The Beacon is excited to welcome Melissa Roberts Chapman and Matt Waggoner to our board of directors.
As The Beacon continues to focus on its mission of nurturing well-informed and actively involved communities, we will need leaders from the Kansas City area to join us. That’s why bringing Melissa and Matt on as our newest board members is a crucial step in supporting our newsroom.
Melissa Roberts Chapman is the president and regional innovation officer of KC BioHub, a life sciences research company in Kansas City. She brings an exceptional understanding of today’s nonprofit and philanthropic landscape. Melissa knows what it takes to build innovative, sustainable organizations and her strategic perspective will make our board stronger as The Beacon continues to grow.
Matt Waggoner is the vice president of growth and brand at the financial planning company GreenUp Wealth Management. Before joining GreenUp Wealth Management, Matt had a 20-year career in media and communications. He understands journalism and the rapidly changing media landscape. His experience in local media, communications and audience growth will be an incredible asset as we continue expanding The Beacon’s reach and impact.
“Melissa and Matt are experts in their respective spaces — Melissa an innovator and Matt with his deep journalism roots. We are so lucky they are invested in the community and enthusiastically welcome them to the board,” said Brittany Barrientos, Beacon board chair. “In a surprise to no one, they have hit the ground running and we look forward to leveraging their experiences to continue enhancing The Beacon’s efforts to serve the community.”
Since The Beacon is a 501(c) (3) non profit organization, the board of directors oversees our governance and fiscal policy. The board has no influence over editorial content or day-to-day newsroom operations and is a key supporter of the CEO.
As The Beacon grows and deepens its commitment to Kansas City, it’s important that our board grows with us. Melissa brings deep expertise in philanthropy, innovation and the nonprofit sector, while Matt brings decades of experience in journalism. Together, they’ll help guide The Beacon’s next chapter.
