Committees + Councils
Starlight engages a diverse group of professionals, artists, civic leaders, educators, and advocates through a number of volunteer committees and councils. Members provide valuable insight and guidance to Starlight staff while ensuring relevance and the sustained success of Starlight’s operations and activities.
Governance committees are chaired by members of the Starlight Board Executive Committee and comprised of elected Board members as well as community volunteers. Members serve one-year terms.
Advisory councils and special planning committees support initiatives, projects, and events beyond the purview of Starlight’s governance committees, and may be added or changed based on the organization’s needs and priorities. Members serve one-year terms.
^Denotes ex-officio status. Board Chair is an ex-officio member of all committees.
*Denotes a community volunteer.
Committees
The nominating committee is chaired by the Immediate Past Board Chair and comprised of the past two Board Chairs, Vice Chair of Philanthropy and Starlight’s President & CEO.
Immediate Past Chair: Mark Fortino
Country Club Bank
John Murphy
Shook, Hardy, and Bacon (retired)
Ora Reynolds
Hunt Midwest
Carolyn Watley
CBIZ
Vice Chair: Amy Guerich
Stepp & Rothwell
Denise Bade
Lockton
*Mary Buford
PepsiCo
Wendy Burgess
RDD Family Office
Joni Cobb
Creative Planning
Mark Fortino
Country Club Bank
*Emily Haas
Saint Luke’s Health System
Temple Ostergren Elsberry
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Terry O’Toole
Kansas City Transportation Group
*Amber Struemph
McCownGordon Construction
^Howard Cohen
Deloitte (retired)
For more information about governance committees, contact Director of Philanthropy Andrew Lang at andrew.lang@kcstarlight.com or (816) 997-1129.