Hidden Gems: Meet Stephanie Meyer of Leawood Chamber of Commerce

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Meyer.

Hi Stephanie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I’m originally from Wichita, Kansas, and the product of two working-class parents. Just shy of my fourth birthday, my father (age 28) died of a heart attack in his sleep, leaving my mom with me and my two-year-old brother. She hadn’t been working, so she found a job sacking groceries, and we moved in with my grandparents until we could find a small place. A few years later, when I was nine, that home was destroyed by a massive F5 tornado (April 26, 1991). In both of those horrible instances, I remember people – often strangers – who reached out to help my family. People who volunteered time with us or gave us clothing when we had nothing left. That left a deep and lasting impact on my life.

A few years later, I became the first in my family to graduate college and graduate school (KSU undergraduate and KU for my MPA). I worked in public service for various elected officials, and I wanted to make sure I used any opportunity to pay it forward to those who helped me when we most needed it.

This service has included a variety of things over the years, including Rotary (where I’m the Past President of the Shawnee Rotary Club and currently serve as the District 5710 District Governor), board service for Prairie Paws Animal Shelter, “Rock Star” fundraiser for Band of Angels, volunteer work for Rebuilding Together Shawnee, I’ve been a Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer “big” for nearly eight years now, and then my biggest gift – donating a kidney in December of 2018.

The kidney story began with a Facebook post from a great high school friend (who I hadn’t seen in the twenty years since high school), stating that her husband (who I of course did not know) had polycystic kidney disease and had just been added to the transplant waiting list. I immediately commented that I would get tested and found out that initially, we were the same blood type.

After several months of screenings and testing, we discovered that we were a great match and were approved for transplantation! I’ll never forget being able to give Katie that news (lots of tears all around!). Dan received my left kidney on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 (we had surgery at KU). In just two days, Dan had gone from 14% kidney function – 10% is full-time dialysis – to 87% function! It was, without a doubt, the single greatest thing I’ve done with my life, and we’re both doing well!

That experience led me to get involved with several organizations focused on kidney health and organ donation, including the National Kidney Foundation (where I will become Chair of their regional board on May 1) and Gift of Life (where I am happily co-chairing their annual fundraiser, GoSeeDo on May 6, 2023). I also got involved with Kidney Donor Athletes, whose mission is to show the world that you can have a perfectly normal and healthy life post-donation and take on all of the same physical challenges you’ve previously done. For me, that had included running 24 half marathons and two full marathons – both full marathons to raise money for non-profit causes.

Last year, I was thrilled to join a 22-person, all-living donor team with Kidney Donor Athletes who summited Mount Kilimanjaro (the world’s tallest freestanding mountain) on World Kidney Day to raise awareness for the need for kidney donation. It was an incredible, life-changing experience (six days up the mountain, two days down). I will also be rerunning the Chicago marathon this October to raise money for the American Heart Association, a cause near to my heart (pardon the pun), in memory of my father.

In addition to all of this non-profit work, I also get the opportunity professionally to represent a wonderful community and organization as the President and CEO of the Leawood Chamber of Commerce, working with businesses and the city every day to better the lives of our residents and members – you can’t beat that!

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve overcome several challenges along the way, and I did so with the help of an incredible community. At every step of the way, every roadblock, someone was there to light the path forward. I feel incredibly blessed.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us more about your business.
The Leawood Chamber of Commerce prides itself on building relationships and connections for our members – living out our motto of “Business Personalized.” Through our diverse programming and events (last year, we had 53!), our more than 400 members can engage in a way that is meaningful to them, learn about current and upcoming trends or events in our community, expand their network, and ultimately, grow their business success. We’re committed to providing a world-class chamber membership experience that keeps up with the current realities and needs of our businesses and community.

What are your plans for the future?
I’m excited to continue to advocate for my philanthropic passions (and run Chicago in the fall for the American Heart Association!). I’m eager to take on the Chair role with the National Kidney Foundation, particularly as we’re expanding our efforts to reach underserved and minority communities and provide low and no-cost CKD testing – something that can quite literally change a person’s life and reduce their chances of ultimately needing dialysis or a transplant. Of course, I will continue to advocate for living kidney donation as well, as currently, in the United States, someone dies waiting for an organ every thirteen minutes.

It’s going to be a great year with the Leawood Chamber! Professionally, I’m excited to continue looking for growth opportunities within our chamber programming. For example, I’m thrilled to announce that in 2024, we’ll be offering a Leadership Leawood program, an educational opportunity for our younger members to learn more about our business and civic community while growing their personal and chamber network. We’re also re-opening our signature event, Taste of Leawood, to the general public, and I’m excited about expanding that event in partnership with the city’s 75th-anniversary celebration.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://leawoodchamber.org/
• Instagram: @stephwingmeyer
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leawoodchamber
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniewingmeyer/ 

Image Credits
Headshot by Strauss Peyton, other shots by Stephanie Meyer.