Community Partner Event

Event Date: October 10th, 2023
Time: 4:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: The Abbott (1901 Cherry Street Kansas City, MO 64108)

KC Digital Drive is the regional civic organization that supports the ecosystems for broadband, connectivity and digital equity, and emerging tech innovation, and helps to steward the region’s digital transformation. The organization was founded by the cities of Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas based on recommendations from the 2012 bi-state Mayor’s Innovation Team commissioned to consider how best to mobilize diverse community partners around collective action in digital inclusion and digital innovation.

Partners are the currency of what we do – they are how we build programs, launch projects, spread impact, scale resources, and simply, how we work. Last year, we celebrated some of them at our 10-year anniversary. This year, we’re turning that celebration into an annual event so we can salute them and the important and effortful work they do to serve the Kansas City region and its residents directly. Together we can solve some of our most challenging issues.  

Join us in celebration of the mission-driven work of more than 200 community partners as we come together to connect, engage, and highlight the individuals and organizations that make our work possible.

This year’s event will feature hearty eats with local flavors, a table gallery of community projects, a conversation with both the Missouri and Kansas State Broadband Offices’ Directors, and a showcase of projects in digital inclusion and regional innovation. 

The Program – doors open at 4:30pm

  • 4:30-5:30 > Networking and community engagement
  • 5:30 > 2023 Welcome address from Aaron Deacon 
  • 5:45 > A conversation with MO and KS State Broadband Offices 
    • BJ Tanksley, Missouri Director of Broadband Development 
    • Jade Piros de Carvalho, Kansas Director of Broadband Development
  • 6:15 > We’ll showcase a lively discussion with KC’s emerging regional innovation clusters to look at major initiatives impacting the future of KC. 
    • Dick Flannigan and Maria Flynn, Digital Health Cluster
    • Melissa Roberts Chapman, Biologics Cluster 
    • Tony Caruso, Critical Materials Cluster
    • Ron Green, Digital Media Cluster 
    • Trent Armbrust, Cybersecurity Cluster 

Sponsorship Opportunities

Level Donation Description
Gold $10,000 Gold is a premium event sponsor with top, prominent recognition and branding at event/venue, including “Project Gallery” sponsorship for a specific project, plus print/digital programs, and includes 10 guest tickets / community passes
Silver $5,000 Silver is a major event sponsor with the second most prominent recognition and branding at event/venue, including “Project Gallery” sponsorship for a specific project and print/digital programs, and includes 8 guest tickets / community passes
Bronze $2,500 Bronze is a community sponsor providing scholarship to community partners who benefit from a defrayed cost of attendance, and provides 25 guest tickets / community passes (can be open for use or designated to a specific group/org) 
Champion   $1,000 Champion is a community sponsor providing scholarship to community partners who benefit from a defrayed cost of attendance, and provides 10 guest tickets / community passes (can be open for use or designated to a specific group/org) 

For more information or to customize your sponsorship today, contact us.


Aaron Deacon                                         Kari Keefe
adeacon@kcdigitaldrive.org                    kkeefe@kcdigitaldrive.org
913.475.9885                                          816.588.3531