Where girls are leaders
Find your true awesomeness at Madam President Camp, a leadership and civic engagement development program for middle school girls looking for a supportive environment to learn and grow as leaders!
KCTV: Madam President Camp Interview
Madam President Camp offers girls the opportunity to learn about their gifts and talents and to explore how to use their abilities to become authentic, powerful leaders in their communities and, ultimately, the world.
our mission & history
Our mission is to inspire all girls to use their voice to become leaders in their communities now and in the future.
Madam President Camp was founded in 2012 by women leaders Dr. Lee Smithson Burd, and Pam Kelley, a Kansas City businesswoman.
In 2011, Lee attended her daughter’s “princess camp” recital at school. As the girls strolled across the stage in their elaborate, pink princess costumes, Lee was struck by wanting her daughter to receive a more empowering message that would encourage her to dream big and to see her tremendous value in this world. Knowing our world needs more powerful female leaders, Lee began searching for an alternative way to inspire girls. Lee reached out to Pam and together they conceptualized a “Madam President Camp”.
Team Madam President Camp
Lee Smithson Burd, PhD
FOUNDER
Dr. Smithson Burd has her PhD in psychology. She conducted research on child development and identified the learning targets for the girls. She is a business psychologist with CMA, a management consulting firm, and mother of two children.
Pam Kelley
CO-FOUNDER
Ms. Kelley was a senior sales executive with New Line Cinema and Time Warner before retiring to work on the Camp full time. When not working on the Camp, she is at a Chiefs game!