Equity Advisory Board

The EO Advisory Board has two related purposes:

(a) Provide counsel and advisory oversight to the Greater Topeka Partnership and all of its partners and entities. This includes: (i) advising the Partnership’s CEO and the Presidents and Executive Directors of the Partnership’s entities and their volunteer boards; (ii) helping the Partnership provide programming in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, and opportunity; and (iii) helping keep equity at the center of the implementation of the Partnership’s holistic economic development strategies; and

(b) Oversee and ensure the fulfillment of Go Topeka’s obligation pursuant to the Agreement for Services between Go Topeka and the Joint Economic Development Organization (JEDO) dated April 4, 2014, as amended, to support economic development for socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and/or business enterprises. The formation of this Advisory Board, and subsequent dissolution of the Minority and Women Business Advisory Board will be undertaken so as to ensure undisrupted fulfillment of the aforesaid obligation.

Current Chair
Marquisha Paul

Chair Elect
Lakeisha Williams

Elected Directors
(Term Expires December 31, 2025)

Brandi Turner                         State of Kansas

Alex Vitt                                Evergy

Greg Wrinkler                        Azura Credit Union

Lyn Rantz                              Topeka Collegiate School

Amanda Chavez Thompson    Chavez Restoration & Cleaning

TBD                                      TBD

 

(Term Expires December 31, 2026)

Marie Pyko                            Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

Sylvia Hopper                        SHopper’s Kitchen

Lonnie Walker Jr.                    Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas

Lakeisha Williams                   Bartlett & West

Amanda Stanley                     City of Topeka

Mackenzi Mondesir                 U.S. Bank

Marquisha Paul                       Hill’s Pet Nutrition/Subsidiary Colgate-Palmolive

 

(Term Expires December 31, 2027)

Linessa Frazier                        American Century Investments

Jim Ramos                             WIBW

Susana Ortiz                          Ad Astra Per Aspera Counseling, LLC

Laura Burton                          Kansas Children’s Discovery Center

John “Bo” Turney                    Washburn University

Fatima Perez-Luthi                   Luthi & Associates, Inc – American Family Insurance                   
Caitlyn Halsey                         Capernaum Coordinator – Topeka Young Life  

 

Molly Howey                           Greater Topeka Partnership

Josh Patterson                         Greater Topeka Partnership

Michelle Cuevas-Stubblefield    Greater Topeka Partnership