Opening Keynote: Achieving Your Leadership Potential

Only available as part of a package

How can your leadership abilities be strengthened? How much time does becoming a good leader require? Although leadership is a skill that is developed over time, are there any shortcuts? In her session, "Achieving Your Leadership Potential," Jenea Oliver, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Children's Mercy Kansas City, will provide the answers. She has studied leadership for more than fifteen years and will reflect on her professional history, offering both aspiring and experienced leaders advice that will leave you inspired to achieve your leadership potential with confidence and joy!

Jenea Oliver, PhD

Senior Vice President for the Department of Philanthropy and Chief Development Officer

Children's Mercy Kansas City

Jenea Oliver is Senior Vice President for Philanthropy and Chief Development Officer at Children’s Mercy. She has more than 25 years of experience in health care, higher education and fundraising. In her time at Children’s Mercy, the Philanthropy Team has grown the organization’s culture of giving to new levels. Before joining Children’s Mercy in 2013, Jenea spent five years as Vice President of the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Foundation, where she directed fundraising to ensure ongoing philanthropic support of the university’s mission and major initiatives. Jenea began her career in higher education in admissions, before transitioning to fundraising as part of the University of Missouri (MU) System. In 1996, she joined MU Health Care in her first fundraising role as the Children’s Miracle Network Director and then Director of Advancement at the MU School of Medicine. Jenea received her doctoral degree in Urban Leadership and Public Administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She also has a master's in Public Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a bachelor's in Communication Studies from Missouri Western State University. Her research interests include employee retention and leadership. Jenea and her husband Kurt, live in Smithville with their three children Jadyn (15), Zayne (12) and Cade (11).