Rodney Knott Founder/Executive Director
Rodney Knott was born in Kansas City, MO and graduated from Central High School. Following high school, Mr. Knott left Kansas City to attend Ottawa University and the University of Kansas. Mr. Knott is a computer network engineer who has worked for some of the largest computer firms in the country including Dell, IBM, and Sidus.
Mr. Knott returned to Kansas City in 2004 and went to work for H&R Block at their new world headquarters. Mr. Knott is a local leader and resource in fatherhood initiatives in Kansas City. Mr. Knott has an extensive background in working with men and juveniles in Kansas City, MO, and KS, Atlanta, GA and St. Louis, MO.
In 2009, Mr. Knott founded ReEngage, Inc. to restore the dignity of the people of the urban core communities. Because almost 80% of the children in the urban core are being raised in a single female head of household homes, we have challenged the failed policies of the past by using an innovative training, support, and empowerment program known as “The Man Class”©, which helps males become responsible reengaged men in addition to motivated dependable employees we can begin to restore the men of our community to their rightful place and the men that they were created to be. His hope is to restore our community 10 men at a time. Mr. Knott is married to Mary Knott and they have 5 children and 5 grandchildren.
Gator Greenwill Board President
Gator Greenwill is the founder of GKG Capital Management, a holding group of manufacturing, industrial services and logistics companies based in the Midwest but serving customers on a global basis. Industries served include mining, steel, agriculture, aerospace, energy, transportation, and many others. GKG’s customers include American Airlines, Spirit AeroSystems, Tyson, JBS, Caterpillar, John Deere, CNH, Cargill, US Steel, the Federal Government, UPS Freight, Volvo, BAE, Komatsu, BNSF, Bucyrus, Canadian Pacific, DeBeers, Honeywell, and Terex.
GKG provides these clients with industrial services, logistics solutions, and custom manufactured products in select disciplines through our facilities in Milwaukee WI, Tulsa OK, and Kansas City, MO.
Prior to starting GKG, Gator graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern Illinois University with degrees in Mathematics and Philosophy. He attended law school at the University of Chicago and the Ph.D. program in Mathematics at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Gator’s beginnings in entrepreneurship started with ownership interests in a family automotive business and expanded to a commercial real estate and commodities trading before he launched GKG as his umbrella holding company. In addition to managing GKG’s interests, Gator advises two major proposed rail-served logistics developments in the Chicago metro area, is a devoted student of martial arts and works with several philanthropies and political non-profits, including the Jack Kemp Foundation and Maverick PAC.
Jimmy Adegoke Board Vice-President
Professor Jimmy Adegoke lectures and conducts research at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) where he is Director of the UMKC Center for Applied Environmental Research (CAER). He previously served as Chair of the UMKC Department of Geosciences (2008-2010) and Executive Director of the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) Natural Resources & Environment (NRE) Division, Pretoria, South Africa (2010-2012). While in South Africa, Professor Adegoke had a concurrent appointment as Director of the Applied Center for Climate & Earth Systems Science (ACCESS), a Center of Excellence (CoE) of the South Africa Department of Science & Technology (DST) Global Change Grande Challenge (GCGC) program.
Professor Adegoke is an award-winning climate scientist whose research, funded by agencies such as NASA, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the African Development Bank, focuses on understanding the relationships between climate variability on multiple time scales, changing environmental conditions and effective societal response mechanisms.
He is a noted scholar and international consultant on the science and policy dimensions of regional climate impacts and has recently testified before the South Africa Parliament Portfolio Committee on Science & Technology and the United States (U.S.) House of Representatives Select Committee on Global Warming & Energy Independence. Professor Adegoke currently serves as Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Agricultural Resilience in Nigeria (ACARN), which was recently commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) to develop a national program on climate adaption and agricultural resilience for Nigeria. Professor Adegoke lives in Kansas City where he was, until recently, an appointee of the Mayor of Kansas City Missouri (KCMO) on the city’s Environmental Management Commission (EMC).
Jeremy Knoll Board Secretary
Jeremy Knoll is a Project Manager at BNIM with a deep passion for green building and social equity. Through projects such as the LEED Platinum Bancroft School Apartments in Historic Manheim Park, the Crossroads Charter Schools, and the transformation of the Lyric into a full-service YMCA in Downtown Kansas City, Jeremy is dedicated to creating and repurposing beautiful and accessible spaces in Kansas City with an emphasis on inclusion.
In addition to serving as a Board Member of ReEngage, Jeremy also serves as the Chairman of the US Green Building Council’s Central Plains Community, and as a Board Member of the Public Interest Design focused organization, DesignCorps.
Dr. Tammy Counts Board Member
“Once a teacher always a teacher, no matter where you go or what you do. You can never truly get out of teaching. It’s like the mafia, you know to much”.
Dr. Tammy S. Counts is a mother, wife, educator, and entrepreneur. Dr. Counts’ earned two bachelor’s degrees from Emporia State University (BS Home Economic & Business and BSE Secondary Education), a master’s degree from Washburn University (MA Special Education) and a Doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University, North Miami Beach, FL (EdD, Educational Leadership & Staff Development). In 1976, Tammy pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Pursuing her calling, Dr. Counts has worked as a regular and special education teacher, PreK-12 principal, special education coordinator, supervisor and executive director in the following states, Kansas City, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Spanaway, Washington; Hartford, Connecticut; and Anchorage, Alaska.
In 2007, Dr. Counts and her sister, Dr. JohnElla Holmes founded the Nicodemus Educational Camps, the sisters are 4th generation descendants of Historic Nicodemus, Kansas (the only and oldest all African American town still in existence west of the Mississippi River). Together the two sisters’ partner with Veryl Switzer (Nicodemus descendant & 4th round draft pick for Green Bay Packers in 1954), The Kansas Black Farmers Association, Kansas State University, and USDA-NRCS helped to sponsor a series of week-long camps for urban youth ages 10-18.
Tammy is a member of Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church where she serves as past President of the Usher Board, President of the Deaconess, Vacation Bible School Director and alongside her husband, chairpersons for the Annual Church Anniversary Committee. Her favorite scripture is “Be still, and know that I am God”, — Psalm 46:10
Dr. Counts and her husband of 36 years, Adrain H. Counts, II return to Kansas City, KS in 2013 to be closer to family and prepare for retirement. Tammy’s most illustrious role in life is being a mother of two fabulous daughters, Taryn Elizabeth Griffith (Counts) and Brittany De’Nee Jones (Counts). At the present, Tammy has only one grandson, Malachi Bernard Griffith, “the greatest thing since sliced bread”.
Don.Crabtree Board Member
Don Crabtree founded Merit in 1991 and has been a major force behind the success of Merit’s growth. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Kansas State University in Construction Science. His years of experience in estimating, marketing and customer development have been instrumental in Merit’s growth to annual sales of over $35 million. Don owns 100% of the stock in Merit General Contractors, Inc.
Don’s strong community services involve Chairman of the Board for KCK Special Olympics (KCK Huggers, Inc.), consultant to HopeFaith Ministries serving the homeless population, United Way volunteer Of the Year 2002, and current board member for ReEngage – “Transforming males into men”.
Pastor Robin Morgan Board Member
Robin M. Morgan currently pastors Rock Of Ages Baptist Church in Kansas City Missouri. He has been a pastor for twelve years and has an increasable desire to improve the lives of those in his congregation and in the community, he serves. His background is in Education. Robin has taught in practically every level of education including elementary, middle school, high school, and college. Working at the University of California San Diego as a professor, lecturer, and supervisor of teacher education, and director of AmeriCorps. Robin has taught in four states and five countries in both English and Spanish. He was an Assistance Principal for San Diego Unified School District and locally taught High School Spanish here in Kansas City.
Along with being a full-time pastor in Mid-Town Kansas City, Robin currently manages a team of Weight Watchers International at the Overland Park Kansas Contact Center. Robin is married with two children ages 18 and 8. Robin Holds a BA in Education and an MS in Educational Administration. He is eager to be part of an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those in the community he serves.
Robin is a long-time resident of the Kansas City area. He is currently involved in prison ministry, where mentors visit local institutions to offer mentorship and community referrals.
Pastor Roy Moran Board Member
Roy felt the whisper of God’s Spirit move him in the direction of spiritual transformation at 17. Learning how to catalyze spiritual change has been the passion of his life. His education in Greek at Baylor University and the theological tutelage under Howard Hendricks at Dallas Theological seminary engaged his soul and mind in the models and methods of Jesus. Through out it all his wife, Candy has been a constant partner and co-learner. Their four children and 8 grandchildren fill their lives with ample opportunities to learn and enjoy a life of catalyzing spiritual transformation. Roy is founder, pastor, and spiritual catalyst at Shoal Creek Community Church.
Lemuel Kimes MSW Faciltator
Principal
Kimes and Associates
Kimes & Associates provides several services to assist in these areas including business consulting, individual coaching, and group or staff training.
Lemuel earned a Master of Social Work at the University of Kansas. Mr. Kimes has participated in the training at ReEngage as a participant and as an instructor. We are honored to have Mr. Kimes as an adjunct instructor for The Man Class©. Mr. Kimes demonstrates a deep compassion for the young men we serve and develops rapport with all of the young men.