Foundation hires five directors to new positions

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is excited to announce the appointments of Dr. Joshua Akers, director, research; Dr. Suzanne Stluka, director, evaluation; Andrea Ellis, director, strategic initiatives; Katy Hamilton, senior director, workforce and career development; and Richard Kim, senior director, entrepreneurship, to the Foundation’s Research, Learning, and Evaluation (RLE) and Impact teams.

As the Foundation continues its evolution under Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace’s leadership to implement its updated strategic plan and grantmaking philosophy, each new director is charged to drive progress toward the Foundation’s 2035 vision and to support the mission of economic stability, mobility, and prosperity for all.

“These five new director positions welcome a combination of talent and commitment to our vision for equitable economic mobility,” said Dr. Burns-Wallace, Kauffman Foundation President and CEO.  ”The Foundation’s organization of new and existing roles set us up for success as we work with our community to carry out our updated strategy and grantmaking.”

“The combined scientific expertise of Drs. Akers and Stluka will be a tremendous asset to the Foundation,” said Dr. Yvonne Owens Ferguson, Kauffman Foundation Chief Research, Learning, and Evaluation Officer. “In collaboration with the Impact team, we’re committed to putting into practice research, learning, and evaluation that can be a model for equitable, impactful grantmaking.”

“Andrea, Katy, and Richard will have a laser focus on impact, strengthening outcomes for our strategic priorities and the intersections among them to result in long-term success,” said Allison Greenwood Bajracharya, Kauffman Foundation Chief Impact and Strategy Officer.

Learn more about the new director roles at the Foundation:  

Dr. Joshua Akers

Director, Research 

Dr. Joshua Akers joins the Foundation as director, research, effective Oct. 21. Dr. Akers will provide leadership for operationalizing all research-related initiatives, facilitating research and knowledge generation. In this role, he will place special emphasis on actionable and practical research that can inform policy and programmatic strategies for the Foundation and the communities it serves to amplify thought leadership and community impact. 

Dr. Akers comes to the Foundation from his role as research manager at the Mid-America Regional Council in Kansas City, Missouri. He received his Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from the University of New Mexico, and earned his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Toronto. 

Dr. Suzanne Stluka

Director, Evaluation 

Dr. Suzanne Stluka joins the Foundation as director, evaluation. Dr. Stluka’s appointment will be effective on Oct. 21. In this role, Dr. Stluka will provide leadership for operationalizing all evaluation-related initiatives and facilitation of grantmaking program evaluation to leverage evaluation and learning platforms and tools to inform program assessment. 

Dr. Stluka comes to the Foundation from her role as deputy director for the Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, which is part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture. She received her Bachelor of Science degrees from South Dakota State University, her Master of Science degree from Eastern Illinois University, and earned her Ph.D. in Human Sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

Andrea Ellis 

Director, Strategic Initiatives 

Andrea Ellis joins the Foundation as director, strategic initiatives, effective on Oct. 21. In this role, Ellis will orchestrate and coordinate high-level operational, financial, planning, and strategic areas of the Impact & Strategy team, acting as an integration manager to synthesize internal and external program-related activity.

Ellis comes to the Foundation from her role as principal, creative strategist, at Walkabout Woman Enterprises where she worked as project lead for the Kansas City Royals Literacy League and the Kansas City STEM Alliance’s ecosystem initiative STEM Connect KC. She received her Bachelor of Science, Marketing, from Rockhurst University and her Master of Media Ecology from New York University Steinhardt School of Education.

Katy Hamilton 

Senior Director, Workforce and Career Development 

Katy Hamilton joins the Foundation as senior director, workforce and career development. Hamilton’s appointment will be effective on Oct. 21. In this role, Hamilton will serve as the key programmatic, operations, and administrative director for the Workforce & Career Development strategy. She is responsible for implementing the strategic plan and translating the strategy into actionable talent and operational practices, frameworks, resources, and results while forging strong relationships and alignment within a culture of shared accountability, strong communications, and decision-making transparency.

Hamilton comes the Foundation from her role as vice president, operations, at Inside Track, which partners with education and workforce providers using coaching to enhance well-being, economic and social mobility, and advance equity. She received her Bachelor of Science, Political Science, from Texas Christian University, and her Masters of International Politics from the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Richard Kim 

Senior Director, Entrepreneurship 

Richard Kim joins the Foundation as senior director, entrepreneurship. Kim’s appointment will be effective on Oct. 21. In this role, Kim will serve as the key programmatic, operations, and administrative director for the Entrepreneurship and Business Ownership strategy. He is responsible for implementing the strategic plan and translating the strategy into actionable talent and operational practices, frameworks, resources, and results while forging strong relationships and alignment within a culture of shared accountability, strong communications, and decision-making transparency.

Kim comes to the Foundation from his role as director of Startup Ventures at SUNY at Buffalo, New York. He received his Bachelor of Arts in History and East Asia Studies from New York University, and his Masters of Global Affairs and Policy from Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

Media inquiries can be directed to Lauren Aleshire via our media contact form or by calling 816-932-1105.