Founded to make a difference.
About American Public Square at Jewell
Quick clicks: Our Story | Our Approach | Our Academic Partner
American Public Square at Jewell (APS) offers offer a modern-day “public square” experience – we create space for community members to convene and engage in civil, fact-based dialogue about today’s most challenging and polarizing issues.
We do this by:
- Convening groups and creating space for respectful dialogue on important topics
- Educating community members about why engaging in this way is important and how to do it well
- Engaging diverse segments of our society to ensure that multiple perspectives are explored
Those who participate play an integral role in reconnecting American communities and creating a stronger nation equipped to deal with the social, economic and political issues of our time.
OUR STORY
Tired of the vitriol exhibited during a community wide disagreement about a coal plant, then city commissioner Allan Katz established The Village Square in Tallahassee to host civil conversations about shared challenges. Click here to read more
OUR APPROACH
To ensure conversations remain substantive, respectful and based on facts, APS uses “Civility Tools” during each program.
OUR ACADEMIC PARTNER
William Jewell College is a private college in Liberty, Mo., with a long history of cultivating thought leaders and innovators who have pursued meaningful lives throughout the world.
Click here to read more
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board Chair: Ambassador Allan Katz
Secretary: Irv Belzer, Senior Counsel at Bryan Cave*
Treasurer: Bill Kort, Investment Advisor (Ret.)*
Rebecca Coulson, Program Officer - Hall Family Foundation
Mary Jorgenson, Community Volunteer
Ward Katz, Real Estate Advisor*
McClain Bryant Macklin, Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives - Health Forward Foundation
Colleen Nelson, Executive Editor - The Sacramento Bee and Regional Editor - California at McClatchy*
Founding Co-Chairs: Peggy Dunn and Mary Bloch
Founding Board Member: Leo Morton
Other founding Board Members denoted by * above.
Greg Orman, Businessman, Entrepreneur, U.S. Political Reformer
Ann Regnier, Community Volunteer*
Paul Russell, Founder – ej4.com*
Joni Wickham, Co-founder - Wickham James Strategies*
Bill Pratt, Attorney - Kirkland & Ellis, LLP (Ret.)
Shaun Stallworth, Attorney - Holman Schiavone, LLC
Tom McDonnell, Executive, DST Systems (Ret.)
Sue Nerman, Kansas City Art Institute
“One of our focus areas at Health Forward is increasing community Power through civic engagement. American Public Square’s mission aligns well with this strategic focus, and it has been my pleasure to join the organization’s Board of Directors in 2022. It helps me stay plugged in to the extensive work the organization does to foster dialogue and engagement among community members in Kansas City and surrounding areas."
- McClain Bryant-Macklin
Appointed to the APS Board in 2022
“As a new board member, I have to say I am impressed with the work the organization is doing to create space for civil discussion and dialogue about all types of divisive issues. From the police budget to gun violence, abortion rights and race, APS is covering the challenging issues we face with civility, facts and perspective. I am honored to serve as a Board Member and grateful for APS’ commitment to improving public discourse when it is sorely needed.”
- Mary Jorgenson
Appointed to the APS Board in 2022
OUR STAFF
Allan Katz: Founder and CEO
Claire Bishop: Executive Director and COO
Alana Muller: Community Director
Cindy Johnston: Community Engagement Lead
Tricia Maxfield: Civics Education Initiative Program Manager
Robin Smith: Marketing and Communications
APS staff with 2022 Evening at the Square featured guest, Robert Costa