Wichita Foundation builds to serve Wichita's next chapter

The Wichita Foundation (WF) is evolving by strengthening our leadership, structure, and strategy to serve Wichita’s future with clarity and purpose. This quiet, intentional work reflects our role as the city’s community endowment and our commitment to building opportunity across the region.

The Wichita Business Journal recently highlighted our continued growth, including expanded assets and increased team capacity. This progress reflects our story of evolution, centered on building the structure, talent, and strategy to amplify impact for generations to come.

“We strengthened our internal foundation this year so we can better serve Wichita’s future,” says Shelly Prichard, WF President & CEO. “These shifts allow us to partner more deeply, respond more effectively, and create greater impact throughout our community.”

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Over the past year, we advanced our organizational framework to meet Wichita’s changing needs. This intentional restructuring builds clarity, deepens alignment, and expands our capacity across philanthropy, community impact, storytelling, and strategic investments. 

By strengthening our internal foundation, we are better positioned to meet the region’s long-term civic, philanthropic, and economic needs. Our leadership and operational structure is designed to better serve donors, nonprofits, partners and the community:

• President & CEO – Shelly Prichard
  Leads mission, community partnerships, and overall direction
• Executive Vice President – Courtney Bengtson
  Guides strategy, operations, and cross-team alignment
• Chief Financial Officer – Christina Valdois
  Oversees financial stewardship, investments, and sustainability
• Director of Strategic Investments – Micaela Ramirez
  Advances catalytic capital, microloans, and cross-sector collaboration
• Director of Community Impact – James Woods
  Strengthens nonprofit capacity and connects donors with community priorities
• Director of Philanthropic Engagement – Meghan Doyle
  Deepens fund holder relationships and customized giving strategies
• Director of Philanthropic Growth – Jessica Hanzlicek Treadwell
  Cultivates new philanthropic partnerships and long-term support
• Communications Manager – Joselyne Loganbill
  Builds visibility, narrative cohesion and strategic partner communications
• Design & Content Coordinator – Meliyah Venerable
  Elevates visual storytelling and brand identity
• Operations Coordinator – Jenny Diaz
  Enhances coordination, systems and organizational support

This integrated structure allows WF to operate more responsively, collaboratively, and strategically. It also positions us as a durable civic institution for Wichita’s future. These shifts allow us to:

• Strengthen fundholder relationships and customized giving strategies
• Elevate stories of generosity and civic collaboration
• Accelerate shared services, capacity building, and nonprofit support
• Advance strategic investments, including microloans and catalytic capital
• Increase visibility and partnerships across the region

Our Board of Directors has provided steady guidance and support throughout this journey, ensuring that our structure and long-term strategy remain rooted in community needs and philanthropic stewardship. Together, these changes position WF as a responsive, connected, and future-focused endowment for Wichita.

Building for the Next Generation

Our growth reflects an intentional effort to increase our capacity, expand opportunity, and establish a strong, connected civic backbone that reduces fragmentation, deepens collaboration, and expands opportunity beyond any single initiative or leader. We’ve approached this work with purpose, strengthening our foundation so we can serve boldly. With this clearer structure, WF can confidently support:

• Upward mobility and economic opportunity
• Local information access through Press Forward Wichita
• Nonprofit resiliency and shared services
• Impact investments through ImpactICT
• Community convening, civic engagement, and systems collaboration

We’re building the framework for Wichita’s future to ignite generosity and opportunity for all. Discover how you can support this work.