What qualities do you expect to see in a highly effective leader?
I think the qualities you expect to see in that person are honesty. And when I say honesty not only with others but really with themselves in understanding and being willing to look at what they’re good at, where their strengths are where their weaknesses are, and just being really willing to be very honest about that and be honest with their colleagues and others as well. I also think leadership takes a bit of, for lack of better term, of risk taking. You have to be willing to go outside of a comfort zone whether it’s your own personal one or an organizational comfort zone and look towards the future and say it’s not about what do we need next week next month but it’s next year and five years down the road.-Kimberly McKinney(46 sec)
Kimberly McKinney, Chief Executive Officer
Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis
LSL Class of 2003-04
Kimberly McKinney is the Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis. Kimberly is responsible for the overall operation of the St. Louis affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Locally, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis has built 282 houses, consistently ranking in the Top 50 of all Habitat affiliates nationwide.
Kimberly’s duties include human resources, strategic planning, financial administration, public relations, communication and development, planning and Board of Directors liaison. She became Executive Director in 1999. As HFHSL evolved into the organization it is today, the Board changed her title to CEO.
Kimberly initially began as Development Director with Habitat for Humanity in 1997 after relocating to St. Louis from Tennessee where she held management positions in both the public and private sector. A graduate of East Tennessee State University, her educational background is in Marketing and Organizational Management.
Kimberly serves on the Board of Director’s of Regional Housing and Community Development Alliance (RHCDA), the Non-Profit Services Center and the Missouri Affordable Workforce Housing Association. She was recently appointed to both the US Council Peer Review Committee and Governance Committee of Habitat for Humanity International.
Kimberly is an avid Cardinal’s fan. She and her husband, Kevin, reside in the City of St. Louis.
Return to Profiles in Leadership Archive