Staff | The Hope Center KC

MEET THE STAFF

Meet The Staff

MARVIN DANIELS
Executive Director and CEO

Marvin holds a master’s degree in education and accredited certifications in Urban Missiology, Mediation and Dispute Resolution and Youth Development in the Urban Context. He most recently served as vice president of leadership development at Kids Across America (KAA), a Christian sports camp and youth development ministry. He is the founder of Beyond the Norm, a training program that provides transformational skills for transformational ministry.

Marvin was an adjunct Professor of Youth Ministry at both Gordon College and North Park College. He was a youth pastor in New York City, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia, and he served with the Jackson County Juvenile Courts in Kansas City, Missouri.

Marvin also worked as a mediation specialist for the Cambridge and Boston Public School Systems. He was the Great Lakes regional facilitator for Compassion International USA Division, where he was responsible for the training and development of youth workers in seven Midwest states and 15 cities.

He continues to speak, lecture and train on issues related to urban ministry, urban education, and child and youth development. He also serves as a trainer in scenario planning and change management for the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative.

Marvin is married to wife, LeAndra and they have five adult children: Malachi, Isaish, Micha, Imani, and Nia.

ROCKY HODGE

Chief Operating Officer

Rocky hails from the great state of Oklahoma, where he was born and raised, and where he pursued a degree in secondary education and public relations. Most recently he was a teacher and coach in the Putnam City School District in Oklahoma City, working in a school with students from all walks of life. He also has ample youth ministry experience, serving as a youth director at his home church and also serving as summer staff at Kids Across America’s servant leadership program, Higher Ground.

WEB TURNER
Business Manager

Web was born in Detroit, lived in Chicago, and has called Kansas City home for over 3 decades. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Valparaiso University. Though his career has been in accounting for 40+ years, his passion has been in youth and young adult ministry for the last 30 years —- which has taken him on 20 mission trips (10 in the USA and 10 in Piedras Negras, Mexico) with those amazing young people.

Web and his wife Laura have been married for 41 years and have three adult daughters. They continue to mentor and encourage young and old in their walk with Christ through leading Bible studies.

JANICE TAYLOR

Director of Development

Janice earned a bachelor’s degree in nonprofit leadership skills with a minor in fundraising from Rockhurst University. She moved into the nonprofit sector after 40+ years in information technology IT management. Janice obtained her nonprofit degree in 2014 and became a member of Nonprofit Connect and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Janice started doing occasional volunteering with THC in 2002 and is now on full-time staff. Janice and her husband, Gary, have two married daughters and three grandchildren and are loving the grand parenting duties.

John is a multifaceted leader who has spent over 30 years of his life pouring into the lives of youth and families. John earned his bachelor’s degree in Africana studies from Rutgers University and is a licensed educator in both Missouri and New Jersey.

Growing up, John experienced the hardship of not having his father in his life, which helped fuel his passion for supporting other inner-city youth and families. Throughout his career he has served as a teacher, coach, head of school, youth director and lifelong advocate for students and families. One of his favorite mantras is, “ Kids don’t care how much you know; they want to know how much you care.”

John joined The Hope Center in October 2022 to serve as the school engagement and student support director.

Outside of accepting Christ at an early age, John notes that one of his greatest accomplishments is marrying his wife and best friend, Dr. Michelle James. They have two adult children (Alexsandria and Austin).

JOHN JAMES
Director of School Engagement & Student Support

ANGIE DANIELS
Senior Program Manager

Angie has a degree in elementary education from Eastern Nazarene College. She has been serving in ministry 30 years, alongside her husband, Marvin. Together, they are national marriage conference speakers. Angie is a certified substitute teacher and sexual health educator in Missouri. She is an avid speaker of abstinence-based and purity programs. She served as the women’s director of Higher Ground at Kids Across

America Camps for 11 years before moving to Kansas City. Angie is a life coach/mentor. She’s also currently a Bible study leader.

Angie is married to Marvin Daniels and is the proud mother of the "Fabulous Five" — five adult children. She is passionate about her role in serving youth and families on the east side of Kansas City, Missouri. She desires to be a faithful witness and role model in the community. She attends Mosaic Bible Fellowship.

TIMOTHY "TIM" LUMPKIN

Director of Sports Ministry

Tim is a motivated young man striving for greatness. After interning with The Hope Center for several years, THC was elated to welcome him as the newest member of our full-time staff.

Tim has a passion for serving others.

In addition to serving others, he thoroughly enjoys sports. If ever you’re talking to him and happen to bring up the love of the game … any game, you can count on Tim to engage. It’s this same inclusive and outgoing nature that allows Tim to relate so well with our youth.

When Tim is not serving youth and families at The Hope Center, or co-leading our Learn 2 Earn program, you can find him engaging in various sports tournaments throughout the nation.

Titus Brooks

Director of Operations and Administration Services

Titus was born and raised in Houston, TX but didn’t stay long after graduating high school. He spent his summers working in ministry at Kids Across America where he began building his leadership skills and a love for serving the youth.

Titus holds an accounting degree from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas where he participated in various campus organizations. After completing his degree, he attended the Kanakuk Institute to deepen his biblical understanding and knowledge to build the necessary skills to serve those around him.

Titus used that knowledge as an intern to pour into the youth, families, and community that The Hope Center serves. After interning here at The Hope Center, Titus moved to Dallas to become a secondary math teacher and married his wonderful wife, Karen Brooks.

Titus and Karen moved back to KC the summer of 2023 and volunteered together at the Hope Center. Currently, Titus has returned to The Hope Center’s staff and functions as the Director of Operations and Administration Services.

ALLISON DAVIDSON

Intern

As a recent graduate of Park University with a bachelor’s degree in social work, Allison is looking forward to hearing our students’ questions and having solid conversations with them. Long-term, Allison has aspirations of providing mental health and counseling services within communities similar to ours, where it is not always easily accessible. Allison had the pleasure of accompanying our Hope Center students to Kids Across America Sports Camp this summer as a Kaleo. She enjoyed having an opportunity to begin bonding with several of the students by getting to know their personalities.

Allison loves serving others and comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and student leadership experiences. She looks forward to participating in the groundbreaking and foundational work God is doing through The Hope Center.

JALYN TINKER
Intern

From Houston, Texas, Jalyn is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in psychology and aspires to be a children’s therapist. She is passionate about dancing, working with youth, and mental health. Jalyn was a camper at Kids Across America (KAA), completed the Higher Ground program (HG), and served as a counselor at HG. Jalyn wants to strongly impact the youth to build their relationship with God and walk in it boldly. Jalyn brings creativity and energy to our program with her gifts and talents. She is very excited to be working at the Hope Center and in ministry in this capacity.

Jalyn is excited to see God’s work and how he will stretch her for the future. She hopes to grow in her leadership, servanthood, and work ethic.

BOARD MEMBERS

NITA DANIELS

Director of Community Engagement, KC Scholars

Nita's passion comes from growing up in the same neighborhoods our kids come from & knowing they, too, can be whatever they choose through education and awareness.

Nita is a member of Black Business Women of America Association (BBWAA), After-School Alliance (ASA), & an alumna of Stafford University in the United Kingdom. She also provides rescue services

to earthquake victims in Haiti & educational benefits to students in Johannesburg, South Africa.

SUSIE GURLEY

Executive Director of the You Matter Festival in Overland Park

The "You Matter" Festival is a music festival promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Susie is a graduate of the University of Central Missouri and Texas Christian University. Susie has served as a Johnson County Board chair member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for 8 years and she has served as a Board Member of The Hope Center KC for 6 years.

NATE LEWIS

Art Director, Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Nate graduated from Drake University with a BFA in Graphic Design in 2001 and has been working for Hallmark ever since. It was there he met his bride, Sam Lewis, who also works at Hallmark as a Senior Illustrator.

Nate and Sam live in the Longfellow neighborhood with their two beautiful young daughters, Johanna and Rosemary. They are members of Jacob’s Well Church, a non-denominational church in midtown Kansas City. They both serve their church community in multiple ways, including helping with design and creative needs, volunteering with the Kids Community and playing on the Worship Team.

They both started volunteering in the Leaders-In-Training youth program at The Hope Center in 2006. Sam is still a LIT volunteer and Nate has been serving on the Board of Directors since 2018.

CHRISTOPHER MILES

Attorney, Husch Blackwell

Chris is an attorney who specializes in insolvency and creditors rights litigation. Chris received his law degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, and after a brief stint in Memphis, returned to Kansas City to continue his career in 2011. A long-time supporter of the Hope Center, Chris lives in the Kansas City area with his wife and daughter. Chris and his wife are members of Christ Church Anglican in Overland Park. Additionally, Chris serves on the boards of the Spire Chamber Ensemble and the Kansas City Bankruptcy Bar Association.

AARON WIENS

Vice President, Enterprise Bank & Trust

Aaron specializes in lending and cash management solutions for a diverse array of commercial relationships in the manufacturing, distribution, and professional service industry.

He has been with Enterprise since 2011. Aaron earned a Bachelor degree in Business and Finance from Baker University and an MBA from Baker’s School of Professional and Graduate Studies.

Aaron currently serves on the Board of THC in Kansas City and spends his time with his wife Kelly, two sons, Avery and Lucas, and the community.

LESTER MCKINZY

Regional Manager, Turner Construction Co.

As a passionate Quality Leader, Lester partners with project teams throughout the Central US to ensure risk management during the Design-Phase, and construction of various types of buildings. When quality-related issues arise in the field, he helps project teams find viable solutions to challenges. He is a native of Kansas City, Missouri, and has been married to the love of his life Yolanda for more than 19 years!In his personal time, he enjoys community service, learning history (US or abroad), and traveling with family and friends.”