33rd Annual Black History & Scholarship Celebration

Ms. Sharp’s career in public service spans more than 30 years.  She began her career in 1991 with U. S. Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum, the first woman elected to the U. S. Senate without succeeding her husband.  Ms. Sharp first served as a staff assistant and eventually became Casework Director.  In that role, Ms. Sharp led a team of constituent casework representatives in four offices across Kansas.  Upon Senator Kassebaum’s retirement, Ms. Sharp joined the staff of Senator-elect Pat Roberts and served as Director of Constituent Services and Outreach.

Ms. Sharp retired from Senate service in 2021.  However, her retirement was short lived when she was asked to join the Unified Government Department of Public Health as Community Engagement Lead for the county’s COVID-19 vaccine outreach efforts.  In that role, Ms. Sharp worked with employers, schools, community organizers, and faith leaders to coordinate COVID-19 vaccine campaigns and distribute masks and test kits across the county.  Ms. Sharp returned to retirement in 2023 after the county’s vaccine campaign ended.

Ms. Sharp returned to public service in December of the same year to serve as Interim Director of Community Development for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas.  Ms. Sharp became the permanent director in October 2024.    

Reginald J. Lindsey Jr. is a seasoned finance professional with extensive experience in corporate and public sector financial management.

Born and raised in Kansas City, KS, he graduated from F.L. Schlagle High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Grambling State University. He later obtained an MBA in finance from Hofstra University.

Reginald has held key finance roles at several Fortune 500 companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Sprint, and Oneok Energy, where he gained expertise in budgeting, financial planning, and strategic analysis. Since 2010 he has served as the Budget Director for the Unified Government.

Tia Watkins was born and raised in Kansas City, KS. She graduated from Sumner Academy and earned her bachelor’s degree from Alabama A&M University. She began her career as a middle school social studies teacher. While teaching she continued her education and earned a master’s in school counseling and an Education Specialist in language and literacy.

Tia loves to learn about other cultures and taught in South Korea for a year. She is currently a school counselor at Sumner Academy and the sponsor for Sumner’s Black Student Union. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. 

Toni Vaughn is a proud native of Kansas City, Kansas, and a dedicated advocate for empowerment and transformation. She currently serves as the Lead Therapist and Director of Prevention and Intervention at Adhoc Group Against Crime, where she specializes in guiding individuals and families through life’s challenges with compassionate care and evidence-based approaches.

A proud graduate of Langston University, a historically Black college in Langston, Oklahoma, Toni is also a member of the esteemed Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, where she actively serves on the Delta GEMS Committee, mentoring and inspiring young women. Serving others is her ministry, and she is passionate about creating meaningful change in her community.

In addition to her work in mental health, Toni is a licensed cosmetologist and has been the owner of The Hair Gallery Extension & Blow-Out Bar for over 10 years. Located in downtown Mission, Kansas, her salon is dedicated to helping clients feel beautiful both inside and out.

Guided by her love for family, traveling, and faith in God, Toni is committed to fostering spaces for healing, empowerment, and growth. Whether through therapy, mentorship, or her salon, Toni’s mission is to uplift and inspire those she serves.

Lorin Crenshaw is a Corporate Director on the Board of Directors of Herc Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HRI), an equipment rental supplier, and two-time public company chief financial officer. He is the former CFO of Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE: CMP), a leading global provider of essential minerals, including deicing salt and specialty fertilizer, a position he held from 2021 to 2024.  

Mr. Crenshaw has more than 25 years of diversified financial experience across multiple disciplines encompassing strategic financial leadership positions at global chemical and mining companies. Before joining Compass Minerals, he served as CFO of Orion Engineered Carbons, S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a leading global supplier of carbon black, and vice president and CFO of the Lithium division of Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a leading global provider of lithium and specialty chemicals. In addition, Mr. Crenshaw held previous roles as an equity and debt investor, respectively, at Citigroup Asset Management and Prudential Capital Group.

He is active in the community with a particular passion for teaching the fundamentals of financial literacy and building wealth to youth and adults. He received a BA in Business Administration from Florida A&M University and an MBA from Columbia University. Lorin resides in Lee’s Summit, MO, with his wife, Erica, and daughter, Lydia.