Board of Directors
The board of directors is comprised of an equal number of members with children or siblings in the program, and outside directors engaged in the success of the Mission Project, and its promise in identifying ways to enable persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live independently. Call it extended family.
Lee Baty
Chairman of the Board
Lee Baty acts as managing partner of the Baty|Otto|Coronado law firm in Kansas City. Lee is an alumni of the University of Notre Dame and University of Missouri School of Law. In 2021, Lee was named to a list of the Best Lawyers in America. He formerly served on the boards of the American Royal and the Saddle & Sirloin Club in Kansas City. Lee has experience in helping manage autism within the family setting.
Larry Rouse
Founder and Internal Board Member
Larry Rouse helped found the Mission Project and is the parent of a program participant. Larry has a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and practiced law with Stinson, Mag and Rouse, Hendricks for 50 years. Larry was the president of the Lawyer's Association of Kansas City. Larry also contributed his talents as a board member for the Carriage Club, the Saddle & Sirloin Club and the George Washington Carver Community Center. Larry and his wife June also started the Down Syndrome Guild of Kansas City.
Susan Bogan
External Board Member
Susan acts as Chief Customer Officer for Attane, a marketing solutions company serving senior living, healthcare and financial services companies. Susan interacts with top-level executives of senior living companies throughout the country, which gives her an up-to-the-minute insider’s view of the senior living field.
Harold Bradley
External Board Member
Harold Bradley retired in 2012 as Chief Investment Officer of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City. Harold and his wife Kathryn have four children, one of whom was diagnosed as on the autism spectrum. Harold worked in the financial services industry for 30 years, engaged as a floor trader at the Kansas City Board of Trade and as an investment executive at American Century mutual funds. He formerly served on boards at the CFA Institute, Swope Community Enterprises, Catholic Charities, and the Archdiocese of KCK Catholic Committee on Scouting. Harold currently helps advise the Spires Trading Group at St. Mary's University in Leavenworth.
George Devins
External Board Member
George Devins co-founded the Overland Park based GlynnDevins, an advertising and marketing agency specializing in serving companies in the senior living and health care sectors.
Leigh Ann Guminger
Internal Board Member
Leigh Anne Guminger serves as an Internal Board Member for The Mission Project. She has a sibling in The Mission Project whose life has been significantly and positively impacted by his participation in The Mission Project. Leigh Anne holds a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Baker University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Special Education from the University of Missouri Columbia. Leigh Anne works inside Kansas City Public Schools as the Special Education Coordinator for the Autism Spectrum Program. She has served students with special needs in KCPS since 1997. Leigh Anne is dedicated to developing effective programming for the students with autism in her district based on evidence and researched based practices. Leigh Anne formerly served on the board of The Sherwood Autism Center.
Ed Soltz
Internal Board Member
Ed's son has lived in The Mission Project for 13 years. Ed is a partner in the law firm, Baker, Soltz and Blum and has been in practice for over 40 years. Ed currently serves as a board member and volunteer for the Brotherhood of The Temple, Congregation B'nai Jehudah. He is a past president of the Mission Project and formerly served on the board of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau.
Ed volunteers monthly serving meals at The Independence Blvd. Christian Church Micah Ministry and his favorite past time is playing softball in the Greater Kansas City Senior Softball League.
Sean Swindler
External Board Member
Sean Swindler, M.S.Ed., is the parent of a young adult with Autism and Intellectual Disability. Sean has a Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Kansas. Since 2008, Mr. Swindler has been Director of Community Program Development and Evaluation for the Kansas Center For Autism Research and Training (K-CART) at the University of Kansas. Mr. Swindler is responsible for establishment of community partnerships and development of individual programs to respond to the needs of people with Autism. Before coming to K-CART, Sean previously held positions with Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services working to develop new statewide policies with regard to children with developmental disabilities accessing multiple support systems.
