Leadership

“All I’ve ever wanted to do is help people reach their potential. I was fortunate that early in my career, I got to work with Goodwill Industries and recognized that we can provide the multi-prong approach needed to support individuals with barriers to employment — work, training and education — all while providing support services to break down barriers.”

Year Started With Goodwill: 1999

With over 20 years of experience in Goodwill leadership roles nationwide, Laura joined Goodwill Industries of Kansas as President and CEO in 2021.

Laura’s experience in mission services, fund development and legislative advocacy allows her to focus on expanding support for individuals with disabilities and other employment barriers throughout Kansas.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are; your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden

Year Started With Goodwill: 2023

Tim Nikkel brings more than 20 years of experience in accounting and business administration to his role as Chief Financial Officer for Goodwill. Tim oversees all aspects of financial management for the organization, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and analysis. As part of the executive team, he works to develop and execute Goodwill’s financial strategy, identifying opportunities for growth and ensuring operational efficiency.

Tim’s close attention to costs and the bottom line is vital to the organization. In addition to managing the organization’s finances, he oversees its IT and payroll department and serves as the records manager.

“Working at Goodwill means giving back to the community every single day. I get to be part of helping people reach their potential while building stronger, more connected communities. What makes this work so meaningful is the shared passion across our organization to improve the lives of our teammates and the individuals we serve. Goodwill is truly a special place, and I’m proud to call it home.”

Year Started With Goodwill: 2018

Brent joins our team with more than seven years of leadership experience within Goodwill, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer for Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska, where he oversaw operations across retail, e-commerce, distribution, transportation, recycling, facilities, IT, and marketing and development. During his tenure, his teams delivered significant operational improvements and meaningful growth across multiple business lines.

His broader career includes executive roles in retail, hospitality, and business development, where he led multi-state operations and large, diverse teams. He is known for driving efficiency, expanding revenue opportunities, and strengthening organizational performance.

Brent holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and has completed Goodwill’s Senior Leadership and Executive Development programs. He is also committed to community impact, volunteering as a financial coach for veterans and supporting literacy initiatives. Brent, his wife Tiffany, and their family are excited to make Kansas their new home.

“Goodwill is a very special place and I’m proud to call it home. Every person I’ve met within the Goodwill umbrella has an intrinsic passion for their work — there’s a tangible understanding that we serve something meaningful, worthwhile and special.”

Year Started With Goodwill: 2013

As the Chief Mission and People Officer, Chris oversees the supervision and management of our services that assist program participants in achieving their goals. Chris serves as the senior executive responsible for creating a vision, providing strategy and delivering operational leadership to ensure the long-term growth of Goodwill’s mission initiatives.

Chris returns to Goodwill with an extensive leadership background, having served as the President and owner of a multi-state wholesale/retail business and a Vice President of a national extended-stay hotel chain. His true passion, though, was realized in the nonprofit sector.

Before coming to Goodwill, he served as the adult education liaison for the Workforce Alliance, providing training and team-building opportunities for adult education programs and students.

“Goodwill has been very gratifying for me personally and professionally on a very different level than my for-profit career. It truly is about working to make a difference in others’ lives every day.”

Year Started With Goodwill: 2014

As the VP of Goodwill’s Retail Operations, Angela oversees the management of 19 retail stores and donation centers as well as operations of shopgoodwill.com/ks, an online auction site. She brings 30 years of for-profit retail experience, with 25 years in multi-store management.

Angela’s extensive experience and strong leadership are transformational to retail operations, bringing new processes and increased efficiency to Goodwill’s already solid foundation.

Angela has received numerous sales, payroll and training awards during her career.

“It is very rewarding to work with an organization that provides so much for the community. I believe very strongly in our mission and am excited to be a part of such a dedicated group of individuals that helps provide people with educational and employment opportunities.”

Year Started With Goodwill: 2014

Mark joined the Goodwill team after the agency had outsourced IT for years. He began his career as a high school teacher and followed that with over 15 years in IT. He also holds the following certifications: CCENT, MCSE, MCSA, Comptia A+, N+.

Mark has strengthened Goodwill’s IT infrastructure at the office level and in 19 retail stores across the state while serving nearly 600 employees.

Some of his major accomplishments from the retail store standpoint include several substantial and almost immediate changes. Bringing the point-of-sale solution (which runs the store cash registers) back in-house required significant server upgrades and allowed Goodwill better security, performance and significant cost savings. Mark also changed how credit cards were being processed to provide customers better security at the time of purchase.

At the administrative offices, he has played a key role in migrating the human resources department to a paperless, cloud-based platform. This robust system has changed how Goodwill hires, trains, and communicates with employees.

Mark was recognized as a top Chief Information Officer by the Wichita Business Journal in 2016. Outside of work, he coaches a Little League baseball team and is involved in his church as a parent leader for a teen recovery group.