Meet Our Board
Shane Lutz, president
Mackenzie Lutz, board member
Kurt first met Shane in 1988 while studying the same major at Kansas State University. Shane had recently started dating Kelly and Kurt would soon meet his future wife, Allison. The four of them hit it off and for years after graduating, spent numerous evenings and vacations together. The births of Kurt’s first two children closely coincided with the births of Mackenzie and Sydney. After the tragic loss of Kelly, Kurt was able to assist with maintaining the massive outpouring of support for a scholarship in Kelly’s name. Soon after, the Foundation was formed. Outside of the Foundation, he and Allison are parents to three young adults. Emily, who recently graduated from KSU; Abby, who is a Sophomore at KSU; and Matthew, who is a senior at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. He is the president of a local engineering firm and enjoys attending his childrens’ events, volunteering with a medical mission group in Honduras, and outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, and hunting.
Kurt Ewert, board member
Shane is the Founder and President of the KLL Memorial Foundation. Shane started the foundation shortly before the passing of his late wife Kelly in an effort to capture the overwhelming amount of momentum and support their friends and family had provided during the years Kelly was fighting breast cancer. Instead of creating funding for research, Shane's Vision was to create opportunities for students to gain financial assistance (through scholarships) as they pursued higher education opportunities. When Shane isn't spending time on the Foundation, he's working for a national engineering firm, enjoying time with his family, hunting, football or the family farm.
"Without the amazing and loving support of my wife Lynn, family, friends and co-workers, I would not be able to commit the time and energy needed to support the students and families cancer has left behind" says Shane.
Mackenzie is Kelly and Shane's oldest daughter and was born in 1994. She was in 8th grade when Kelly lost her 9+ year battle with cancer and Shane proposed the idea of the Memorial Scholarship Foundation. The Foundation and supporting it various capacities has been an amazing way for her to remember Kelly and help other families impacted by cancer in a similar way.Mackenzie remembers Kelly as one of the most selfless, creative, and thoughtful people you'd ever meet. Her energy was contagious and everyone loved to be around her. She made those she cared about feel loved, listened-to, and valued despite the nasty physical and emotional hardships that come with battling cancer.
Mackenzie’s early involvement with the Foundation helped her discover a passion for the non-profit sector and she is now the Event & Engagement Coordinator at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City.
Sydney was born in 1997 and was just under two years old when Kelly was diagnosed. Her mom was her closest and truest friend. She remembers her mother as incredibly strong despite the crippling cancer. She had a laugh that was contagious, a selfless soul and cared for everyone she met. Some of Sydney’s favorite memories are volunteering for Meals on Wheels together before she started kindergarten, the creative cakes her mom made for her birthday’s and their shared love for sweets. Despite losing a parent at a young age, Sydney is passionate for helping others through this scholarship foundation. Sydney is currently a Senior at Kansas State University studying Life Science and Gerontology with the goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist.
Sydney Lutz, board member
Sarah Spencer, board member
Sarah and Mackenzie graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas, together, in 2012. Both girls chose to attend Kansas State University, where they joined the same sorority, Alpha Xi Delta. Their friendship blossomed from there. Sarah and Mackenzie lived together in the sorority house their sophomore year and continued to live together off campus their junior and senior year, along with a few of their closest friends. Both girls graduated from K-State in 2016 and have continued to remain best friends. Some of their favorite things to do together include going grocery shopping, working out and indulging in Harry Potter movie marathons.
After graduating KSU with a bachelor of science in Human Nutrition, Sarah enrolled in the Accelerated Option Nursing Program through Rockhurst University and Research College of Nursing. Sarah graduated nursing school in 2017 is now a Pediatric Registered Nurse. Sarah works in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Emergency Department at Overland Park Regional Medical Center and enjoys traveling, reading, boxing and medical mission work.
