Global Ties KC - Developing Citizen Diplomats

Courtney Brooks, Executive Director of Global Ties KC, is responsible for connecting US Department of State programs to Kansas and Missouri. She is passionate about building bridges across cultures and believes firmly in the value of running a non-profit like an entrepreneur. Through her role as the Executive Director of Global Ties KC, she plans and implements Department of State sponsored adult and youth programs which bring delegates from over 100 countries across the world to the Kansas City area each year, connecting them with locals through professional and cultural activities. Courtney has been to all seven continents, and has lived in both Asia and South America. She holds an MBA from UMKC Bloch School of Management in finance and international business as well as a BA from Saint Louis University with a triple major in political science, economics, and international studies.

Global Ties KC has existed as a non-profit in Kansas City for almost 70 years, bringing leaders from around the world to the Heartland. In addition to professional and youth exchange programs, they provide opportunities for local high school students to engage in cultural learning via the Youth Diplomat Institute, experiences for dinner hosts or short-term host families, and create thousands of touchpoints between professionals in the community and their international counterparts each year.