The University of Missouri-Kansas City is proud to announce its May 2026 Commencement speakers. Each is renowned in their fields.

Kameron Saunders (B.F.A.), the 2026 º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Conservatory Alumni Achievement Award winner, is an accomplished choreographer and dancer. Saunders’ charisma, stage presence and joyful performance as a backup dancer on the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour made him a viral fan favorite and led to worldwide popularity.

Amy Patel (BLA ’10/M.D. ’11), the 2026 º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Alumna of the Year, is a nationally recognized advocate for breast health and equitable access to care. Patel is a medical director and clinical associate radiology professor, and has served as president or chair of numerous healthcare boards. She has been recognized with numerous accolades; in 2022, her advocacy and fandom for the Kansas City Chiefs earned her a nomination for the NFL Fan of the Year.

º£½ÇÂÛ̳ will celebrate the Class of 2026 during three ceremonies on May 16 at the T-Mobile Center. Saunders will be the speaker for the 10 a.m. ceremony recognizing his fellow alumni from the º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Conservatory, along with the School of Science and Engineering. Saunders began his formal training at the Center of Creative Arts in his hometown of St. Louis before continuing his studies at the º£½ÇÂÛ̳.

His dynamic career includes work with celebrated artists including Alonzo King, Matthew Rushing, Chloe Arnold, Ava Bernstine-Mitchell, Sean Bankhead, Fatima Robinson, Ken Page, Danielle Polanco, Martha Nichols and many others. His choreographic achievements include the Princess Grace Award for his piece “Black in Time” created for the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, being selected as the choreographer for the Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Works competition and being selected as one of eight choreographers worldwide for the Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship at Jacob’s Pillow.

In addition to his choreography career, Saunders has built an impressive performing career with performances in award shows and films including “Spirited” and “The Color Purple,” a guest appearance on the CBS sitcom “Poppa’s House” and touring with artists including Swift, Chappell Roan and Lizzo.

This spring, Saunders is set to premiere a new piece for the English National Ballet at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London.

Patel will speak at the 2 p.m. ceremony recognizing her fellow alumni in the º£½ÇÂÛ̳ School of Medicine, along with the schools of Nursing and Health Studies, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Law. She will also speak at the 6 p.m. ceremony recognizing graduates of the Henry W. Bloch School of Management as well as the schools of Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences.

A board-certified radiologist specializing in breast imaging, Patel serves as medical director of The Breast Care Center at Liberty Hospital, part of The University of Kansas Health System. She is also an associate member of The University of Kansas Cancer Center. In addition, Patel serves as a clinical associate professor of radiology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Patel has built a career that blends clinical excellence, academic leadership and public advocacy to improve breast cancer detection and outcomes.

Beyond her clinical work, Patel is deeply involved in advancing the profession of radiology and supporting the next generation of physicians. She is a past president of the American Association for Women in Radiology, where she has championed the recruitment and mentorship of women in the field. She also contributes to shaping the future of radiology communication as associate editor of digital media for the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Her research focuses on breast health policy and equity, digital breast tomosynthesis and artificial intelligence. She has authored or co-authored 43 peer-reviewed manuscripts and case reports.

Patel is widely recognized for her leadership in health policy and advocacy. She serves as chair of the American College of Radiology Association Radiology Advocacy Network and sits on the steering committee of the American Cancer Society National Breast Cancer Roundtable, part of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Her advocacy helped pass major legislation in Missouri that expanded insurance coverage for screening and diagnostic breast imaging, including annual mammography beginning at age 40 and eliminating co-pays and deductibles for diagnostic imaging. For her efforts to close gaps in breast care access, she has received numerous honors, including being the first woman, and youngest, recipient of the Howard Fleishon MD Advocate of the Year Award from the American College of Radiology, the Kansas City Medical Society’s Patient and Community Advocate Award, and recognition as a 2024 KC 40 Under 40 by Ingram's Magazine and as Radiology Business Magazine’s 40 under 40.