Effective July 1, Diane Burnette will take on the District Council Chair role as David Brain rolls off to continue leading the organization in new and different ways. David will chair the ULI Governance Board and continue to serve on a national taskforce for the ULI Strategic Plan.

Our sincere thanks to David for his two-year commitment of time, energy and enthusiasm to advance the Kansas City District Council. Be sure to extend your thanks to David when you see him next.

If you haven’t met Diane, we hope you will during her two-year term. She is the Executive Director of the Main Street Corridor Development Corporation (MainCor), a non-profit community and economic development agency for Midtown, KC.

A couple highlights about her career and involvement in our community:

• She has overseen implementation of over 22 million dollars for public improvements, including design and construction of streetscape/parkland improvements.
• She has established or advised in over 12 Community Improvement Districts.
• The Kansas City Pitch named her the ‘Best Midtowner‘ in 2007.
• In 2009 Diane received the Missouri Chapter of the American Planning Association, Dwight D. Davis Award for a Citizen Planner, M magazine Inspiring Women in 2013, The Whole Person Civic Leader Award in 2014, and was named as one of Kansas City’s Most Influential Woman in 2015.
• She owned and operated Muddy’s Coffeehouse’s for 17 years.
• She is Chair of the Trustees of the Jackson County Land Trust, a member of the Kansas City City Planning Commission, and Friends of the Arts advisory board member at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art.

Diane is not new to ULI. She has held leadership positions for our local council for over 10 years, first as the Urban Community Advisor in 2008, Chair of Awards Committee 2010-2015, Management Committee since 2008, National Women’s Leadership Award winner 2012, Chair of Mission Advancement since 2013, and was instrumental in launching both the local Woman’s Leadership Initiative and the Technical Assistance Panel program.

We’re thrilled to welcome Diane into her new role and look forward to continuing our momentum as one of the fastest growing district councils.