Meet Our Team

Growing Futures is made up of people who care deeply about kids, families, and this community. Together, they help guide the work and support the families we serve.

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our leadership team

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Larry Lewis

Executive Director
llewis@growingfuturessec.org

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Tanesha Thompson

Program Director
tthompson@growingfuturessec.org

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Chris Stibbs

Director of Development
cstibbs@growingfuturessec.org

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Suzanne Handlin

Human Resources Director
shandlin@growingfuturessec.org

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Tama Byrnes

Director of Finance
tbyrnes@growingfuturessec.org

Board of Directors

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Taylor Limoges

Leawood Chamber of Commerce

Jake Barnes

FAS Wealth Partners, 
Past President

Brian Savoy

BOK Financial

Moira Holland

AL Huber

Marc Shaffer

Searcy Financial
Vice President

Chris Davis

PGAV Architects

Deanna Ferrante

Ferrante Consulting

Tarena Terry

Academy Bank

Kendall Burr

Blue Valley School District,
Secretary

Jennifer Miller

McCownGordon

Brian Zickefoose

Husch Blackwell,
At Large

Antoinette Redmond

Neuru

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Justin Calhoun

Turner Construction Company

Beauty Henecke

Goering & Granatino, P.A.

Debra Peterson

Comm365,
President

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Paul Stephens

Propio Language Services,
Treasurer

Morgan Shandler

AdventHealth

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Kate Allen

Johnson County Community College
At Large

Valerie Escobar

BMG Advisors

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Carol Gonzales

MARC,
Advisory Committee Chair

Jessica Nollett

Enterprise Bank

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advisory board

Allison Coulson

Amy Goosetree

Ann Kenney

Anne Mills

Anne Sheehan

Art Ruby

Betsy Allen

Betty Barton

Caitlin Dale

Carol Heil

Caroline McKnight

Cheryl Entzminger

Cheryl Hunt

Erika Cundiff

Edward Wilson

Gale Hansen

Gene Wilson

Holly Douglas

Jim Lisson

Jennifer Sawyer

John Tongier

Jyoti Mukharji

Lillian Hall

Larry Oleksa

Laura Scott

Leslie Whitaker

Matt McCaffree

Mark Falls

Margie Harden

Mary Fugate

Melissa Ryan

Michelle Hunter

Nancy Wallerstein

Patricia McMahan

Paul Stephens

Sara Whalen

Scott Campbell

Scott Holsoppie

Sherry Hutchinson

Skip Tichenor

Stephanie Sheehy

Susan Brown

policy council

Officers

President- Sholabomi Popoola

Vice-President- Guadalupe Mullett

Secretary- Aubree Vetter

Treasurer- Katie Hunt & Megan Robertson Community

Representatives

Susan Verlinde
(DCF Liaison Representative)

Shannon Goebel
(JOCO Library Representative)

Rachael Perez
(JOCO Mental Health Representative)

Katie Schatte
(SafeKids Representative)

Kelli Mather
(El Centro Representative)

Sandra Reece
(WIC Representative)

Members

Araceli Meya

Aubree Vetter

Cassie Harbert

Destiny Aguilar

Dulex Joseph

El-Hocine Hammi

Farah Al-Dulaimi

Guadalupe Mullett ​

Juliana Liu  ​

Julisa Aldana

Katie Hunt

Lidia Reyes Olvera

Lya Caro

Madison Todd

Maria Flores-Espinoza

Marta Rosa

Mary MararaMegan Robertson

Meseret Chaka Jida

Miroslava Corral Vale

Nancy Romero Vargas

Sholabomi Popoola

Stevche Mitanoski

Tri Nguyen

Victoria Burgos Munoz

Zahraa Alshaikhli