Dr. Troy Nash
The Nash Group Community Foundation, Inc.
"From Section 8 to Systems Change — The Journey That Built the Academy"
Born and Raised in Inner City Kansas City
Dr. Troy Nash's story doesn't begin in a boardroom or a university. It begins in the inner city of Kansas City — in Section 8 housing, where dreams often go to die.
But his mother saw something different. She taught him that stable housing wasn't just about four walls and a roof. It was about dignity. It was about possibility. It was about having a foundation strong enough to build a life on.
A proud product of Kansas City public schools and Wesley College (Class of 1994), Dr. Nash never forgot where he came from. More importantly, he never left. While others who made it out moved on, he chose to stay — to transform his community from within.
"My mother taught me that a stable home changes everything. That lesson became my life's work."
Why He Does This Work
Dr. Nash doesn't do this work because it's a good career. He does it because he remembers.
He remembers what it felt like to wonder if the lights would stay on. He remembers the look on his mother's face when money was short. He remembers classmates who had the same potential he did — but didn't get the same breaks.
Every person still stuck in the cycle he escaped is a reminder that the work isn't done. Every family struggling to keep a roof over their heads is a family that deserves the same chance he got.
He believes — deeply, in his bones — that those who make it out have an obligation to reach back. Not charity. Not pity. But a hand extended to someone climbing the same mountain you once climbed.
"I didn't escape poverty to forget where I came from. I escaped it so I could go back and bring others with me."
The Foundation isn't his job — it's his calling. It's the reason all the degrees, all the positions, all the barriers broken actually mean something. Without this work, those achievements would just be trophies on a shelf. With this work, they become tools to change lives.
Duty. Honor. Community.
Dr. Nash's commitment to service extends far beyond housing. His career has been defined by showing up for his community at every level — from military service to the halls of government.
U.S. Air Force Veteran
Military service taught him discipline, purpose, and the true meaning of serving something larger than yourself.
Kansas City City Council Chairman
Oversaw billions of dollars in economic development initiatives that transformed neighborhoods across Kansas City.
MHDC Vice Chair
Served on the Missouri Housing Development Commission Board, gaining deep insight into the state's affordable housing ecosystem.
University of Missouri Student Curator
His first taste of governance and advocacy — representing student voices at the highest levels of university leadership.
This isn't a resume. It's a roadmap of someone who has spent his entire life understanding how systems work — so he could change them.
Education as Liberation
Education was Dr. Nash's ladder out. Now he builds ladders for others. His academic journey represents more than personal achievement — it's proof that where you start doesn't determine where you finish.
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Saint Louis University — Educational Leadership
Juris Doctor (J.D.)
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
Brown University
Master of Urban Planning (M.U.P.)
University of Southern California, Price School of Public Policy
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
University of Missouri-Kansas City, Henry W. Bloch School of Management
Master of Arts in Political Science (M.A.)
University of Missouri-Kansas City, College of Arts and Sciences
Master of Arts in Economics (M.A.)
University of Missouri-Kansas City, College of Arts and Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Economics (B.S.)
Wesley College, Dover, Delaware
Master of Science in Data Analytics and Policy (M.S.)
Johns Hopkins University, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (In Progress)
Today, Dr. Nash serves as Director of the Lewis White Real Estate Center at UMKC's Henry W. Bloch School of Management — teaching the next generation of real estate professionals while continuing to learn himself.
A Glass Ceiling Shattered
He didn't break this barrier for recognition. He broke it to prove it was possible — so that the next generation would believe it was possible for them too.
The methodology that broke this barrier — the discipline, the persistence, the strategic thinking — is now systematized in the From Struggle to Success Academy. What took him a lifetime to figure out, the Academy teaches in months.
Each One, Teach One
Before Dr. Nash completed his own education, he was already lifting others. This isn't just a philosophy — it's how he's lived his entire life.
Brothers First
Helped his older brothers enroll in college before completing his own education.
Mother's GED
Enrolled his mother in school and helped her earn her GED.
Reach Back
Transformation was never about himself alone — it was always about bringing others along.
"I couldn't enjoy my own success while my family was still struggling. Lifting them lifted me."
This philosophy — each one, teach one — is embedded in every course at the Academy. Success isn't measured by individual achievement. It's measured by how many others you bring with you.
From Personal Journey to Public Mission
The Nash Group Community Foundation exists for one reason: to systematize the escape from poverty.
The Academy's 8 domains — Housing, Health, Economic Mobility, Education, Technology, Civic Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Purpose — didn't come from a textbook. They came from Dr. Nash's lived experience across all of them. Every barrier he faced. Every system he navigated. Every breakthrough he achieved.
This isn't charity. This is systems change. It's taking what one family figured out over four generations and making it available to thousands.
"This isn't theory. This is lived experience turned into a system. The Academy exists because we refuse to let zip codes determine destinies."
Partner With Dr. Nash
Whether you want to support the Foundation's mission, explore partnership opportunities, or book Dr. Nash for a speaking engagement — we'd love to hear from you.