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Meet the team

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Sandeep Bansal

Chief Technology Officer

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Jennifer Clarke

Chief Enrollment and Engagement Officer

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Kristin Crites

Director of Corporate and Individual Development

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Karolyn Dreiling

Associate Vice President of Development

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Natalie Lewis

Chief Operating Officer

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Earl Martin Phalen

President and Chief Executive Officer

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Sarah Stephens

Senior Director of Talent

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Jimmy Swift

Chief Operating Officer

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Stephanie Underwood

Chief Financial Officer

Board Of Directors

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Jeff Simon

Board Chair, Office Managing Partner, Husch Blackwell

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James B. Betterman

Vice Chair, Senior Counsel, Lathrop & Gage – GPM

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MaLiz Denk

Deputy General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer, Children's Mercy Hospital

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Tammy Edwards

(prev.) Board Chair Great Jobs KC, Senior Vice President, Community Engagement and Inclusion Division, and Director of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Board Treasurer and Vice Chair Great Jobs KC

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Michelle Kay

Vice President and General Manager, Enterprise Mobility

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Jan Kreamer

Kauffman Foundation (prev.) Board Chair Great Jobs KC

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Earl Martin Phalen

President and Chief Executive Officer, Great Jobs KC

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Michael Roane

Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer (ret.), JE Dunn Construction Company

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David Warm

Executive Director, Mid-America Regional Council Board Secretary, Great Jobs KC

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Carolyn Watley

Vice President of Community Engagement, CBIZ

Additional Contact Information

Greatjobskc@greatjobskc.org Great Jobs KC’s short-term, flexible, skills-based career training program.  Open to Kansas Citians age 17+ pursuing career training in the areas of healthcare, manufacturing, construction, information technology, logistics/warehousing, and service careers.
 

Our Great Jobs KC Employer Partnership Program is ready to support your workforce needs. Please contact us at employerengagement@greatjobskc.org to receive additional information about our program and our ready-to-be-hired Scholars.

 

As an alumnus, we remain invested in your long-term success personally and professionally. Find out about the support and community available to you by connecting with Alumni Relations Specialist at alumni@greatjobskc.org.

 
Are you with a community-based organization that provides services to meet basic human needs or improve economic self-sufficiency? Our Scholars need you! Let’s talk about how we might work together. You can reach our Scholar Support Services Team at ScholarSupportServices@greatjobskc.org.
 
Do you have an amazing Great Jobs KC story to share? Would you like to help spread the word about our mission and our impact on the Kansas City economic and employment landscape? We would love to hear your story at kcsmarketing@greatjobskc.org.
 
Are you a 9th grader, 11th grader, or adult learner looking to make your college dreams a reality? Are you a current Scholar with a question about your scholarship? If you do not know the email address of your advocate, you can email us, and your email will be routed to your advocate. Do you have other questions about our scholarship program? Contact us at scholarships@greatjobskc.org
 
Our Talent team is ready to assist anyone interested in joining our team. This HR video provides you with a brief overview of who we are and what we do at Great Jobs KC. Contact us at talent@greatjobskc.org.
 

Want to invest in a program that creates change for thousands in the Kansas City region? All donations Great Jobs KC receives are then reinvested in the community.  Email give@greatjobskc.org today for more information on how you can make a gift.

Our Career Resources Team is ready to assist Scholars with their job search, resume, interviewing skills, and more! Please, contact us at careerresources@greatjobskc.org for assistance.

Sandeep Bansal - Chief Technology Officer

Sandeep Bansal, Chief Technology Officer for Great Jobs KC, lives in Kansas City and is a broad-based leader with experience in leading enterprise IT strategies in growth and transformational environments. He has built and led large and small teams in internal, outsourced, and international environments. He has been responsible for architecture and application development, technical and project management, and regulatory compliance. 

Sandeep has an MBA and graduate certificate in Computer Information Systems from Missouri State University. He came to the US in 2005 from India, originally settling in Denver, CO, for 2 years before moving to Kansas City in 2007. He is married with two sons. Sandeep plans to use his skills and experience to enhance Great Jobs KC ability to meet its core value of RESULTS DRIVEN with his ability to handle the technology that provides our team with the data it needs to meet our goals.

Jennifer Clarke - Chief Enrollment and Engagement Officer

As the Chief Enrollment and Engagement Officer, Jennifer Clarke leads a dedicated team in driving the efforts to promote and grow our current programs, ensuring the achievement of our outreach, recruitment, and admissions goals. With a career spanning over 20 years, Jennifer brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role.

Jennifer holds an MBA and has held significant leadership positions in various organizations. Previously, she served as the Regional Director of Career Services, where she played a pivotal role in supporting individuals’ career development and success. Additionally, she has served as an Operations & Admissions Director, overseeing the smooth operations of multiple departments and ensuring exceptional processes.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Jennifer is driven by her passion for being of service to others. She is particularly drawn to partnering with individuals and organizations that champion economic empowerment causes and promote leadership, self-care, and self-confidence in all individuals. Her commitment to making a positive impact is evident in her approach to her work and the relationships she builds.

In her free time, Jennifer enjoys exploring different cultures through international travel. This passion for learning about diverse perspectives and experiences enriches her understanding of the world and fuels her desire to create inclusive environments.

Jennifer Clarke brings a combination of expertise, dedication, and a passion for service to her role as Senior Director of Admissions & Enrollment. Her leadership and commitment to promoting educational opportunities empower individuals and transform lives.

Kristin Crites

Director of Corporate and Individual Development

With over 15 years of experience in the education and nonprofit sectors, Kristin Crites brings a deep commitment to equity, access, and meaningful impact in her role as Director of Corporate and Individual Development. Holding a Master of Education degree, she has dedicated her career to serving others, eliminating barriers, and creating opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive.

Throughout her professional journey, Kristin has successfully cultivated meaningful relationships, developed impactful partnerships, and driven mission-aligned growth by connecting philanthropic and corporate partners with high-impact initiatives. Her work is rooted in the belief that sustainable and systematic change is made possible through collaboration, innovation, and inclusive engagement.

In addition to her professional work, Kristin has a passion for international travel, spending time outdoors, and giving back to the community she serves. Kristin proudly serves as Board President of Inspired Aesthetics, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to arts education and creative expression. Her leadership reflects a lifelong passion for fostering environments where people are empowered and supported to reach their full potential. 

Karolyn Dreiling

Associate Vice President of Development

Karolyn Dreiling has been with Great Jobs KC since 2022 as Associate Vice President of Development overseeing the fundraising efforts working with individuals, corporations, foundations, and government entities.

Karolyn’s experience includes over 20 years of nonprofit work with local, national, and international organizations. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Rockhurst University, master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis on nonprofit management from the University of Missouri–Kansas City, and her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy certification through The American College of Financial Services. Previous experiences include raising funds for the University of Central Missouri, executive director of Boys Hope Girls Hope KC, and vice president of development for the University of Saint Mary.

Karolyn enjoys spending time with her family and finding fun hiking spots around Kansas City. She is on the board of Mid-America Charitable Gift Planners association and Bra Couture Kansas City, volunteers with Vittle Van providing meals for the unhoused, and is an ambassador with Kansas City Parks & Rec (i.e. picks up trash and plants trees!).

Natalie Lewis - Chief Operating Officer

Natalie Lewis currently serves as Great Jobs KC’s Chief Operating Officer. Lewis was motivated to join Great Jobs KC for its opportunity to serve others.

Lewis is highly regarded for her unwavering “can-do” belief in the mission, her expertise in tackling complex, multifaceted, systemic challenges facing young scholars and moving cross-functional collaborative teams beyond disbelief, past any history of failures, and in the face of conflicting agendas. She brings over 35 years of diverse experience in both for-profit and non-profit roles. Lewis has a unique combination of career experiences that perfectly prepares her for the work that she is called to do, experiences including strategic planning, workforce and college readiness, small business consulting, sales and marketing, PreK-16 public education, community engagement, and political leadership.

After spending over 13 years working as an engineer for Mobil Chemical and business leader for Hallmark Cards and Sprint, Lewis left her corporate career to pursue her passion for fighting for quality education for all children.  Her career journey in education began as a certified classroom teacher in the Kansas City Public Schools District and local charter schools.  She then spent seven years serving as a College Prep Education Coach with Kauffman Scholars, Inc.  In 2016, she expanded her impact and was elected Board of Directors for Kansas City Public Schools, where she served for three years.

Community service and leadership has always been a priority for Lewis. She has served in the roles of strategic advisor and board member for Green Works Kansas City, KC STEM Alliance, and a number of other community-based organizations.  She is most proud of her achievements as a long-term foster parent for a former student that she taught in the third grade.  At every stage of her life, Lewis has encountered those that were underserved by the existing system, it is those experiences that fuel her passion and commitment to fight for systemic change for ALL, where ALL means ALL.

Lewis has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an MBA from the University of Texas in Austin, has studied at Manchester Business School in Manchester, England, and earned her Missouri Teaching Certification from Northwest Missouri State University.

Outside of work, Lewis loves traveling, wildlife animal adventures, live music, and spending time with friends and family.

Earl Martin Phalen

President and Chief Executive Officer

As a result of his proven track record, Times Magazine has named Earl Martin Phalen as one of the country’s leading education reformers. Earl has devoted his life to advancing humanity and is now making an impact in the State of Missouri, Kansas City.

Earl is the CEO of Great Jobs KC, one of the nation’s most impactful programs in supporting young adults and adults who live in low-income communities on the pathway to good careers. Great Jobs KC has two core programs, one which awards 11th graders college scholarships and supports them to and through college. The KC Scholars Program awards over four hundred (400) $50,000 college scholarships each year, and our scholars are on track for 75% graduation rates — 3 times the national average for low-income and first-generation students. Great Jobs KC, with an incredibly generous $50M grant from the Kauffman Foundation, also supports adults who want to secure a credential in a high-demand career. Over the next 10 years, Great Jobs KC is going to help 50,000 adults secure careers that allow them to care for themselves and their loved ones. Under his leadership, a Great Jobs KC (GJKC) program has been established to assist Kansas City organizations and their workforce achieve higher levels of performance and income.

Phalen is also the Founder & CEO of K-12 the public-school network, and the George and Veronica Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) named in honor of his parents. Under Earl’s leadership,

Phalen Leadership Academies have grown from one school to a national network of 23 schools serving nearly 10,000 Scholars. Helping the most vulnerable communities achieve exceptional educational outcomes is a passion Earl discovered in himself while studying at Harvard. PLA’s oldest school is 10 years old, and scholars at that school have outperformed the state average on both the ELA and math portions of the state test consistently for years. As an entrepreneur, Phalen is a nationally recognized leader in education with a track record of successful leadership and innovation. Phalen brings over two decades of executive experience to Great Jobs KC.

Phalen began his career in education while a law student at Harvard, where he founded Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL), which operates after-school and summer education programs in several major U.S. cities. Under his leadership, the organization grew from a local community service project to a national non-profit educating 15,000 children annually and from an annual budget of $12,000 to $27.5M annually. He then founded Summer Advantage USA, a summer reading program that has served 20,000 children in six states since its inception in 2009. As a result of the impact of Summer Advantage, Phalen and his team were encouraged to expand their 25-day summer program model to a year-round school model.

In the ensuing years, a significant number of notable accolades have been bestowed and positions held, which surface in his book Giving My All. In 1997, President Clinton awarded Phalen the President’s Service Award for his impact on the lives of children. Other honors and awards include: The Silver Anniversary Award from NCAA; Black Law Student Association Community Service Chair; Co-founder of the Charles Ogletree Scholarship Fund; Board Member of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; Boston Uncornered Advisory Board Member; and Advisor for Coaching for Change. Phalen is also a Mind Trust and Ashoka Fellow. He was awarded the Black Entertainment Television (BET) National Hero Award and is a three-time recipient of Fast Company’s Social Capitalist Award. He has received recognition in numerous national media outlets, including TIME Magazine, FORBES Magazine, MSNBC’s Education Nation, Parent Magazine, New York Times, Education Week, IndyStar, Black Entertainment Television and Education Week.

Phalen holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Yale and a law degree from Harvard.

Sarah Stephens

Senior Director of Talent

As the Senior Director of Talent, Sarah Stephens is a seasoned HR strategic leader with over 20 years of progressive experience in people operations and executive leadership. She excels in scaling and leading teams, coaching for excellence, driving cultural and transformational change, and executing strategies at all levels to achieve business outcomes. Sarah is committed to fostering a strong culture that supports continuous business growth and empowers employees to reach their full potential and perform at their best.
 
Before joining Great Jobs KC, Sarah was the Director of HR for a marketing and enrollment management services company focused on higher education institutions. During her tenure, she primarily focused on leadership development and employee engagement. Sarah also has experience in the technology, hospitality, and food manufacturing sectors.
 
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, San Marcos. Outside work, she enjoys working out, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

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.

Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

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.

 

 

 

A group of graduates in caps and gowns celebrating outdoors. Text on the image reads "Over $12 million in scholarships being awarded." These scholarships are paving the way for promising careers.
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Adult Learner College Scholarship

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

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