Transformational Leadership: Exhausting and Exhilarating

Former Kansas City Mayor Sly James took office after an economic downturn and at a moment when civic pride was nonexistent. Through a systems-thinking approach to governance, strategic community engagement, and data-informed decision-making, Mayor James’ administration led the city through a renaissance that transformed everything from the city’s skyline to its sense of self. Mayor James will talk about his time in office, his leadership style and explain why transforming his hometown was both exhausting and exhilarating.

Joni Wickham is a former Chief of Staff to Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Sly James, and previously worked with the American Federation of Teachers, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and in the office of Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan. A recipient of the 2019 University of Missouri Truman School of Public Affairs Mel Carnahan Public Service Award, she was also named to the Kansas City Business Journal’s prestigious Class of 2023 Women Who Mean Business.

Sly James is a former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, known for leading the city’s transformation through major initiatives like a new airport terminal, a modern streetcar line, and North America’s first “Smart City” project. A Marine Corps veteran and successful trial attorney, he also championed universal pre-K and diversity in the legal profession, founding the award-winning KCMBA Diversity Initiative. His leadership earned numerous honors, including the American Graduate Champion of Education and Government Technology’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers. Sly is also an author of two books focused on civic leadership and opportunity.