Marie Dispenza

Marie Dispenza
Director of Major Gifts, School of Law and Executive Director, UMKC Law Foundation
School of Law

Contact Info
816-235-6328

About

Marie Dispenza is the UMKC School of Law's director of major gifts and executive director of the UMKC Law Foundation. Marie's professional and personal activities exemplify her commitment to the nonprofit community. Marie led the charitable foundation of the Kansas City Royals, Royals Charities, as its director from 2013 through 2018. She has worked in fundraising, marketing, and development roles at Wayside Waifs, Rose Brooks Center, and at KC Pet Project as its chief development officer. Marie is an alumna of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce's Centurions Leadership Program and has been personally active within the Kansas City animal welfare community since adopting an energetic terrier in 2009. Marie has also served Legal Aid of Western Missouri, where she previously worked as a staff attorney.

Currently, Marie's volunteer work includes her role as president and treasurer of the Union Friends Organization advisory council at the University of Kansas, and she consults with statewide Moms Demand Action volunteers regarding fundraising initiatives in Missouri.

Marie earned a B.S. degree in journalism with an emphasis in sales and marketing at the University of Kansas. A member of the Missouri Bar and Sports Lawyers Association, she graduated from the UMKC School of Law (Class of 2005) where she was the president of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society. She resides in Kansas City, Missouri, with Buddy and their two adopted terriers.