DEANGELA BURNS-WALLACE, EdD, is a nationally respected executive, former U.S. diplomat, and current CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Her career spans leadership roles in the U.S. State Department, higher education, and state government, including serving as cabinet secretary for the State of Kansas. A lifelong advocate for systems change, she is known for transforming organizations, building strategic coalitions, and expanding opportunity through bold, values-driven leadership.

Burns-Wallace holds degrees from Stanford, Princeton, and the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Kansas with her son and retired parents and leads national initiatives to reimagine equitable economic mobility for all and access.