About
History & Mission
Green Works in Kansas City was founded in the Fall of 2007 by Kate Corwin, an IT professional, former business owner, and community leader. Green Works began serving 12 students at one urban high school and has grown to serve more than 200 students a year.
Using outdoor experiences, project-based learning, and STEM career exploration, we achieve our mission to empower Kansas City’s future leaders to care for the environment, contribute to our economy, and create healthy communities.
Cultivating Joy
Click ‘Play’ to watch the video.
Recent Publicity
Watch KCPT’s segment on our Career Camp
Channel 4 reports on our worksite visit to Olsson Associates
Our feature in The Christian Science Monitor
Our Impact in Kansas City
200+
Students served every year
165
hours of free nature programming each year
15
tangible skills introduced (like kayaking, tying knots, and using binoculars)
16,000
hours of internships funded
4,000+
Native plants, shrubs, and trees planted in urban KCMO
Our Community Outreach Facilitator
Queen Wilkes is a Kansas City native, alumni of Green Works, and currently serves on the board of our organization and as our Community Outreach Facilitator. She studied strategic communication at the University of Denver and has utilized her skills in community organizing to support nonprofits like the Blue River Watershed Coalition, the Heartland Conservation Alliance, the KC STEM Alliance, the Sunrise Movement and others. Queen is passionate about promoting access to nature-based education to youth and often supports our ECOS program as an instructor or facilitator. Outside of Green Works, Queen works as a self-employed actor and is a part-time student.
Board
Jensen Adams, Sustainability Manager, City of KCMO 
Scott Bingham, Treasurer, Principal Landscape Architect at BBN Architects, Inc.
Ryan Bresette, Chairman Emeritus, President of Live Like Luke Foundation
Laurie Brown, Secretary, Conservation Ecologist at Vireo
Kate Corwin, President of Green Works in Kansas City
Mark Eisemann, Attorney with Lewis Rice, LLC
Calvin Girard, Board Chair, Director IT Planning and Operations at Evergy
Liam Porter, William Porter Insurance Agency, Inc. – State Farm
Queen Wilkes, Green Works alum, Founder of Forethought Media
Staff and Associates
Kate Corwin, President
Khiara Cox, Facilitator
Angie Golubovich, Fund Development Director
Isaiah Francises, Facilitator
James Griffin, Science Instructor
Alyssia Roennengart, Facilitator
Megan Smith, Program & Marketing Coordinator
Gina Tamasi, Program Director
Roberta Vogel-Leutung, Science Instructor
Queen Wilkes, Community Outreach
Our Board Chair
While living in Hartford, Connecticut in the early 1990’s, I spent my summers at Camp Courant, an opportunity funded by community members who believed that all youth deserve high-quality summer opportunities. Now 30 years later I am pleased to pay forward their investment in me by leading the board of directors of Green Works in Kansas City.
Green Works provides amazing environmental leadership and enrichment opportunities for youth in our city. COVID served up some major challenges for all nonprofit organizations. Green Works rose to the challenge, adding another location for outdoor nature programs, doubling our classroom space and providing safe, in-person learning for our students.
If you’re a supporter of Green Works, thank you for your support! If you aren’t yet a supporter, I welcome the opportunity to tell you why you should be.
– Calvin Girard, Board Chair
“I had the opportunity to facilitate a strategic planning session with the Green Works board and was amazed at the depth of discussion, dedication to the cause, and sense of purpose. This is a high functioning and well-resourced non-profit board.”
– Jason Humphrey, Evergy
Non-Discrimination
We are committed to providing high-quality educational and workforce opportunities to motivated young people living in the urban neighborhoods served by the Kansas City Public Schools. Within this target population, we will not discriminate based on economic or social status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or physical disability.
“Green Works is one of the most nimble and dynamic nonprofits in Kansas City.” – Ann Z.
