Denise St. Omer Email & Phone Number

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Lead and manage the Community Foundation's grantmaking team that provides strategy recommendations and comprehensive services to over twenty-eight private and corporate foundations. Conduct strategic planning sessions for private foundations to assist the foundations’ boards of directors in developing goals and objectives designed to achieve the highest impact for their grantmaking programs. Provide leadership and expertise on utilizing an equity lens to improve outcomes for communities of color.Led a regional convening on racial equity and inclusion for foundation leaders, board members and staff designed to improve outcomes for communities of color which resulted in the adoption of an equity lens as the leadership focus for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation.Led a community-wide convening of 200 leaders on how to move towards racial equity co-hosted by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.Founding member of an education funders collaborative focused on improving outcomes for low-income children and children of color whose work to date centers on establishing mechanisms for enhanced feedback and learning loops in local schools. Development and oversight of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation’s strategy regarding discretionary grantmaking, including support for a “summer melt” pilot program designed to increase college persistence among first generation college students.

Oversight of grant processes for internal and external clients, including the design of requests for proposals, conducting extensive due diligence, and making funding recommendations. Assist in the development and oversight of the Community Foundation’s discretionary grant making in the board designated areas of education and life sciences.

Member of the executive team for the largest prosecutor's office in the State of Missouri. Led and managed a team of attorneys, investigators, and support staff whose responsibilities included engaging neighborhood residents, grass-roots organizations, businesses, and law enforcement to develop effective programs and strategies to impact crime and safety in Jackson County, MissouriPartnered with an urban school district to develop a pilot program for early intervention for elementary students that resulted in a 32 percent increase in attendance rates for targeted students.Engaged neighborhood leaders in a high crime neighborhood to develop grass-roots strategies to strengthen community engagement, resulting in a decrease from nineteen to two homicides in one year.

Responsible for management of a diversionary program for individuals charged with first-time, non-violent drug offenses designed to prevent recidivism by providing intensive case management and substance abuse treatment.

Member of a three person team hired by the City of Kansas City, Missouri to engage community members, business leaders, and government officials through a structured public involvement process to develop shared goals for community safety, health and quality of life. Facilitated public involvement sessions designed to establish community-based safety priorities and develop strategies to implement those priorities.

School Of Law, Doctor Of Law (J.D.)

Activities and Societies: Member, Missouri Law Review

B.A