MEET
OUR BOARD
Meet the passionate leaders dedicated to empowering Fort Osage students. Our board members – community champions, educators, and innovators – work tirelessly to fund programs, scholarships, and partnerships that make a real impact. Explore how each board member is helping shape a brighter future for our students!
Invested in Education
Fort Osage Education Foundation’s mission is to build philanthropic support and secure financial resources to stimulate and enhance learning opportunities that cannot be met through traditional funding sources.
Mission Focused
The Fort Osage Education Foundation’s mission is to oversee the investment of existing scholarship money, approve the distribution of scholarships, and build philanthropic support. This support directly impacts our students, teachers, the Fort Osage School District, and the community it serves.
Eric Wilson
President
Eric Wilson and his wife are graduates from Fort Osage High School (class of 1994 and 1996 respectively) and currently have four children enrolled in the district. Additionally, Eric’s mother-in-law taught for over 25 years in the school district, mostly at Buckner Elementary where he and his wife both attended. Wilson has several aunts, uncles, and cousins who are Fort Osage Alumni, a handful of which still live in the district. Wilson has deep roots in the community and a strong desire to see the school district succeed.
Wilson has been employed for 20 years at American Century Investments. His greatest strengths include data and analytics, a background in marketing, and leadership skills. He is actively involved in his local youth ministry, and frequently assists Troop 221 each Summer at Boy Scout Camp in Osceola, Missouri. Previous to serving on the Fort Osage Education Foundation, Wilson was a board member and secretary on the Center Place Educational Foundation.
Wilson’s accolades and achievements include a Certificate of Appreciation from the Fort Osage Alumni Association for his contributions to enhancing the alumni database, and the Circle of Honor Award for Innovation from American Century Investments.
Dylan Peterson
Vice President
Dylan graduated from Fort Osage School District in 2011. Her current role as Business and Community Coordinator with the Fort Osage School District is to help support the district’s Real World Learning Initiative to connect students with business so that they are life-ready after high school.
Before working at Fort Osage, Dylan worked in Cairo, Egypt running an English program at a language center and starting a marketing business.
Her strengths include marketing, photography, and videography. In addition to volunteering her time with the Foundation, Dylan serves as treasurer of the Buckner Chamber of Commerce and Ambassador for the Independence Chamber of Commerce.
Sharon Dankenbring
Director
Sharon Dankenbring has been active for many years through the PTA, Athletic Booster Club, and Project Graduation. Chaired twice, Dankenbring is a Fort Osage School Board member, serving as president and currently vice-president. Additionally, Dankenbring is a Fort Osage Education Foundation board member, with two children that graduated from Fort Osage and two grandchildren currently attending the district.
Dankenbring is a retired ad and marketing director from The Examiner newspaper. Her expertise includes fund raising for the community. Dankenbring is part of the Junior Service League and the Past Community Service League. She is currently overseeing the fundraising for the Truman Heartland Community Foundation, the Drumm Farm Center for Children Sunshine Center in Blue Springs, and Wild About Harry fundraising event for Truman Library.
Dankenbring was named one of Eastern Jackson County’s “Women of Distinction” and awarded an “Old Pro Award” by the Missouri Advertising Manager’s Association.
Amanda Brown
Director
Mrs. Brown is a parent to three children in the Fort Osage School District. Her husband, Chad Brown, and many family members are Fort Osage Alumni. She has been an active member of the Buckner PTO and has served in all board positions. Mrs. Brown brings to the board a passion for education- (Former Teacher- Liberty Public Schools, Former Manager of Student Engagement & Achievement/ Client Service Manager – Online Learning Company- Stride, Inc). She and her husband own Alternative Risk Company, a wholesale insurance brokerage company, where she serves as Vice- President.
Anita Jonas
Director
Ms. Jonas has two children who graduated from the Fort Osage School District. She is self-employed as a real estate agent and investor and also owns Clarity, a gluten free retail shop in historic downtown Buckner. Her success as a small business owner is evident as Clarity was a finalist as the Best Health Food Store in The Pitch Best of Kansas City 2021.
Ms. Jonas is retired from GEHA, and brings experience to the board in strategic planning, marketing and event planning. She is currently President of the Buckner Chamber of Commerce and is a newly appointed Board Member of Community Services League.
Philip Snodgrass
Director
Mr. Snodgrass is the owner of the State Farm Insurance Agency in the Fort Osage School District. He brings to the board the ability to meet and interact with other businesses in the area to solicit support of the foundation. He is actively involved in the Independence Chamber of Commerce and serves as a board member for the Buckner Chamber of Commerce.
Marc Dickensheets
Director
Marc Dickensheets is a parent of two Fort Osage students and an active community member. He is passionate about public education and supporting teachers. Marc is involved with a variety of organizations including Scouts BSA, Kansas City Business Aviation Association, International Aircraft Dealers Association, Blue Elk District Committee BSA, American Diabetes Association, and Outreach International.
Marc is currently employed at Meisinger Aviation. His strengths include sales and fundraising due to his experience on multiple boards and other philanthropic efforts. Additionally, Marc has received several honors including the Blue Elk District Award of Merit and the IADA Certified Aircraft Broker.
Tammi Krones
Director
Tammi’s two children graduated from Fort Osage School District in 2016 and 2018. As a long time resident, the Krones have been actively involved in the Fort Osage Community to include participating on Fort Osage District committees including the PTA Board at Elm Grove Elementary, Pop Warner Football League, Soccer Association of Independence and Buckner Chamber of Commerce .
After 27 years of serving as a lead business teacher at Lee’s Summit High School, Tammi retired in 2022 and fulfilled her dream of opening Tammi Sue’s, Upcycle Mercantile, in Buckner on September 15 with the passionate mission of providing a variety of quality products at a reasonable price in a local maker atmosphere. Purchasing a historic downtown Buckner building and transforming it back to its original beauty has been a labor of love. It is a privilege to be a part of the Fort Osage business community while having the opportunity to work with the educational sector through real world learning partnerships and serving as a director on the Fort Osage Educational Foundation.
Tammi’s passion for education and business will be her unique driving force as a FOEF director as well as her desire to work with students in real world learning partnerships while celebrating the contributions of hard working educators.