Wichita, Kan. – The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) has expanded its executive council by hiring Michelle Locke for the new role of chief financial officer (CFO) and appointing Melissa Musgrave to the role of people and culture officer (PCO).
“Expanding KLC’s executive council was a strategic step in ensuring our efforts are aligned with KLC’s mission, values and long-term vision,” said Kaye Monk-Morgan, president and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center. “Both Melissa and Michelle bring valuable expertise that will help ensure KLC’s sustainability, efficiency and culture of continuous improvement.”
Michelle Locke comes to KLC from Wichita State University where she has served as the associate vice president for finance and controller. She started her career in public accounting, where she specialized in auditing and consulting for public sector clients, including not-for-profit organizations, local governments and higher education institutions. She holds a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Texas at El Paso and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).
In the new position as CFO, Locke will serve as a member of the executive council and will lead development and refinement of financial systems, oversee compliance and risk management policies, and collaborate on organizational vision, strategic priorities and cross-functional alignment. Locke’s first day at KLC was February 9, 2026.
“It is an honor to step into this new role at the Kansas Leadership Center,” said Locke. “My first exposure to KLC came through a leadership program I attended while serving the City of Wichita as its controller, an experience that has had a lasting impact on my perspective and approach to leadership. I am excited to join an organization whose mission aligns so closely with my values and to support its work across Kansas and beyond.”
Melissa Musgrave brings more than 25 years of experience in people strategy, talent leadership and organizational development to her role as people and culture officer at the Kansas Leadership Center. Prior to joining KLC, Musgrave held senior talent and human resources leadership roles within complex, high-growth organizations, including leading large-scale recruitment strategy for Airbus operations in the United States. She is also the founder of the Melissa Musgrave People Collective, where she has served as a trusted advisor to executives and leadership teams on building healthy, high-performing workplace cultures. She earned her bachelor’s of science degree in human resources management from Friends University.
As KLC’s new PCO, Musgrave leads the organization’s people and culture strategy, supporting a workplace environment that reflects KLC’s commitment to leadership, learning and civic impact. Her first day at KLC was February 16, 2026.
“Joining the Kansas Leadership Center feels like purpose meeting practice,” said Musgrave. “I care deeply about people, community and the future of leadership in Kansas, and I believe leadership is a choice, culture is built on trust, and people rise when we invite them into their own agency. I’m excited to help cultivate an environment where people feel supported, stretched and inspired to lead in ways that truly make a difference.”
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About the Kansas Leadership Center
The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit educational organization with a civic mission, national reputation and global reach. Founded in 2007 with core funding from the Kansas Health Foundation, KLC’s mission is to inspire and equip people, together, to do difficult things for the common good. KLC partners with other nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, philanthropies, and communities to build cultures that are mobilized to make progress on their toughest challenges and thrive. Its publications include leadership books available from Bard Press, Third Floor Research, an applied research center with the Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University, and The Journal, a nationally recognized, award-winning civic issues magazine.
Over the past 18 years, KLC has built a strong and respected institution in Kansas designed to deliver leadership development and culture change at unparalleled scale. Now, organizations across the country and around the world look to us to provide resources and consultation to support their own aspirations for mission-driven leadership education. Learn more at www.kansasleadershipcenter.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Carrie Lindeman
316-393-1076
carrie@lindemancollective.com
