BOARD PRESIDENT

Mary Bloch, an attorney, has been active in the civic community for more than thirty years, spearheading such projects as ShuttleCork, a benefit for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, EarthWorks, an experiential learning concept for 3rd and 4th grade students, the University Academy gala, the UMKC Bloch School Entrepreneur of the Year event, and the Youth Service Alliance of Kansas City, an organization she and her husband Tom founded to encourage students of all ages to engage in community service. 

Ms. Bloch has served in leadership roles on numerous non-profit boards, including Union Station Kansas City, Union Station Project Consultants, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, The Pembroke Hill School, the Learning Exchange, and the Oppenstein Brothers Foundation.

BOARD MEMBER

Eli Bresky is the Communications Manager at Seaboard Corporation where she works alongside her brother and mother. Eli has been a part of Seaboard Corporation for almost 10 years. Her contributions extend beyond communications, with active involvement in the Seaboard Foundation and the Seaboard Women’s Alliance, where she champions initiatives that drive impact. Outside of work, Eli served as a co-chair for Kansas City Girl's Preparatory Academy's Leading with Love Gala, helping the team raise nearly $1.4M. She is looking forward to starting her term on the KCGPA Foundation Board in December 2024. 

FOUNDER & VICE CHAIR

Following a fifteen-year career that began in the U.S. Department of Justice and evolved to include roles in business communications, politics and higher education, Christine founded a marketing and research consultancy that has advised local, national and global brands since 2002. She is co-founder of The Collectors Fund and The Kansas City Collection, two enterprises that invest in art and build markets for artists, as well as YEP, an internship and scholarship organization focused on nurturing entrepreneurship among high school students. She has served in leadership roles for dozens of regional nonprofit organizations, including the Women’s Foundation, Women’s Employment Network, WIN for KC, the WWI Museum and Memorial, DeLaSalle Education Center, the Symphony Foundation and University Academy Charter School. Her current passion is in her role as a founder and board chair of Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy. 

BOARD MEMBER

Rhea M. LeGrande leads her team and initiatives to enhance literacy and educational outcomes for children in the Kansas City area. With a robust background in educational leadership, Rhea is dedicated to making a more beautiful world for us all, one reader at a time.

Prior to her current role as Executive Director of Lead To Read KC, Rhea served as a Senior Consultant at Education First and the Founder and CEO of LeGrande Solutions, providing strategic consulting and change management guidance to a variety of social impact organizations. Her leadership experience includes a pivotal tenure at Teach for America as Senior Chief Program Officer, where she optimized program impact, coached multi-level teams, and managed substantial budgets. She was also a founding member of the Educator Academy.

Rhea is currently pursuing a PhD in Education with a focus on Curriculum and Instruction at Kansas State University. She also holds advanced degrees in Secondary Education and Philosophy.

BOARD MEMBER

Martha Salinas is the Chief Commercial Officer at TreviPay, a global B2B Fintech based in Kansas City operating in North America (including Mexico), Europe, and Australia. She is responsible for all customer relationships and commercial initiatives around the world with a focus on accelerated revenue and EBITDA growth. Additionally, Martha serves as the executive sponsor for DE&I initiatives.

Outside TreviPay, she is an Angel Investor and a member of both Mid-America Angel Investors and the Women’s Capital Connection, where she focuses on technology or women-owned start-ups. She is also a business mentor in the entrepreneurial program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In 2021, Martha was named a “Woman Who Means Business” by the Kansas City Journal.

BOARD MEMBER

Carol (Espinosa) Sokolenko is the owner and founder of Fre3dom Interiors, a commercial interior design and furnishings provider whose mission is to create empowering and engaging spaces, building communities that enable learning and growth. 

Carol has a passion for helping people grow and succeed in their careers and blends her process-driven natural abilities with an acquired entrepreneurial spirit to lead Fre3dom’s team.  As CEO, she works with Fre3dom’s Leadership Team ensure continued success and growth of the organization.  Working with Fre3dom’s COO, Director of Client Success and Director of Team and Project Success, Carol is ultimately responsible for the company’s strategy and business plan. 

Carol was awarded a Small Business Administration Legacy award in 2023.  She has a passion for education causes and is the Chairperson for the Board of Directors for Lead to Read and serves on the board of the Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy Foundation board.  Carol is a member of the Kansas City Business Journal’s Who Mean Business and NextGen Leaders and was recognized by the SBA’s 2019 Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Missouri.

BOARD MEMBER

Michelle is the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Children’s Mercy Hospital. She is a strategic leader and former practicing attorney who is deft at implementing best practice strategies to create, build and deliver meaningful, comprehensive and effective policies and practices to reflect and support an inclusive people and culture initiative. She is a nationally renowned presenter and author and has received numerous awards for her many professional contributions. 

In 2024, she was one of fifteen women nationwide to receive the Women Transforming Business Award in the area of Community Impact by CBIZ. She was also recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the Top Black Healthcare Leaders to Know. In 2023, her alma mater, Tulane Law School, presented her with its inaugural Deans Kramer & Clayton Award for Leadership in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. She was also recognized by Becker’s Healthcare as one of the Top Chief Diversity Officers in Healthcare to Know in 2023. In 2021, the Kansas City Business Journal recognized her as one of 25 local “Women Who Mean Business.” In 2020, she was awarded the Sly James Diversity and Inclusion Award given to members of the Kansas City area legal community for their contributions to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.