MEET THE TEAM THAT MAKES IT HAPPEN
You may know us as Real Men Real Heroes. We’ve served more than 5,000 kids and issued $1.6 million in scholarships since our founding in 2008. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished through youth mentorship, but want to do more. That includes broadening our vision to include girls. That led to our name change: Heroes Academy.
Today, our nonprofit 501(C)(3) serves kids from 3rd through 8th grades in the USD 259 school district. Currently, we’re in six schools. We help kids find purpose through service to others, access to meaningful life events and changes in their life circumstances.
Mario Caleb Barnes

Executive Director
Staff
Bobby Bell
HERO Programming VISTA
Joshua Jackson
HERO Programming VISTA
Charnea Williams
HERO Books Keeping VISTA
Board of Directors
Courtney Bengtson
Chair
Chief Strategy Officer
Wichita Community Foundation
Joel Davis
Treasurer
National Account Success Manager
SurePrep
Akeam Ashford
Secretary
Director of Strategic Communications
Sedgwick County
Board Members
Melissa Knoeber
Fidelity Bank
EVP, Director of Culture and Talent
Careem Gladney
Cargill
Business Manager
Corinthian Kelly
Sedgwick County Manager's Office
Management Intern
LaShea Bell
Cargill
Associate Marketing Manager
TJ Everett
Midwest SMP
CEO
Marian Campos

Program Manager