Trent joined EnterpriseKC in the fall of 2022 after 3 years at the Kansas Department of Commerce where he served as Chief Strategy Officer and led the Office of Innovation. Prior to Commerce, Trent was the Director of Economic Development for the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce.

Topics of professional focus are strategy development, partnership building, and cluster analysis. Trent earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from Kansas State University and a certificate from Economic Development Institute. Trent is a member of the Kansas State University College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, the NBAF IACUC, past chair of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) Community Liaison Group and past chair of the Johnson Cancer Research Center. Outside of work Trent enjoys taking walks with his wife, visiting his adult children, traveling, wine tasting, and attending live performances and sporting events.

Kaitlyn Downey, a Texas native, joined the Workforce Alliance in the fall of 2022 as the Digital Skills Coordinator, heading the Digital Skills Innovation Project. Ms. Downey’s driving goal is to bring opportunity awareness and support tangible onramps to high quality tech careers specifically among individuals currently underrepresented in the IT sector, including women, people of color and members of our rural communities. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, Ms. Downey also has experience in finance and corporate training. She has fallen in love with the city of Wichita, where she currently resides with her three rescue dogs and adopted cat.