FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Elliott Scott
KC2026 Names Julie Lorenz, a Principal with 1898 & Co., as Senior Advisor for Transportation
KANSAS CITY, MO (June 4, 2024) – KC2026, the nonprofit organization serving as the local organizing committee for FIFA World Cup 26™, has named Julie Lorenz, a principal consultant with 1898 & Co., part of Burns & McDonnell, Senior Advisor for Transportation.
Lorenz brings over 25 years of expertise in transportation to KC2026. In 2019 she was appointed Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and Director of the Kansas Turnpike Authority. During her tenure there, Lorenz launched the Kansas Infrastructure Hub in support of IIJA, spearheaded the development and passage of the $10 billion Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program and led the Kansas Recovery Office, responsible for administering over $1 billion in CARES Act COVID-19 relief funding in six months. Following her time leading KDOT, Lorenz joined 1898 & Co., the business and technology consulting arm of Burns & McDonnell. Recently she was appointed as a Commissioner for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, representing Johnson County, Kansas.
“As a longtime member of the Kansas City region, I’m proud to join the team in charge of executing the largest sporting event in this region’s history,” says Lorenz. “The transportation needs of this project are considerable, and I look forward to leveraging my experience in both the public and private sectors to deliver robust transportation plans.”
In her role as Senior Advisor for Transportation, Lorenz will support KC2026 delivery of a best-in-class, distinctly Kansas City experience for FIFA World Cup 26™. Additionally, Lorenz will work with the transportation team so that opportunities to produced sustained, long-term impact for the region are considered in transportation planning.
“Julie’s record showcases her ability to collaborate and lead across the region and to bring together key stakeholders to produce results,” says Karen Daniel, Board President of KC2026. “We are fortunate to have a proven leader in the transportation space guiding development and execution as we move forward in the planning process.”
For more information about KC2026 and FIFA World Cup 26™ click here.
About KC2026
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. Learn more at www.KansasCityFWC26.com
About Greater Kansas City
Home to 2.5 million people, Kansas City is a vibrant metro in the heart of the U.S., known as the “KC Heartland.” An all-new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport welcomes guests by air, while 85% of the U.S. is less than a two-day drive away. The region’s red-hot sports culture is embraced every season, headlined by the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City, and the National Women’s Soccer League’s Kansas City Current.
Home to renowned arts and culture, experience live entertainment in Downtown Kansas City’s Power & Light District, as well as 40 jazz clubs throughout the area. Find food from James Beard award-winning chefs and sample true KC tradition at more than 100 barbecue restaurants across the metro. Dive into some of the country’s most significant historical moments at KC’s treasured institutions, from the National WWI Museum and Memorial and the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum. Learn more at www.KC.org.
About FIFA World Cup 26™
FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the biggest sporting event ever, with three Host Countries, 16 Host Cities, 48 teams and 104 matches uniting an entire continent to showcase a momentous new tournament format. With more countries, cities, teams, and games, FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the most inclusive tournament ever, engaging millions of fans across 16 unique stadiums and billions worldwide. The tournament will take place in June and July 2026. For the latest FIFA World Cup 26™ information please visit the FIFA World Cup 26™ website. For media representatives wishing to stay up-to-date on all things 2026, please register via the FIFA Media Hub.
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