Women in Leadership Conference

Chief Stacey Graves, a lifelong Kansas Citian, began her career at KCPD in 1997 as a civilian records clerk.  After joining the police academy in December of 1997, she held multiple assignments as a police officer including Central Patrol Division, East Patrol Division, the Drug Enforcement Unit and the Career Criminal Section.  Graves was promoted to Sergeant in 2007.  During her tenure as a Sergeant, she was assigned to Patrol, the Media Unit as a Public Information Officer and she was an Operations Sergeant in the Chief’s Office serving under Chief Darryl Forté.  Promoted to Captain in 2014, Graves was assigned to Internal Affairs, returned to the Media Unit and Patrol.  In 2018, she was promoted to Major. As Major, Graves was the Commander of Shoal Creek Division, Human Resources and served as the Executive Officer in the Patrol Bureau Office.

On December 15, 2022, twenty-five years after starting the police academy, Graves was selected to be the chief.  At 48 years old, Graves became the 48^th Police Chief in KCPD’s 148-year history also becoming the first woman as permanent chief.

Graves obtained her Associates Degree from Penn Valley.  Graves went on to earn a B.A. in Administration of Justice from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and an Executive Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Leadership from Benedictine College.

Anita Brooks motivates organizations to dynamic breakthroughs as a national speaker, certified personality trainer, communications specialist, certified training facilitator, and in-demand business coach. As a board member for a community bank and multiple nonprofit agencies, Anita invests herself for the greater good.

Through her P4 Power Coaching™ practice, Anita helps improve processes, performance, and profitability, by teaching leaders how to plug invisible drains and effectively maximize their people engagement. Her mission is to increase the income and strengthen sustainability for American businesses.

Anita’s P4 Personality Perspective™ delivers a fun factor when inspiring, educating, and encouraging today’s leader.

A native Kansas Citian, Kathy Nelson serves as the President and CEO of both Visit KC and the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation. Nelson expanded her responsibilities to take the helm at Visit KC in January 2022 while continuing to lead the KC Sports Commission, a role she has held since 2011. Most recently, Kathy has been behind the success of such high-profile achievements as the 2023 NFL Draft & bringing the FIFA World Cup 26™ to Kansas City. A veteran communicator and storyteller, Nelson’s diverse background includes senior management positions in marketing, sales and promotions at Time Warner Cable and Metro Sports, in addition to a number of roles at FOX 4/WDAF-TV in Kansas City.

In recognition of her service, Nelson has been honored with several accolades over the years, including named as the 2023 USA Today’s Women of the Year Missouri Honoree and the 2022 Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe Women of Achievement award.