The Kansas City Chiefs announced Kisa Caruthers as their recipient of the 2024 Inspire Change Changemaker Award – an annual award given to local leaders who are making a difference in their community across the NFL's Inspire Change initiative's four pillars of education, economic advancement, police-community relations, or criminal justice reform.
Kisa was recognized at the Chiefs Inspire Change game on Saturday, December 21, against the Houston Texans, for her extraordinary work in pursuit of social justice. She also received a $10,000 donation from the NFL Foundation, paid directly to a non-profit organization of her choice, as well as tickets to attend Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana, in February.
Kisa is a Kansas City, Missouri, native and an accomplished licensed electrical engineer at Burns & McDonnell, a top-10 national engineering firm. Along with her more than 26 years of engineering experience designing electrical building systems for new and renovated projects across the United States and internationally, she also serves on the Minnesota State University Women in Leadership Program advisory board and is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE) and American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE).
Caruthers has received various other awards throughout her career for her dedication to inspiring young women in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine) in her community: 2022 LIFTHERUP Award, 2022 Women of Inspiration International Mentorship Award from Universal Women's Network, 2023 Ebony Rose Community Excellence and Education Award from the National Congress of Black Women-Kansas City Chapter, 2023 Greg Graves Community Leadership Award from Burns & McDonnell, 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award from United Way of Greater Kansas City, 2024 Black Achievers of Kansas City Award from the Black Achievers Society of Greater Kansas City, as well as declarations from the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and Blue Quill and X-Factor honoree recognitions from Burns & McDonnell.
Additionally, as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., she leads community efforts to help engage the members of the chapter in volunteer time supporting the Black community. She is committed to working with youth initiative programs offered by the sorority that educate young women and men about community service, social justice actions, physical and mental health, and entrepreneurship.
"We are incredibly proud to honor Kisa Caruthers as the recipient of the club's 2024 Changemaker Award," Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. "Her tireless work in championing STEMM education for young women and serving her community is truly inspiring. Kisa embodies the values of leadership, empowerment and service, and she is a shining example of the positive impact one individual can have on their community. Our organization is grateful for the NFL's Inspire Change initiative, which offers a chance to spotlight the important, yet often unseen, efforts being made in Kansas City."
"This year's Changemakers have shown exceptional commitment and fervor in championing social justice," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Their remarkable stories and commitment to giving back should inspire all of us to do more. The NFL and its clubs are proud to congratulate and thank these individuals for their unwavering dedication to making a difference."
For more information on Inspire Change and the Changemaker Award, visit NFL.com/Changemakers.
