PRESIDENT
Sally Žemaitytė-Dannov

Originally from Kansas City, KS, Sally grew up in the old Lithuanian neighborhood on Lyons Avenue.  She has been on the board for 10 years, and has been President since 2003.  Sally grew up in the Lithuanian community as a result of her parents’ assistance in re-starting the organization in the 1980s.   She was an original member of “AIDAS” folk dance group.

Outside of the Lithuanian group, Sally worked 15 years at Hallmark Cards and now focuses as a full time Mom and Community Volunteer.  Sally also serves as a Board Chair of 20/20 Leadership, which promotes personal and career development for high school students.

VICE-PRESIDENT
Renata Bakelytė

Born and raised in a small town in Lithuania, Elektrėnai, Renata moved to Vilnius right after high school to study engineering. After a few years of college, Renata and four of her college friends wandered to the US during the summer of 2001. 

Out of the blue in 2006 Don Žemaitis met Renata at the local “Lidia’s”restaurant where she was working while finishing her Urban Design & Planning degree at UMKC. Very shortly Sally and Renata made the Lithuanian connection.   As Renata had some experience in dancing while living in Lithuania, she was asked to join the Lithuanian folk dance group “AIDAS”  and later to join the community.   

Renata is currently the Vice President and has been a Member of the Board since 2007. Besides she is a current our news paper “VARPAS” editor as well as a translator.

TREASURER
Anita Strumillo

Native of Kansas City, Kansas. Anita was a Charter member of the LOA. Her first task was Decoration Chairman of the Lithuanian Festival held at Wyandotte County Park-hence all of our Banners.

Anita was asked to direct the “AIDAS” Lithuanian dancers and has been in that position for almost 28 years (since 1982). She has leaded the dance group through several Dance Festivals that occur every four years.

Anita became a member of the Board of Directors in 1993 and have been Treasurer ever since.

SECRETARY
Jurgita Lukoševičienė

Jurgita was born and raised in Radviliškis, Lithuania. As many Lithuanians at that time, Jurgita and her husband, Darius, applied for a green card wishing for an opportunity to come visit United States. After successfully wining their “Ticket” to US in 2005, Lithuanian family transported themselves to Lenexa, KS where they continue to live with their daughter Liuka.

One of Jurgita’s hobbies is photography. Since the day she got involved with the community, Jurgita photographed KC Lithuanian Community’s events and shared her photographs with our members. In 2009, she was asked to join the Board, where she currently serves as a Secretary.

KANSAS CITY ETHNIC ENRICHMENT COMMISSION – DIPLOMATS OF LITHUANIA
Dick Horvatic & Charlotte Žemaitis-Horvatic

Charlotte and Dick are charter members of the LOA and the Aidas Dancers.   Charlotte is a former President of the LOA and she and Dick became board members when Charlotte's Presidency ended.

They represent Lithuania on the K.C. Ethic Enrichment Commission and have since 1992.   The Ethnic Enrichment Commission has sponsored the Ethnic Enrichment Festival each summer for the past 31 years.   Our Lithuanian Community has participated for many years.

Charlotte has been the Stage Manager at the Ethnic Enrichment Festival for many years.   Dick has been the Festival Manager of the Festival for the past 8 years.

PRESIDENT OF LITHUANIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY – CROSSROADS REGION
Kate Poterfield

Kate was born in Michigan where she spent many holidays, as well as living several years on her Lithuanian great grandparent's farm, not far from Cadillac.  Her Lithuanian family landed in Boston from the Biržai region around 1900.  They resettled in Illinois coal mining country until enough was saved to buy land in Michigan.  She has recently reconnected with her family in Lithuania.

Kate discovered the Aidas folk dance group not long after moving to Kansas City in the mid 1980's.  She and her family have been involved in the community since. 

Kate recently stepped down as secretary of this board, but continues to represent Kansas City as well as communities in surrounding states as President of America's Crossroads Region of the Lithuanian American Community.

MEMBER AT LARGE
Gloria Ruttman

Gloria was born in Brooklyn, NY and went to Catholic Grade School and an all girls' public high school.  Gloria’s grandmother came by herself through Ellis Island at the age of 15 years old.   Her aunt believed that this was the best opportunity for her to have a chance to do better since her mother and father had both passed away and her aunt was very poor.    She lived all her life in the lower east side of New York and her parish was the Lady of Vilnius Church.  

After her move to Midwest, Gloria first heard about KC Lithuanian Community from a friend, Elenore Johnson, a current member of the community. In 1999 Gloria became a member of the Lithuanian Community and has served on the Board as a Member At Large since 2003. She continues to be very active in our community.

BOARD MEMBER
Tom Paulauskas

Tom was born in Pittsburgh, PA, son of Stanley and Alice (Mažeikis), Grandson of Michael and Patronela (Miliauskas) Paulauskas, and Joseph and Mary Mažeika.  Tom’s  grandparents seem to have immigrated from Lithuania early in the 1900s or 1910s, though their grandson  has not yet located their home town(s) in Lithuania.

When searching for a source of Lithuanian translations on the internet, Tom found KC LOA group. Tom first came to know the KC LOA group at the Fall Picnic in 2006 that is one of the community’s favorite events.

Tom became a board member in 2007. With Tom’s humor and a wide expertise working with people, he is a great addition to the group.

BOARD MEMBER
John Brungardt

John is originally from the Wichita, Kansas area and does not have a Lithuanian background.   He developed an interest in Lithuanian history and language while he was a student at the University of Kansas, where his studies included East European history.  Now John speaks fluent Lithuanian that he thought himself on its own.

John found out about the KC Lithuanian organization through event notices in local papers and became a member about ten years ago.  John has been on the board since 2005.

Ieva was born and raised in Kaunas, the second largest city in Lithuania. In 1999 Ieva and her husband, Mindaugas, with a four year old daughter Vilunė have decided to come to US after their family won a Green Card.