United WE CEO Wendy Doyle Receives William F. Yates Distinguished Service Medallion for Leadership and Service in Kansas City
William Jewell College’s highest non-degree honor recognizes Doyle’s longstanding dedication to civic leadership and community impact
LIBERTY, Mo. – Sept. 18, 2026 – Today, William Jewell College awarded Wendy Doyle, President and CEO of United WE, the William F. Yates Distinguished Service Medallion, the college’s highest non-degree award, recognizing her exemplary leadership and commitment to service in the Kansas City community.
During William Jewell College’s Opening Convocation for the 2026-2027 academic year, which opens the College’s 177th year, the Yates Medallion was also presented to Mark Jorgenson, retired financial services executive and Kansas City community leader. The College honored the recipients at a luncheon following Convocation, joined by Yates Medalists from the past 45 years. William Jewell awards only a few Yates Medallions each year, a tradition it has upheld since 1980.
“Wendy has spent more than a decade showing what happens when good research meets genuine civility. She brings people to the table who do not always agree, and they leave with something workable,” said David Warm, chair of the William Jewell College Board of Trustees. “That is exactly the kind of leadership we want our students to see up close.”
Doyle has led United WE, a nonpartisan think-and-do tank dedicated to advancing women’s economic and civic leadership, since 2013. Under her leadership, United WE has broadened its work to identify barriers facing women and translate research and community perspectives into policy solutions and measurable change. In her 13 years leading the organization, that work has produced 38 research reports, 67 policy and administrative actions across job licensing and caregiving, and more than 250 women appointed to public boards and commissions through United WE’s Appointments Project.
“I am truly honored to receive the William F. Yates Distinguished Service Medallion and to be recognized alongside such inspiring changemakers in our community. This recognition reflects the collective work of the United WE team, and our partners, and the many people who have shared their experiences and perspectives with us. At United WE, we believe progress happens when we listen, ask better questions, and bring people together to build practical solutions. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of that work,” said Doyle.
Her focus has been the practical barriers that make it harder for women to fully participate in the workforce— caregiving demands, the cost and availability of child care, and job-licensing rules that keep qualified people from working or moving between states. Doyle has brought policymakers, employers, researchers and community leaders to the same table in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma to find solutions both parties can support.
Doyle joins a distinguished group of past honorees, including Paul DeBruce and Linda Woodsmall-DeBruce of the DeBruce Foundation and Madeleine McDonough, chair of Shook, Hardy & Bacon, who received the honor in 2025. Earlier medalists include University of Kansas Health System CEO Bob Page and Esther George, then president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
About United WE
United WE is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit think-and-do tank working to strengthen the economy and democracy by increasing women’s labor force participation. For 35 years, United WE has turned data into action and action into measurable impact through research, policy and programs. Headquartered in Kansas City, United WE works deeply across Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma and applies its research and solutions nationally. Learn more at united-we.org.
About the William F. Yates Medallion
The Yates Medallion, along with the Alumni Citation for Achievement, is the highest non-degree honor bestowed by William Jewell College. Established in 1980, the award recognizes exceptional Kansas Citians for their professional contributions, civic engagement and service, as well as their role in paving the way for the next generation of leaders. The medallion is named for William F. Yates, an 1898 graduate, longtime trustee, and major benefactor whose family helped establish the College’s chemistry department. Cast in bronze, the medallion features Jewell Hall, a historic campus landmark completed in 1858, and bears the College motto, Deo Fisus Labora— “Trust in God and Work.”
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