Great Jobs KC Lisa Wanjiru completed her Certified Nursing Assistant (CAN) training with Great Jobs KC this past summer and is nothing but grateful for the experience. While attending school at MidAmerica College of Health Sciences, Lisa was connected with KC Scholars and began her relationship with her Scholar Advocate, Katie. Working previously as a […]
Great Jobs KC Mia Ray worked a typical office job after graduation, but it didn’t feel like the career she hoped to build. While working in a digital transformation company, Mia could see herself having a more significant impact. Unsatisfied with her current position, Mia was ready to try something to bring her career to
Great Jobs KC In 2020, Willis Reed was determined to start his business. He began working on his box truck as an Owner-operator with Amazon Relay. Unfortunately, he faced some mechanical issues after getting his business up and running, which forced him to close operations. This made Willis face extreme financial difficulties. However, Willis was
Great Jobs KC Talha Agha first heard about KC Scholars through one of his teachers, Mr. Reys. Talha mentions how Mr. Reys impacted his decision to apply to KC Scholars as he is one of the program’s biggest supporters and gives 100% of his time and effort to get his students to apply. Without Mr.
Finding His Path with KC Scholars Scholarship Program – Talha Agha Read More »
Great Jobs KC Chavez Nelson first heard about KC Scholars through his school counselor and decided to see if it were something he would be eligible for or interested in. Soon after, he became a KC Scholar and started connecting with staff to determine his next steps. Chavez is excited about this next step in
Great Jobs KC Growing up in Congo, Michael Mugisha learned early on how to cook. Because food was scarce, he was forced to make something from whatever ingredients he and his loved ones could find. Learning to cook was how Michael helped provide for his community, which shaped his desire to be a professional chef.
Making an Impact, One Dish at a Time – Michael Mugisha Read More »
Great Jobs KC Taelor Barrett Jones found her passion in the IT field but was ready to move her career to the next level. Taelor knew she would need to find a program to help her implement her goals. Later, she received an email from the Missouri Department of Social Services introducing KC Scholars and
Great Jobs KC David Cobin shares how being a KC Scholar has given him hope, knowing that the possibility to achieve his dreams in life through education is closer than ever before. After hearing about a family friend’s experience going through the program, David’s mother encouraged him to look into it. David started looking through
Slam Dunk with KC Scholars Scholarship Program – David Cobin Read More »
Great Jobs KC Rachel Reardon is making her childhood dreams come to life with Great Jobs KC. Rachel’s mother told her about Great Job KC because she knew it offered a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training course and encouraged her to look into it. After her mother’s passing in April 2022, Rachel moved out of
Great Jobs KC Tina Downey is a KC Scholar Adult Learner who has returned to school more ready than ever. While Tina was a senior in High School, she received a full-ride scholarship to Clark in Atlanta. During the school year, she became pregnant, and her main priority was raising her newborn. By doing so,
Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.
Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.
Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.
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As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships.
Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.
Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country. Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.
