KANSAS CITY, MO.- Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art looks toward the future with a new strategic plan and leadership additions. Having celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024, during which time it named new Executive Director Jessica May (January 2024) and Chief Curator Jessica Hong (September 2024), the Museum has already begun a new era. With the new strategic plan, Kemper Museum has defined a fresh mission and vision, along with a detailed plan for growth and innovation over the next five years.

The Museum continues to build on the strong leadership team who will implement the plan, naming William (Bill) Gautreaux as Board Chair, Erica McGeachy Crenshaw as Vice Chair, and appointing Mary Kemper Wolf as a Lifetime Chair Emerita. Sheila Kemper Dietrich has also joined the board. New Chief Development Officer Jennifer Wampler joined the Museum in June.

Says Executive Director Jessica May, “I believe the new Strategic Plan will set in motion a tremendous institutional transformation, retaining the founding principles set by Crosby and Bebe Kemper in 1994, while thoroughly capitalizing on the opportunities of our current cultural moment.

The Museum and its larger Kansas City community are in a moment of exciting transformation, and we are so fortunate that Bill Gautreaux and Erica McGeachy Crenshaw will provide the next generation of insight on the Kemper Museum’s board. In addition, Mary Kemper Wolf’s visionary leadership has been instrumental in shaping the Museum into the dynamic institution it is today.”

The Strategic Plan: An Overview

This new Strategic Plan is the result of a year-long collaborative and consensus-based process between the board, staff, and community members. The strategies it outlines form a comprehensive and ambitious five-year plan (2025-2029) that reflects Kemper Museum’s values and vision: to be an inclusive, innovative, and courageous leader in the field of contemporary art.

It is organized around our four key pillars that align with the Museum’s core areas of work: Programming, Public Engagement, Philanthropy, and Governance & Management. Each articulates a clear mission and a set of initiatives designed to drive meaningful transformation, deepen audience relationships, and strengthen the institution’s long-term sustainability and relevance.

Pillar 1: Programming reaffirms the Museum’s dedication to championing great art and artists, emphasizing a broad spectrum of voices—from emerging talent to overlooked mid and late-career artists. It outlines strategies to build an innovative curatorial culture, activate flexible and welcoming museum spaces, and strengthen collection stewardship and future growth planning.

Pillar 2: Public Engagement focuses on expanding the Museum’s reach and relevance. Through storytelling, audience research, improved visitor experience, and strategic partnerships, this pillar aims to double audience participation over the next five years while enhancing the Museum’s visibility both locally and nationally.

Pillar 3: Philanthropy seeks to modernize the Museum’s approach to fundraising by aligning its development practices with the evolving philanthropic landscape. This pillar emphasizes building a culture of philanthropy that reflects the Museum’s potential for long-term community impact.

Pillar 4: Governance & Management outlines efforts to cultivate a culture of entrepreneurialism, accountability, and inclusivity at all levels of the organization. This includes a renewed focus on internal communication, staff training and well-being, board engagement, and adaptive institutional leadership.

Adds Kemper Museum Board Chair Bill Gautreaux, “This is an exciting moment for the museum to deliver more impact, both regionally and nationally. I have long admired the museum’s legacy collection and how the artistic program builds on this year after year. This is all amplified by the intimacy of our space and the ability to dine in or host an event. The founders went way beyond their own collection and aspired for curatorial excellence in contemporary art...the art of our time. We will build on that vision supporting generations of artists and impacting the thoughts and feelings of people in all our communities.”

The Strategic Plan process was overseen by Melissa Cowley Wolf of MCW Projects.

Additions to the Board of Trustees

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is proud to announce the appointment of new leadership to its Board of Trustees. William (Bill) Gautreaux will take on the role of Board Chair, and Erica McGeachy Crenshaw will serve as Vice Chair.

Gautreaux has served on the board since 2013, and is Managing Partner of MLP Holdings LLC, and Co-Founder and former President of Inergy LP, among other roles and board positions. Crenshaw is a former Wall Street equity research analyst at Goldman Sachs and Founder and former CEO of Execute Now!, among other roles and board positions.

Gautreaux succeeds former board chair Mary Kemper Wolf, who was appointed to the leadership role by her father, museum co-founder, R. Crosby Kemper, Jr., in 2012. Wolf’s transformative leadership reinforced and furthered the Museum’s primary mission of championing contemporary art, supporting innovative curatorial projects, and expanding its role in the Kansas City community as a free resource for all Kansas Citians. In recognition of Wolf’s contributions to the institution, the Museum board has appointed her Lifetime Chair Emerita.

In addition, Sheila Kemper Dietrich has joined the board. Dietrich is the Founder and CEO of Livliga, and an award-winning author, among other roles and board positions.

Welcoming a Chief Development Officer

In June, Kemper Museum welcomed Chief Development Officer Jennifer Wampler, who brings a wealth of experience from such prominent Kansas City cultural institutions as the Kansas City Ballet and the Conservatory at UMKC (University of Missouri-Kansas City), among others. Jennifer has raised millions of dollars for new buildings for both the Ballet and the Conservatory. Most recently, she completed a $20M endowment campaign for the Ballet.

Wampler’s appointment coincides with an important period of expansion for the Museum, including new fundraising objectives. In 2025, the museum completed a multi-year process of demonstrating its public charity status, concluding a significant period of growth for the family founded institution. Together, May and Wampler are charged with increasing the fiscal independence of the institution through community, foundation, and private support, and growing the museum’s overall impact within its regional and national community.