Bailey has a gift for transforming mountains of data into a compelling narrative. As a Senior Business Intelligence Developer, Bailey is a mastermind behind corralling information, cleaning and organizing it, and using it to build visual narratives to support smart decision making across operations, financial management, human resources and marketing.

But Bailey’s career aspirations seemed at risk when she lost her father to a workplace explosion. “It was the summer before my senior year in college,” she recalled.“I had some student loans, and my dad had been helping me cover the difference between loans and what it cost to go to school.”

Not knowing where to turn, Bailey began searching scholarship databases for ideas. That’s when she learned about Kids’ Chance. The scholarship support from Kids’ Chance made it possible for Bailey to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a supply chain concentration from the University of Kansas School of Business. In 2022, she completed an MBA with a concentration in management at the University of Saint Mary.

Bailey relocated to Chicago, where she continues to build a successful career in business intelligence. Her Kids’ Chance experience has stayed with her.

“I kept in touch with Marcia Payne, the Kids’ Chance of Kansas scholarship chair, who had been my liaison with the organization while I was a student,” she said. “Marcia told me about the National Ambassador program and invited me to consider it. She said that Kids’ Chance of Kansas would nominate me, if I was interested. I knew immediately that I wanted to be part of it. I want to inspire as many people as possible to support Kids’ Chance, and I want to give encouragement to the students who rely so much on these scholarships.”

So far, Bailey has participated in a few calls to talk about her new role. Her first in-person presentation will take place at the Kids’ Chance 2026 National Conference in April.

“I hope to use my story to generate support for students like me whose families have been impacted by workplace tragedy,” she said. “I also want to contribute to the amazing sense of community that defines Kids’ Chance. I want to help foster a community that will support students for many generations to come.”

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