Brian brings a combination of research and data analysis skills honed in academic and for-profit settings to the Patterson Family Foundation’s mission. The north star in his research approach is the importance of community feedback and validation: if the numbers say one thing, and the community says another, it’s time to double-check the numbers!
Curiosity about the impact of space and boundaries on individuals and their communities has always driven Brian’s work. As an academic, this motivated work on the empowering and disempowering effects of political redistricting, even when that redistricting was non-partisan. In consulting practice, this drove insights into college-interest differences across markets. Since joining the Foundation in 2023, this has translated into efforts to map and understand how different Kansas and Missouri communities benefit, or don’t, from large institutions and assets in their region.
Brian lives in Prairie Village with his fiancée, Elizabeth, dog, Boo, and cat, Hercules. A transplant to Kansas set to marry a fifth-generation Kansan, Brian spends much of his free time learning everything he can about the state and trying to forget how bad the Miami Dolphins are. A second-generation Cuban and heritage Spanish speaker, Brian is the first stop for anyone who needs Spanish-language assistance when communicating with the Foundation.
“A community thrives when everyone can access the basic goods and services that free them to achieve and dream without having to leave the community they call home. When individuals and communities can meet their basic needs, flourishing and innovation are never far behind.”
