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.
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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.
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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.
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Marvin has been married to LeAndra for 29 years and they have five children: Malachi, Isaiah, Micah, 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 37 years. 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.
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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 been married for over 30 years and have two 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 has been married for 29 years and is the proud mother of the “Fabulous Five”, parenting one teenager and four young 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.
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Tim has a passion for serving others.
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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.
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.
LASHAWN SWEET
Intern
LaShawn Sweet is from Omaha, Nebraska. She is currently a senior at Friends University pursuing a degree in history and politics. She aims to teach within inner city schools and ultimately serve in administration one day. She has served as a camp counselor, office girl, athletic director, and assistant women’s director at Kids Across America (KAA) 3 after being a camper at Kids Across America for nine years. She has also played three years of college basketball. LaShawn is extremely passionate about serving youth within her community and desires to care for, encourage, and teach students inside and outside the classroom. She is looking forward to serving here at the Hope Center and finding ways to serve and love our youth and their families, as well as helping cultivate leadership within our youth so they can be lights amongst their peers within their schools and communities.
LaShawn is also excited about opportunities to be stretched and grow during her time here at The Hope Center.
JAMIEN WILLIAMS
Intern
Jamien is a Hope Center intern and is currently serving his first year. He attends college at Southern University A&M College of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is a psychology major. Jamien enjoys playing his favorite sport, (soccer), and even strives toward going pro in the next few years. He also enjoys doing photography and will take photos of anything any
chance he gets, whether it be with a phone or a camera.
His ultimate goal is to give back to communities and to bring in as many needed resources, mainly in funding. He is a very self-determined young man and uses his enthusiasm to stay focused and motivated toward his goal, which is ultimately to build the Heavenly Kingdom.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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BRIAN NAGEL
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Brian is a graduate of Southwest College and Emporia State University, he is highly skilled in leadership development, public speaking and entrepreneurship. Brian is a valued member of The Hope Center KC Board.
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AARON WIENS
Vice President, Enterprise Bank & Trust
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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.
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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.”
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