Tab 1
Annie Presley
Principal
Annie Presley is a 30-year veteran of fundraising in the political and not-for profit arenas enjoying the privilege of spearheading some fascinating campaigns. From George Brett’s $1 million campaign for ALS as he was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame, to management of the successful Science City at Union Station capital campaign which generated $272 million.
Representing non-profits exclusively was a decision she made after finishing her job as Finance Director for Senator Kit Bond’s first re-election to the United States Senate in 1992. It was then she knew that offering the combination of governmental affairs and fundraising could change the world, one organization at a time. As a result she received the “Up & Comers” award from Junior Achievement in 1998, and was selected a Centurion by the Kansas City Chamber in 1995, already having been named an international Young Leader by the American Swiss Foundation in 1990. She received two PRISM awards from the KC Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America for her work for Swope Parkway Health Center with Lady Margaret Thatcher in 1995 and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum with the legendary John “Buck” O’Neil in 1997.
Annie added to her Political Science degree from the University of Missouri (1981) with a Masters in Public Affairs from the University of Missouri at Kansas City Bloch School of Business (1995) with a focus on the Not-for-Profit Curriculum in the famed Cookingham Institute. Here she also polished her fundraising credentials garnering the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership Certificate in 1995, and in 1997 achieved the National Association of Fundraising Professional’s “Certified Fund Raising Executive” status and has since re-certified in 2000, 2004 and 2007.
In the spring of 1999 she was recruited by then Gov. George W. Bush of Texas to join his team as National Deputy Director of Finance in his run for President, taking her to Austin, the Iowa Straw poll, hotly contested primaries in New Hampshire, South Carolina and California, the Philadelphia convention, the Florida recount, the 2001 Inaugural, and then on to New York City for the ultimate career adventure; Wall Street, as Vice President and Director of Governmental Affairs and Charitable Giving at UBS PaineWebber. The terrorist attacks of September 11th prompted her return to Kansas City and the reopening of The McKellar Group in fall of 2002.
These experiences opened new doors and opportunities for Annie including national board memberships on The Starlight Starbright Foundation in Los Angeles, The Reading Excellence and Discovery Foundation in New York City, The Jefferson Club Board of Trustees at the University of Missouri, a coveted Presidential appointment to the National Women’s Business Council in Washington DC, and selection as an Advance Team Leader to the White House on the First Lady’s detail. Currently she chairs the Film Commission of Greater Kansas City, serves as an Ex-Officio member on the Convention and Visitors Association and teaches a graduate course as an Adjunct Professor at Park University called “Electing the American President”.
During her 30 years of fundraising, Annie estimates that she and associates at The McKellar Group have helped their clients raise over $700 million dollars.
résumé (pdf)
Tab 2
Jennifer Drake
Office Manager
Jennifer recently relocated to Kansas City from her hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she graduated Valedictorian of the Dale Bumper’s Agricultural College at the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Human and Environmental Sciences, and a Fine Arts Minor in Spanish (2000). Upon graduation, Jennifer moved to Seattle, Washington to pursue a graduate degree in Social Work at the University of Washington.
Seattle proved to be the right choice for excellent Salsa dancing, and novel practices such as, vegetarian cooking and political activism by the bay. There an emphasis on systematic change and historical oppression lead her to select an administrative concentration and an internship with an anti-racist grassroots organization called the People’s Institute Northwest. Community organizers and a love of her own roots inspired Jennifer to return to Fayetteville to use what she had learned.
As a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), Jennifer first worked in her high school’s alternative program where she provided counseling to students in Spanish and English, ensured that families’ basic needs were meet through school and community programs, and created the Teen Parents Group and Young Women’s Club. She works part-time as a trainer and event coordinator for Just Communities of Northwest Arkansas, a non-profit organization that promotes equality through cultural awareness education and trainings based on emotional intelligence research.
Jennifer is the Office Manager at the McKellar Group and coordinates the activities of clients and employees alike!
Ryan Hiser
Project Manager
Ryan, a Wichita, Kansas native, moved to Kansas City to attend the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2005. Ryan is currently working toward a Bachelor’s of Arts in the area of Interpersonal and Mass Communications.
Ryan’s primary focus at the McKellar Group is 6chicks.com, a site where user-generated content helps women identify their perfect mascara. Ryan’s challenge is to connect women with 6chicks.com, and build the premier mascara website.
Prior to working with the McKellar Group, Ryan worked as an executive producer for the Star102 radio morning show as it climbed into the number one spot among the female 25-54 demographic.
Ryan hopes to attend New York University, for Graduate studies, and become an integral member in the development of new media.
Christy Howard
Strategic Planner
Christy has been involved with many not-for-profits, and has a passion for environmental issues. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1984 with a major in economics and sociology. Christy began her career as an attorney with Gage & Tucker, now Lathrop and Gage, in Kansas City in 1987. Her practice consisted primarily of real estate and environmental issues. While there, Christy co-authored the First Edition of the Environmental Due Diligence Handbook, published by Government Institutes in 1989 sparking an interest that continues today.
Christy joined Hallmark Cards in 1990. During her 18 year tenure, she worked in various areas of the company including Environmental Conservation, Risk Management, Finance, Human Resources, and Strategic Planning for North America. Each of these positions involved working across divisions, with subsidiaries and other companies, and sometimes with government representatives.
Christy is convinced that when the right people are brought together with the right intention and information, companies can make decisions that are financially and socially responsible. In the process, their employees become passionate about what they do and how they go about doing it.
At The McKellar Group, Christy is leveraging all of her previous experiences from strategic planning to finance, developing effective programs for our clients.
Roscoe Wilkins
Project Manager
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, the second of four children, Roscoe was educated in the St. Louis Public School System before re-locating to Kansas City and attending Rockhurst University. A Business Marketing and Political Science Major with hopes of gaining admittance into law school, Roscoe holds two jobs. One of which is managing the eBay Club© at Operation Breakthrough.
Roscoe says his greatest task since coming to Kansas City is acceptance of the Project Manager position for the eBay Club©. The eBay Club is a program The McKellar Group designed and is being beta-tested at Operation Breakthrough where it can be implemented in an urban core center with children age 11-14. The program introduces eBay to these hard-to-reach middle schoolers and teaches them to sell donated items on the fascinating world of eBay.
Through this program Roscoe hopes to be a beacon of light for these youth helping to educate and empower them so that they may also achieve success in high school, college and beyond!