Events

Karla Juarez - Executive Director

Karla Juarez has served as the Executive Director of AIRR since September of 2020. She was born in Chihuahua Mexico and raised in New Mexico. Karla Graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelors in political science and has a background in business management.

Karla’s lived experience navigating the immigration process has given her the insight and courage to fight for immigrant justice alongside her community. Karla has been involved in multiple campaigns pushing for an immigration reform since she was 15 years old . Immigration is her life and passion, as she witnessed first hand the injustices the immigrant, undocumented community faces.

As Executive Director, Karla hopes to implement a grassroots fundraising strategy and continue to empower the immigrant community to be their own voices by creating leadership opportunities for the community and building a grassroots movement that is committed to immigrant justice.

Eric Wesson is a Kansas City native who has led a diverse and impactful career. He served in the United States Marine Corps for six years, with postings at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Marine Barracks White House.

After his military service, Eric pursued higher education, earning degrees in Political Science from Morehouse College and Clinical Psychology with a focus on Early Childhood Development from Howard University.

Following his passion for education, Eric worked as an elementary school teacher in the Kansas City, Missouri School District for five years. He later transitioned into journalism, starting as a reporter for the Kansas City CALL newspaper. His dedication and talent led him to the positions of Managing Editor and Publisher until June 2023.

In June 2023, Eric embarked on a new venture by launching Next Page KC, where he serves as the founder and Publisher. Committed to community service, Eric is actively involved in various organizations. He chairs the Board of Directors for Palestine Missionary Baptist Church of Jesus Christ and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Kansas City Museum Foundation.

In his personal life, Eric is a loving husband to Candance J. Wesson and a devoted father to Amanda Bradley, (Vincent)  Brianna McNeil, Erica Wesson, and Eric Wesson Jr. He cherishes his role as a grandfather to Vincent IV, Theodore, and Delila. Through his professional endeavors and community involvement, Eric Wesson continues to make a significant impact in Kansas City and beyond.

Caleb Buland, AIA, is a visionary architect, dedicated preservationist, and astute
investor with a passion for revitalizing urban landscapes. As the driving force behind
Exact, Caleb leads a dynamic team of architects and real estate professionals renowned
for their innovative approach to adaptive reuse and urban infill projects. With a portfolio
boasting millions of square feet of transformed spaces, Caleb and his team at Exact
have become synonymous with sustainable development and architectural excellence
in the heart of the city. 

Caleb’s commitment to urban renewal extends beyond the design; his investments
reflect a deep belief in the potential of neglected spaces to foster community and
culture. His designs are not just structures but catalysts for change, breathing new life
into forgotten areas and creating vibrant, livable environments.

Recognized for his contributions to the field, Exact's work stands as a testament to the
power of thoughtful design in shaping the future of urban living.

Ryan Sorrell

Ryan has a diverse background including working at one of the nation's most esteemed Black think tanks, one of Chicago's top Tech PR agencies, a top 3 global PR firm, and founded one of Kansas City's largest Black-led Abolitionist direct action groups during the 2020 uprisings. He was a key organizer in the October 2021, 21 day occupation on the grounds of Kansas City's City Hall following the horrific brutalization of a 9-month pregnant Black woman by a KCPD officer, and formerly, he was temporarily suspended from his college at Loyola University of Chicago for organizing the largest social justice demonstration in university history, before being pardoned by the President in the university's first ever pardon resulting from national outcry about the situation.

During Ryan's professional career he's consulted brands such as Facebook, Samsung, Amazon and Google. He is a recipient of the Civil and Human Rights Award recognized by the Urban League of Kansas City, Innovator of the Year by the Local Media Association, and Emerging Leader of the Year from the Institute for Nonprofit News. He has engaged in a number of public talks as a prison industrial complex Abolitionist thinker including on; DemocracyNow, NPR, PBS, a Kansas City Art Institute Lecture, a lecture at University of the Arts London, as well as the Annual International Symposium.

Most recently he founded the nation's fastest growing Black nonprofit digital news startup and community organization, The Kansas City Defender. Under Ryan's leadership the Black-led organization has broken over 20 national news stories, reaching over 50 million people and growing a social media following of over 85,000 across platforms since its launch in 2021.

Jennifer Sweeton

Bio and Description

Description: More than 50% of us will experience at least one traumatic event in our lives, and we know from brain science that even one trauma can alter brain activity. However, these changes don't have to be permanent, and with a little bit of knowledge and know-how, we can all begin to take steps to change our brain in the direction of health, maximizing attention, emotion regulation, problem-solving, and tackling unwanted thoughts. This presentation will present attendees with some fast, evidence-based techniques for brain recovery after trauma!

Bio: Originally trained as a neuroscientist, Dr. Jennifer Sweeton is a clinical and forensic psychologist, Amazon #1 best-selling author in clinical psychology, and internationally-recognized expert on trauma recovery and the neuroscience of mental health. She is the author of the Trauma Treatment Toolbox (PESI Publishing), Train Your Brain Card Deck (PESI Publishing and Media), Eight Key Brain Areas of Mental Health and Illness (W. W. Norton & Company), and the Traumatic Stress Recovery Workbook (New Harbinger Publications, Inc). She has a private practice on the Country Club Plaza.

Heath Rath

Executive Director, PACE KC

Heath Rath has spent his professional career working to build and expand evidence-based programs that improve the lives of older adults. Over the last six years, he has focused his efforts on the development of programs that aim to allow older adults to age gracefully in the communities they call home, specifically PACE Programs. PACE – Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly – is a model of care that provides a full range of person-centered health and wellness services that empower individuals age 55+ to age in place rather than be institutionalized. PACE KC is a newly formed non-profit, championed by Swope Health, to bring the PACE model of care to the residents of Kansas City for the first time.

Heath worked with Swope Health to successfully lobby members of the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives as well as the Missouri Department of Social Services, MO Health Net Division, to support and appropriate PACE funding.

Prior to his work with Swope Health, Heath served as Director of Midland Care Connection’s Ann Street PACE Center in Kansas City, Kansas. During his time at Midland, he oversaw the development and successful launch of Midland’s third Center and the first PACE Program in the Kansas City metro area.

Heath earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and secondary major in Gerontology from Kansas State University. He went on to complete a Master of Science in Gerontology with an emphasis in long-term care administration. While earning his M.S. at Kansas State he worked in the College of Health and Human Sciences Center on Aging as a project specialist for the PEAK 2.0 program. Heath is a licensed long-term care administrator in the state of Kansas.

Rwanda Nurses Saving Lives is a Rotary vocational training team global grant being conducted in Rwanda in 2024-2025.  The purpose of the project is to train front-line, health center nurses who operate in remote areas without physician support in the early detection of strep throat to prevent the development of rheumatic heart disease.  The project has been piloted in Rwanda and a three-person team is now engaged in implementation through five district. hospitals that whose catchment area covers about 10% of the country.  The instructional team includes two doctoral level nurse practitioners who are advanced practice cardiology nurses and Venters who serves as the grant direction and co-evaluator for the project.  This team will move this project to Zambi in 2026.

Dr. Cassy Venter's professional career was with the University of Missouri Extension Service Small Busienss Development Centers where she served in business and leadership develpment roles.  During that time, she served for thirteen years and director of a leadership exchange program with the Ministry of the Interior of the Royal Thai government.  In Rotary, she has served as a District Governor, District Rotary Foundation Chair, Youth Exchange Outbound Coordinator, Rotary Youth Leadership Coordinator, Group Study Exchange Leader, Kansas City Plaza Rotary Club president and she currently serves as District 6040 Peace and Conflice Resolution Chair and the communications chair of the Kansas City Plaza Rotary Club and grants chair of the Lander Wyoming Rotary Club.  

Allan Gray is a former Lee’s Summit city councilman and a longtime arts advocate in Kansas City.

He is a graduate of Paseo High School and then went away to Morehouse College, returning to Kansas City in 1976 with a political science degree.

He is active in the community, involved in community service organizations including the Black Economic Union, the Missouri Arts Council and Cultural Trust, and the Missouri Council on Economic Education. He is the founder of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey.

Now, he serves as a partner at Zhou Brothers Art Center in Kansas City, the new $20-plus million art center in the historic 18^th and Vine district.