the Court, Judge Otto served as a Chief Trial Assistant for the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, as well as a Special Assistant United States Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Judge Otto began her legal career in 2002 as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Lisa White Hardwick of the Missouri Court of Appeals. In 2005, she became an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office and was the recipient of the Louis Lombardo Award for Prosecutor of the Year in 2009. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2010 where she prosecuted large-scale narcotic and gang cases. In 2013, she rejoined the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office as a Chief Trial Assistant while maintaining her role at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  

At the time of her appointment, Judge Otto was very active in the legal community having served on the Kansas City Commission on Violent Crimes, the Kansas City Municipal Ethics Commission, the Kansas City Youth Court, and the Missouri Bar’s Committee on Minority Issues. In addition, she provided leadership as the President of the Jackson County Bar Association, Chair of the Criminal Law Committee of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, and Vice-Chair of the Public Service Committee of the Association of Women Lawyers.

Judge Otto is a native of Kansas City and received her law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. She also received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication and Political Science from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Judge Otto has also served as an adjunct professor at Metropolitan Community College - Penn Valley, and National American University.

Anthony Mondaine is a member of the first graduating class of Van Horn High School after its annexation in 2009. He is an ordained minister, serving as a local pastor in the community for the last six years. Mondaine won a seat on the Independence School Board on April 5, 2022 and serves as the district’s first Black representative. As the current treasurer of the Jackson County Children’s Services Fund, Mondaine assists in supporting crisis intervention and providing important resources to families in need. Voters elected Anthony to serve a six-year term in 2022.

Earl Mark Phalen is a nationally recognized pioneer in education. He is the founder and CEO of the George and Veronica Phalen Leadership Academies, a national network of primary schools with blended learning programming and has served as a trustee of the Kauffman Foundation, the organization which founded KC Scholars, since 2016.

In Phalen’s first 100 days as President and CEO of the KC Scholars, he will collaborate with Board members to craft goals for the future of the organization – starting with long-term goals and then drilling down goals for the upcoming year. He is excited to step into the organization to create more opportunities to enrich the community

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In October we honored:

DeAngela Burns-Wallace, Ed.D., is president and chief executive officer of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. With more than $2.5B in assets, the Kauffman Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States, and approaches its work from the middle of the country with a solid Midwest mindset – working to build practical and workable solutions to today’s challenges.

Dr. Burns-Wallace is an award-winning public sector leader and educator who has championed policies and leveraged resources to improve lives and communities around the world. For more than 25 years, her leadership has created equitable and broader access to opportunities, shaped policies that expand resources, and better positioned communities to thrive intellectually, economically, and civically.

Through her work with educational institutions, government, business leaders, and community organizations, Dr. Burns-Wallace is recognized for her ability to envision and implement innovative, data-informed solutions in dynamic and complex organizations that yield sustainable impact.

Prior to accepting her new role, Dr. Burns-Wallace was the Secretary of Administration and the Chief Information Technology Officer for the State of Kansas under Gov. Laura Kelly. She is the first African American to hold either cabinet seat in the state’s history. Prior to Governor Kelly’s appointment, she had a 15-year career in higher education, serving at University of Kansas as Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, University of Missouri as Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education and Assistant Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, and at Stanford University as an Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admissions. Dr. Burns-Wallace began her career as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, serving tours in China, South Africa, and in Washington D.C. She was trained in French and Mandarin Chinese.

Service is also a cornerstone of her journey. Dr. Burns-Wallace was elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees in 2020, and she previously has held board roles in numerous local, regional, and national organizations including the College Board and Heart of Missouri United Way. She was recently elected as a life member to the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations. She is also a member of numerous organizations focused on service and philanthropic engagement including Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority Inc., Jack and Jill of America – Johnson County Chapter, and The Sister Circle.

Throughout her career, Dr. Burns-Wallace has been selected for numerous honors and awards, most recently as 2022 Kansas City CIO of the Year – Public Sector. Previous honors include the 2018 White House Champions of Change for College Opportunity and Superior and Meritorious Honor awards from the U.S. State Department.   

Dr. Burns-Wallace’s depth of experience has made her a sought-after expert, keynote speaker, and national trainer on topics including diversity, equity, and inclusion; talent development; organizational behavior; operational effectiveness; strategic management; and authentic leadership.

Dr. Burns-Wallace holds a dual bachelor’s degree in international relations and African American studies from Stanford University, a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania. She currently holds a faculty appointment at the University of Southern California. 

The most important title to this Kansas City native is mom to her son, Xavier.

SNAPSHOTS FROM THE 2023 NEWCOMERS EVENTS