FEATURING DAVID AXELROD & MICHAEL STEELE

December 4, 2023 | The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art


HONORARY CO-CHAIRS

Mary & Mark Jorgenson

Stephenie & Rodney Smith

American Public Square at Jewell’s premier annual event, Evening at the Square, took place on Monday, December 4 at the renowned Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

The event's featured guests were David Axelrod, political strategist, commentator, and former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama and Michael Steele, former Chairman of the Republican National Committee, former Lt. Governor of the State of Maryland, political analyst for MSNBC, and host of The Michael Steele Podcast.

Axelrod and Steele engaged in a conversation moderated by Amb. Allan Katz (ret.), APS founder, CEO and board chair, and Margaret Talev, former White House correspondent for Bloomberg News and McClatchey Newspapers, now Director of the Syracuse University Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship.

“At a time when political division and personal anxiety about politics is at an uncomfortable high, this event brought together two preeminent figures in American political strategy to discuss the future of democracy in America, as well as the opportunities and peril that may await our country in the 2024 Presidential election. This could not be a more fitting conversation as we look ahead to the most important political choices we will make in 2024,” noted Claire Bishop, executive director and COO of American Public Square.

Event Program Guide

FOUNDER'S CIVILITY AWARD:

SuEllen Fried

Bullying prevention activist, writer

and educator

READ MORE > FOUNDER'S CIVILITY AWARD RECIPIENT: SUELLEN FRIED

Registrants

94% of survey respondents indicated they gained new insights from the discussion

Fundraising goal: $300,000

Funds raised: $409,454

0%

Evening at the Square

SPONSORS

LEAD

William Jewell College

PRESENTING

McDonnell Foundation

Sue Seidler Nerman and Lewis Nerman

PRESENTING PARTNER

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

PLATINUM

Greg and Sybil Orman

Stacy and William Pratt

Leslie M. Westbrook & Paolo Frigerio

Jack and Glenna Wylie Foundation


GOLD

Jennifer & Bud Bacon

Ann Baum — Kenneth G. and Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund

The Berkley Family

Stanley J. Bushman & Ann Canfield

Nancy Cohn & Amb. Allan J. Katz (ret.)

DeBruce Foundation

Enterprise Bank & Trust

SuEllen Fried

Health Forward Foundation

Mary & Mark Jorgenson

Kansas City Chiefs

Kemper Family Foundations, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

Optum Kansas

Polsinelli

Jim & Becky Pruett

Beryl Raff & Paul Russell

Resurrection, A United Methodist Church

Cyprienne Simchowitz & Jerry White

R. Lee Smith

Charlie & Jeanne Sosland

Anonymous


SILVER

Lance & Rania Anderson

Mary & Tom Bloch

Cathi & David Brain

Pete B. Browne & Julie Walker Browne

Children’s Mercy Kansas City

City of Kansas City, Missouri

Katherine DeBruce

ECCO Select

Joe Falk

Sandi & Ed Fried

The Howe Street Group

JE Dunn Construction

Donna & Ward Katz

Bill & Regina Kort

McCownGordon

Lynne & Mark O’Connell

Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.

Rick & Betsey Solberg

UMB Bank

Laura Welch & Mike Lundgren

Cynthia & David Westbrook


SPECIAL EVENT HOSTS

Dr. Valerie E. Chow, M.D., & Judge Jon Gray

Beryl Raff & Paul Russell

Dr. Rodney & Stephenie Smith

IN-KIND SPONSORS

Hotel Kansas City

The Kansas City Beacon

Kansas City PBS

KCUR 89.3

Plexpod

zTrip


BRONZE

Ivan & Karla Batlle

Sarah & Jon Baum

Merilyn & Dr. Loren Berenbom, M.D.

Claire & Denton Bishop

Phil Blank

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City

BNIM

Stevi & Jeff Brick

Bonnie & Herb Buchbinder

Kelly Carnago & Doug Duty

Center for Practical Bioethics

Dr. Valerie E. Chow, M.D., & Judge Jon R. Gray (ret.)

Commerce Bank

Bunni & Paul Copaken

Erica & Lorin Crenshaw

Sam Cullan & James Landrum

Laura Curry Sloan & Peter Sloan

Dentons US LLP and Lisa Krigsten

Hon. Peggy & Terry Dunn

Mike & Debra Gerken

Laura & David Hall

Ellen & Irv Hockaday

Rebecca Hall Coulson & Harper Coulson

Sharon & John Hoffman

Hunt Midwest

Husch Blackwell LLP

Jenny & John Isenberg

Jackson County Legislature

Kay Johnson & Bill Koenigsdorf

Cindy & Vince Johnston

Linda & Topper Johntz, Jr.

Michele & Harvey Kaplan

Dr. Aman Kaur, President – Women in DSO

Kelly Shaw Consulting LLC

Jan & Tom Kreamer

Howard Lubow

Bill & Peggy Lyons

Cathy & Terry Matlack

Tricia & Josh Maxfield

Sue McCord-Belzer & Irv Belzer

Martina & Patrick McLarney

Alana Muller & Marc Hammer

Charlene & Max Muller

Sally & Ramon Murguia

Navrat Family Charitable Foundation

Roshann Parris & Jeff Dobbs

Mary & Terry Putney

Jerry & Patty Reece

Ann & Bob Regnier

Daniele Ross & Dr. Harry Ashenhurst

Rubin, Turnbull & Associates Inc.

Chesney & Patrick Sallee

Lisa & Charlie Schellhorn

Seigfreid Bingham

Marny & John Sherman

Sophic Solutions – Dr. Rodney & Stephenie Smith

Shaun Stallworth

Susan Stanton

M. Jeannine Strandjord

Swope Health

Ursula Terrasi & Jim Miller

UMKC Department of Political Science and UMKC Office of External Relations and Constituent Engagement

University of Saint Mary Lawrence D. Starr Center for Peace & Justice

Lauren Weinhold & Scott Fuller

Wickham James Strategies & Solutions

Beth & Karl Zobrist

Anonymous

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