Health Forward Foundation Hires Brian Henke as CFO

Kansas City-based Health Forward Foundation announced Brian Henke as its next chief financial officer. Photo credit: Shutterstock (Song_about_summer).

Posted April 1, 2026

Health Forward Foundation announced Brian Henke as its next chief financial officer.

In his new role, Henke will oversee financial planning, legal and compliance functions, audits, and internal controls, according to a release. He brings over 25 years of experience across nonprofit and for-profit sectors.

Brian Henke is now the chief financial officer at the Health Forward Foundation. Photo credit: Health Forward Foundation.

Before he joined the Health Forward Foundation, Henke most recently served as the chief financial officer and executive vice president of administration for the Kansas City Art Institute for nearly 6 years. Before that, he served as the director of operations at the Kauffman Foundation for more than 3.5 years and as director of finance and operations for Kauffman Scholars for 4 years.

Henke has held several other leadership roles at organizations such as the Missouri Charter Public Schools Association, Outreach International, KIPP KC and Salva O’Renick, according to his LinkedIn profile.

“My career has been focused on educational equity, where I’ve seen firsthand how systemic barriers—rooted in race, income, and geography—limit opportunity. Those experiences have reinforced for me that inequities in education are closely tied to broader challenges like housing, nutrition, and healthcare,” Henke said in the release.

Henke graduated from the University of Missouri and has completed a Leadership Certificate Program at Harvard University.

“His [Henke’s] financial expertise, proven ability to modernize systems, and strategic leadership position him to make an immediate impact,” president and CEO of the Health Forward Foundation, Qiana Thomason, said in the release. “Brian’s experience navigating complex environments and leading high-performing teams will enable us to strengthen our operations and create new opportunities for shared success.”

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Kansas City, the Health Forward Foundation, formally the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, is a non-profit organization that specializes in philanthropic fundraising services. Health Forward Foundation generated over $944 million in assets in 2024, according to its published annual report.