Take tests to focus on areas of interest and skills
Ask questions such as:
• What am I good at? • What is a challenge for me? • What do I like to do for fun? • What kind of work would I like to do? • What kind of work could I do with accommodations?
Steve Roling
Steve Roling’s career has spanned the non-profit, business, governmental, and philanthropic sectors, but always with a central focus on enhancing the quality of life in the Kansas City area. In joining The Transition Academy’s board of directors, Roling brings with him a wealth of experience in private, non-profit, and government organizations.
Notably, Roling was the Founding President and CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, now known as the Health Forward Foundation. Under his stewardship from 2004 through 2013, the agency invested more than $160 million in initiatives focused on improving healthcare access for the medically underserved. He has been enjoying a well-deserved retirement since 2013.
Roling earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He worked at Butterfield Youth Services in Marshall, MO, and the Missouri Association for Social Welfare in Jefferson City, MO.
He shifted his focus to public policy while working for Senator Tom Eagleton in Washington DC, and then his career transitioned to the financial sector, with roles as Vice President at Trader’s Bank, United Missouri Bank, and Bank of Kansas City. Roling also steered the helm as Publisher of the Kansas City Business Journal. He later delved into the realm of philanthropy, serving as Senior Vice President of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. His public service extended to the role of Director at the Missouri Department of Social Services in Jefferson City, MO. He has also shared his wealth of knowledge as an Adjunct Professor at the School of Social Work at UMKC.
Roling’s commitment to community welfare extends beyond employment roles. He has been dedicated to many non-profit boards including the Missouri Department of Mental Health Commission, United Way, Mid Continent Public Library, Urban Neighborhood Initiative, Jacob & Ella Loose Foundation, and St. Thomas More Parish Council.
Roling’s legacy is one of unwavering dedication to working with others from all sectors of society for the betterment of the Kansas City region and beyond. Personally, he and his wife Judi have been married for 48 years and nurtured a family deeply rooted in the Kansas City community, including their two accomplished daughters and six cherished grandchildren.