Katie is a foster mom, advocate, and seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience working in high-behavior schools and trauma-informed care settings. She founded Foster Light with a core conviction: all children deserve the chance to grow up in healthy, stable homes—and that happens when their caregivers are well-equipped and deeply supported. Katie is committed to creating lasting stability for kids from hard places by connecting families with a community of care, resources, and unwavering support.

JJ brings a strong background in nonprofit development, storytelling, and community engagement to her work at Foster Light. She is also a foster mom, giving her a personal understanding of the joys and challenges that come with fostering. JJ is passionate about building meaningful connections between the mission and the people who make it possible—whether through strategic fundraising efforts or producing the Keep Me in the Light podcast. She believes that stories have the power to inspire change, and she’s committed to amplifying the voices of those working to bring light into hard places.

Board Chair

Danielle Ripley-Burgess is a senior communications pro, published author, and inspirational speaker who helps mission-driven organizations share stories through impactful content, media, and award-winning campaigns. With decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, she serves on the Foster Light board to advocate for and draw attention to the needs of foster and adoptive families, needs she has personally experienced as a foster and adoptive mom. Danielle and her husband, Mike, live in the Kansas City area with their kids and wiener dog.

Board Vice President

Megan Sneed has 10 years of progressive experience in B2B business development and revenue growth in the SaaS and financial consulting sectors. She has built a strong track record of success working with Fortune 500 companies, excelling in brand development, business expansion, and cultivating innovative solutions to complex challenges. Known for her ability to communicate effectively with C-level executives and guide multi-stakeholder sales cycles, Megan brings both strategic problem-solving and relationship-building expertise to her board service. As Development Chair for Foster Light, Megan leverages her business development acumen and passion for mission-driven work to expand the organization’s reach, foster meaningful partnerships, and ensure the resources necessary to illuminate brighter futures for children and families.

Kathy Smith is an accomplished financial and operations executive with success in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.

For over five years Kathy was vice president of the children’s marketing firm Creative Consumer Concepts (C3), overseeing all aspects of the organization’s financial and operational success during a period of exponential growth.

In keeping with her interest in Kansas City’s arts community, Kathy was CFO of Kansas City Repertory Theatre for four years where, as a member of its senior leadership team she was responsible for planning, development, implementation and evaluation of the theatre’s fiscal performance. Kathy also served for nine years as CFO of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, overseeing and managing financial and operational functions of the museum’s three locations. Following her retirement from Kemper Museum, she continued her commitment to the museum by serving on their finance committee.

Kathy understands the value of community in raising a child with love, consistency and care. Her compassion for the well-being of children has led her to participate as a weekly mentor for Lead to Read, a program promoting children’s literacy and supported by the Patrick Mahomes Foundation. Kathy was introduced to Foster Light through a dear friend and immediately recognized the opportunity to help this mission-driven organization maintain its financial health and sustainability by serving as its treasurer.

In 2015, Kathy was awarded CFO of the Year by the Kansas City Business Journal in recognition of her business acumen and strategic fiscal leadership honed throughout her successful professional career, skills she continues to use today in her not-for-profit volunteer activities.

Lacey Barrett brings over 20 years of experience in hospitality, executive leadership, organizational development, and relationship building to the Foster Light Board of Directors. Currently serving as Director of Administration and Assimilation at Connection Point Church in Raytown, Missouri, Lacey combines her passion for people with a strategic approach to strengthening organizations, developing teams, and cultivating meaningful community partnerships. Her transition from the hospitality industry into full-time ministry has deepened her commitment to serving others and creating environments where people feel seen, valued, and connected.

As an adoptee and mother of four, Lacey brings a deeply personal perspective to Foster Light’s mission. She is passionate about bridging the gap between local churches, community organizations, and the foster care system, inspiring others to move beyond awareness into meaningful action. Through her board service, Lacey hopes to help mobilize communities, strengthen partnerships, and advocate for children and families who need to know they are seen, supported, and never forgotten.

Ashle has long felt a deep calling to foster care advocacy, shaped by her experiences as the oldest of five siblings, a CASA volunteer, and through time spent with students at Operation Breakthrough. She was once considered for a kinship placement, an experience that gave her firsthand insight into the complexity of the foster care system and the depth of support required to truly impact a child’s life.

Now a mother of two young daughters, Ashle is especially passionate about ensuring every child has the resources they need to thrive. She sees Foster Light as a place to contribute, learn, and grow while helping to create lasting stability for foster families.

Professionally, Ashle brings a strong background in nonprofit fundraising, sponsorship, and strategic partnerships. She first connected with Foster Light during the holiday season while seeking meaningful ways to give back, later supporting sponsorship efforts for the inaugural Golden Gala. That evening left a profound impression on her and confirmed her commitment to Foster Light’s mission of stabilizing families and supporting healthy futures for children in foster care.