Centurions Leadership Program

Centurions Spotlight: Reda Ibrahim

We’re excited to feature Reda Ibrahim, CEO of RK Contractors and our July Task Force Co-Chair!

Reda believes the most effective leadership trait is listening and sharing knowledge with others so they feel empowered to grow and lead. Kansas City is the place he proudly calls home and where he is raising his children to build their own future roots. He stays involved because he loves being among the people and helping shape a stronger future for the city and the next generation. Outside of work, Reda enjoys drawing and spending time with friends.

As Pride month comes to a close, we're reminded that creating a community where everyone feels they belong extends far beyond the month of June. Pride celebrates authenticity, inclusion, and the many perspectives that make Kansas City stronger. True community impact happens when inclusion moves from intention to action.

Did you know? Kansas City's Pride celebration dates back to the 1970’s, when local advocates organized one of the region's first Pride events. Nearly five decades later, our community continues to celebrate Pride while fostering inclusion, advocacy, and belonging year-round.

There’s nothing quite like seeing the world come to Kansas City.

As Kansas City celebrates the excitement and energy that come with the World Cup, Centurions are proud to be part of a community that knows how to show up, welcome visitors, and create unforgettable experiences. From building connections and supporting local businesses to volunteering and cheering alongside friends and neighbors, this is a moment that brings Kansas City together.

When Luci DeLoach first heard of Juneteenth, she was 10 years old and noticed the holiday on a calendar because it fell the day before her birthday. What started as a simple question—"What's Juneteenth?"—became an opportunity to learn about a pivotal moment in American history and the ongoing significance of freedom, education, and remembrance.

For Luci, Juneteenth is a reminder to continue learning, sharing knowledge with others, and honoring the generations whose resilience helped shape the freedoms we enjoy today. As we recognize Juneteenth, we invite our community to learn, reflect, and engage with the history and traditions that continue to shape our region and our nation.

Looking for ways to celebrate, learn, and connect in Kansas City? We’d recommend checking out the local Juneteenth events below:
https://www.juneteenthkc.com/
https://unitedwaygkc.org/2026/06/04/celebrate-juneteenth-across-kansas-city/
https://www.standupblacklives.com/

Russell Anderson believes leadership is about mobilizing others to take on difficult work and create meaningful change together. As Director of Health Equity at the Children's Services Fund of Jackson County, he is driven by a passion for helping communities overcome challenges and supporting others as they grow and achieve their goals.

For Russell, Kansas City is a city of aspirations and dreams, where each neighborhood contributes its own unique story and sense of purpose. Outside of work, he enjoys staying active through weight training and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Oss, along with spending time with family, attending live music events, and cheering on his favorite sports teams. Russell celebrates the power of growth and believes investing in others creates lasting impact.

Our June Task Force Day, Building Futures, we learned about many incredible educational programs and opportunities to prepare KC's current and future workforce from toddlers to advanced education! We were truly impressed by the quality and depth these programs have to offer, along with the commitment to innovation and economic growth in KC.

We spent the day “back to school,” exploring how educators, employers, students, and community leaders are working together to prepare Kansas City’s future workforce. From early career awareness to higher education innovation and skilled-trades pathways, the day reinforced an important truth: workforce readiness does not start when someone enters the job market… it starts much earlier, through intentional exposure, skill-building, and meaningful partnerships.

A few themes stood out:
Collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability, and career awareness are not “soft” skills… they are essential workforce skills.

The connection between education and industry has never been more important. KC has incredible people and institutions working to build a stronger, more prepared talent pipeline.

Thank you to our speakers, hosts, planning team, and fellow Centurions for a thoughtful, hands-on day of learning. The future of Kansas City’s workforce is being shaped now, and it was inspiring to see so many people committed to building it with intention.

Thank you Danielle Hilton, Ben Wolfe, Dr. McDorman Ed.D, Moreno Hendrickson and everyone else who participated! Thank you JCCC and BurnsMcdonald for Hosting us!