Greater Kansas City Chapter
Welcome to the page for the Association of Black Women in Higher Education’s newest Chapter, Greater Kansas City! We are honored and delighted to take part in upholding the mission of the national organization. Founded in April 2024 with 17 charter members, the Greater Kansas City Chapter seeks to build personal and professional growth by providing a platform for collaborative opportunities, mentorship, networking opportunities, and student engagement.
We open our doors to members from higher education, K-12 education, and non-profit educational organizations, to foster relationships with educators and personnel who have a role in encouraging students to consider and pursue higher education. We look forward to meeting and working with you in our efforts to empower Black Women in higher education at the local and national level!
In Sisterhood and Gratitude,
Dr. Kimberly D. Johnson
President, ABWHE-GKC
Chapter Leadership
Dr. Kimberly D. Johnson
Kansas City Chapter President 2024-2026
Executive Committee Chair 2024-2026
Dr. Kimberly D. Johnson is an educational leader passionate about mentoring, leadership, professional development and advocacy for women of color. She currently serves as the Senior Program manager in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). Johnson joined ABWHE in 2019 and previously served as the National Secretary. She is a founding member of ABWHE's Virtual and Greater Kansas City Chapters and currently serves as the inaugural President of ABWHE-GKC. Her committee involvement at the National level includes Conference Planning and Chapter Development and Support. Dedicated to service, Johnson serves on various boards/organizations including America's Big Sisters Foundation, The Kansas City Boys & Girls Choir, and Greater Kansas City Chapter of Societas Docta, Inc., which has a goal of mentoring African American women enrolled in doctoral programs. She previously served on boards of the National Congress of Black Women-Kansas City Chapter, Awesome Ambitions Girls Mentoring, I AM 4:Thirteen Girls Mentoring, and the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity Advisory Committee. Johnson holds a Doctorate in Education - Higher Education Administration, Educational Specialist Degree, a Master of Arts in Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UMKC.
Jameilla Robinson
Kansas City Chapter Vice President 2025-2026
Kansas City Interim Treasurer 2025-2026
Financial Affairs Committee Chair 2025-2026
Jameilla J. Robinson-Frazier, MBA, is a dynamic leader at the intersection of law, entrepreneurship, and social impact. As the Entrepreneurial Community Support Director at the Entrepreneurial Resource and Training Center within The Black Mastermind Group, she drives initiatives that foster business growth and community development. Additionally, she serves as Vice President at M.A.R.C.H. Mediation Inc. and actively participates in the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®, contributing to both the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the Grievance Committee. Her civic engagement extends to her role as Civic Engagement Chair for The Advocacy & Awareness Group of Johnson County, as well as serving as both the Marketing Chair and Entrepreneurship Engagement Chair for the Kansas City Chapter of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Notably, she is also the Founding President of their Collegiate Chapter. Outside of her professional endeavors, Jameilla cherishes time with family and friends, enjoys watching documentaries with her husband, and pursues her passion for producing various forms of media. A devoted wife and mother, she proudly embraces her dual role as the adoptive parent to her great-nieces. Grounded in love, resilience, and community care, she is also a loyal daughter and friend.
Jameilla's mission is clear: to build equitable systems, empower entrepreneurs, and shape a more just and inclusive future through law, policy, and community engagement.
Tracey Hughes
Kansas City Chapter Secretary 2024-2026
Tracey Hughes is a Teaching & Learning Librarian and the Director of Inclusive Engagement for the University Libraries at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She has several years of experience as Secretary of the Librarians’ Council faculty governance group at UMKC. Tracey is a founding member of ABWHE-GKC, and currently participates on the Communications and Membership committees. She recently took on website editing duties for ABWHE's national and chapter sites. Tracey has also served as Web Editor for the Midcontinental Chapter of the Medical Library Association (MCMLA), and she volunteered in numerous roles with the Kansas City Roller Warriors flat-track roller derby league, with most recent service as Chair of KCRW’s Board of Directors. For more than a decade, she has helped to organize and host the University Libraries’ annual African American Read-In, a celebration founded by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in 1989. In her spare time, Tracey enjoys tracing her family tree, and she recently completed revisions on a chapter for an upcoming edited work on documenting family information.
Committee Chairs
Whitney Vaughn
Kansas City Chapter
College Student Engagement Committee Chair 2024-present
Membership Committee Co-Chair 2024-present
My name is Whitney Vaughn, and I am the Launchpad Program Director at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC! Launchpad is a renewable scholarship and I assist all of the undergraduate business scholars with career readiness and professional development. I believe in developing effective LEADERS to enrich the lives of the people and communities we serve. I am excited to share my knowledge and expertise! Fun fact about me: I have an identical twin sister; Brittany. She lives in Dallas and is also a member of the GCKC Chapter!! 😊
Chanté Hearn
Kansas City Chapter
Communications Committee Chair 2024-present
Chanté Hearn works as an Academic Support Coordinator for UMKC's Supplemental Instruction and Tutoring programs. She also serves as one of the Assistant Directors of the International Center for Supplemental Instruction. Chanté has a passion for education, collaboration, and building relationships with students, faculty, and staff alike. Her side passions revolve around using social media as a creative medium for sharing information. Regarding her role within ABWHE's Greater Kansas City chapter, she will be tasked with creating and maintaining a strong social media presence as well as working with the appropriate parties to share the benefits of being in an organization like this one.
Latoya Woods
Kansas City Chapter
Membership Committee Co-Chair 2024-present
Latoya joined ABWHE as a novice professor in 2019 with the initial goal of engaging in mentorship opportunities. She is passionate about networking and collaboration for personal and professional growth. She continues to serve others by assisting them to improve their overall wellbeing in her practice as a family nurse practitioner.
Dr. Lover Chancler
Kansas City Chapter
Nominations & Elections Committee Chair 2024-present
Dr. Chancler is the Director of the Center for Multiculturalism and Inclusivity and an Adjunct Associate professor at the University of Central Missouri in the Human Development and Family Science Department. She is the Principal Investigator for the University’s SIP Title III grant. Co-Author of Culture Diversity in Family Life Education 1st and 2nd ed. Cognella, Inc. Dr. Chancler received her PhD in Human Ecology with a specialization in Family Studies from Kansas State University. She is also the owner of Role Model Consulting, LLC., a holistic look at DEI and effective communication and implementation of initiatives. Role Model Consulting LLC provides training using a holistic approach in tailored cultural climate change, effective communication and out of the box solutions to organizations, schools, universities, and businesses.
Dr. Jennifer Malone
Kansas City Chapter
Programs Committee Chair 2025-present
Dr. Jennifer Malone has been an educator for 38 years. She spent 18 years as a K-12 classroom special education teacher and an additional 18 years as a K-12 principal. She spent two years in the central office as an executive director and as an assistant of student services. Her tenure includes the Kansas City Missouri public school district, Kansas City Kansas district, Topeka public schools, and Center schools. Dr. Malone served as an adjunct professor for 16 years at two different universities before becoming a full time assistant professor at Missouri Western State University in the Department of Education. Dr. Malone’s scholarship encompasses the shortage of Black teachers serving special education students, dismantling the self-fulfilling prophecy encroached upon students of color, uncovering the disparities of the graduate records exam concerning Black women, best instructional practices in higher education classrooms, tackling the achievement gap, and best instructional practices for special education classrooms. Dr. Malone is a member of Council for Exceptional Children, Black Women in Higher Education, Learning for Justice, and Black Doctors in Higher Education. She is a proud, lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and is active in the Xi Tau Omega chapter in Grandview, Missouri. In addition she serves on the board for Bridge Leadership Academy.