WICHITA, Kan. – The Kansas Health Foundation has hired Matt Kleinmann as its first Northeast Kansas Regional Manager. The position is part of the Regional Presence Initiative, a new era for KHF and a long-term effort to deepen the Foundation’s relationships with communities across the state. Kleinmann is one of three Regional Managers joining KHF this fall.

“You can’t do place-based work without being place-based,” said Drew Wilburne, KHF Associate Vice President. “It’s essential that we hire the right people for the right regions. Matt’s deep ties to Northeast Kansas are exactly what this work requires, and he builds with people rather than for them. That’s how we intend to show up.”

Kleinmann joins KHF from Vibrant Health in Kansas City, Kan., where he served as Director of Community Development. He has spent his career in Wyandotte County and eastern Kansas working at the intersection of community health, philanthropy and the built environment, including leading the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My work has always been grounded in building trust and being present in communities, and in connecting people with the relationships and resources that move their priorities forward,” Kleinmann said. “Communities are stronger and healthier when we’re better connected. I’m grateful for the chance to help deepen those connections across Northeast Kansas.”

Kleinmann also co-founded the Dotte Agency, a community design collaborative at the University of Kansas. Through the Dotte Agency, he led development of the Dotte Mobile Grocer, raising more than $250,000 in philanthropic support and building a shared governance model that kept decision-making in residents’ hands.

Outside of his professional roles, Kleinmann also serves as a board member of numerous organizations, including Kanbe’s Markets, Climate + Energy Project and the Livable Neighborhoods Task Force. He is also a member of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Centurions Leadership Program.

Kleinmann is a graduate of the University of Kansas from which he holds multiple degrees, including a Master of Arts in Architecture. While an undergraduate student, Kleinmann was a member of the 2008 KU men’s basketball team that won the NCAA National Championship. He also earned a Master of Urban Design from Washington University in St. Louis.

“I was trained to build buildings. I’ve spent my career learning to build trust,” Kleinmann said. “Working across health care, community development, policy and the built environment taught me that improving health means understanding how all of those pieces connect. I’m looking forward to building on the work already happening across Kansas.”

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