Pathways 2025

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.: Registration, Coffee & Poster Set Up

8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.: Welcome and Housekeeping  

8:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.: Faculty Theme Talks - Session A 

10:00 a.m. - 10:15 p.m.: Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.: Poster Session A 

11:15 p.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Lunch and Networking 

12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.: Faculty Theme Talks - Session B 

• Justin Randall, PhD | UMKC Biological and Biomedical Systems 

  • "Developing New Synthetic Methods of Peptide Antibiotic Discovery" 

1:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.: Break

1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.: Poster Session B 

2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.: Keynote

• Dennis Ridenour | President & CEO, BioNexus KC 

  • "From Bench to Boardroom: Building Regional Collaborations to Advance Life Sciences Innovation"

3:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Poster Presentation Awards and Closing 

Keynote Speaker

Dennis Ridenour
President & CEO, BioNexus KC

Master of Ceremonies

David M. Fulk 
Director of Philanthropic Giving 
KCUR, Kansas City's NPR Affiliate

David has been a fundraising professional for more than 30 years with decade-plus stints at KCUR, Truman Medical Center (now University Health) Charitable Foundation and William Jewell College, where he received his undergraduate degree in history. David served as co-interim leader of the UMKC Charitable Foundation in 2022 and helped design and lead the $120m fundraising effort for UMKC’s Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building. 
 
He has been a longtime community volunteer in Liberty, Mo., where he resides, serving on the boards of the Liberty Symphony, Liberty Parks and Recreation, Liberty Parks Foundation, and Liberty Arts Foundation. Since 2009, David has been the concert host of the Liberty Summer Band and is the elected City Clerk of Liberty. In Kansas City, he’s served on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFPKC) and currently serves as board secretary of Te Deum. He was recognized in 2024 by the Kansas City Royals as a Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat honoree.