KC 2026 Staff
A nonprofit organization overseeing strategy and delivering host city duties for FIFA World Cup 26™, KC2026 will plan, construct and implement all aspects of Kansas City’s largest sports and fan engagement event in the region’s history.
Staff Members
Pam Kramer
Chief Executive Officer
A proven leader in sports business, Kramer’s career includes 16 years at Sprint, where she played an instrumental role in developing and executing many of Sprint’s most successful and pioneering sponsorships, notably the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA, the last time the global event was held in the United States. Among her accomplishments is securing the placement of Sprint’s brand on the NFL coaches’ headsets, the first sponsorship of its kind by a consumer brand.
Following her tenure at Sprint, which culminated in leading the company’s $100-million annual advertising efforts and earning the highly esteemed Sprint Chairman’s Award, Kramer joined the Kansas City Chiefs to lead business communications and advise team leadership on communications strategy. In 2021, the Kansas City Current retained her as transitional CEO during its critical start-up phase where she helped steer the organization in its development of the Kansas City Current brand and assisted launching the team onto the national stage. Most recently, she provided strategic oversight and guidance to the Kansas City Sports Commission as Fractional Chief Operating Officer (COO) before transitioning to the KC2026 team.
Jason Sims
Director of Transportation
With more than 23 years of experience in the transportation industry, Sims is an established and respected leader in traffic management operations, safety, congestion mitigation and system development. Notably, he is credited with providing the operational vision for the Kansas City Scout Traffic Management Center, which has served the bi-state region of Kansas City since 2003. Sims currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA).
Lori Kirchhoff
Director of Project Management
In her role as Director of Project Management, Kirchhoff will serve as the hub for what Kramer has described as a “team of teams” that will deliver FIFA World Cup 26™. An Oracle Cerner (previously known as Cerner Corporation) employee since 2001, Kirchhoff began as a Project Manager before becoming a Program Manager and ended her tenure there as Senior Director of Consulting, Engagement Management. In her most recent role she provided executive leadership, strategic planning, operational execution and client relationship and risk mitigation for 100+ healthcare IT project implementations, resulting in $200M+ in revenue per year. As the KC2026 Director of Project Management, Kirchhoff will provide structure and processes for all teams who are responsible for KC2026 projects.
Maria Tretinyak
Event Coordinator
Tretinyak joins KC2026 after graduating from Benedictine College in May. She will be a key part of the day-to-day Host City activities including stakeholder communication, event logistics and coordination with FIFA on project deliverables. She previously served as a Marketing and Events Intern for The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
Shared Resources
KC2026 also announced an agreement with The Kansas City Sports Commission, to provide event services and expertise in support of delivering the FIFA World Cup 26™. The agreement will include leveraging general event support as well as specialized assistance in the areas of communications and accounting.
“We’re excited to remain actively engaged with the KC2026 team, building on our successful bid to bring the global event to Kansas City,” says Kathy Nelson, President and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission. “Every time we do a large sports activation – whether it’s the NFL Draft, an NCAA DI Championship or the Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships – we continue refining best practices, reaffirming partnerships with regional stakeholders and showcasing why Kansas City has earned its place on the world stage.”
In addition to overall support, Elliott Scott, Director, Marketing and Communications, is taking on additional responsibilities as KC2026 Director, Media Relations and Strategy, and Sarah Stanton, Chief Administrative Officer, is supporting KC2026 in finance and administration.
Adam Lewis
Human Rights and Sustainability FUSE Fellow KCMO
Adam Lewis is a FUSE Fellow sponsored by the city of Kansas City, Missouri, to focus on Human Rights and Sustainability. In this current role, Lewis works with the City of Kansas City to ensure that human rights and sustainability measures are reflected in the plans around FIFA World Cup 26™. Previously, Lewis founded and oversaw Street Soccer USA-Portland, served as the Head of Strategy for the United States’ largest athletic club, and led DFSForecast – an innovative fantasy sports start up – through an acquisition as the Chief Operating Officer.