Tahir Atwater (he/him), Executive Director
Tahir Atwater is the Executive Director of the Midwest Innocence Project, an organization dedicated to freeing innocent people in prison and transforming the systems that allow wrongful convictions. His personal and professional mission is to build and support equity and belonging in every space he enters.
Tahir’s career has been grounded in advancing equity through nonprofit leadership, with a focus on community-rooted strategies, intentional outreach, and relationship-driven organizational growth. His work reflects a commitment to building trust, deepening access, and moving institutions toward greater inclusivity and accountability.
Before joining MIP, Tahir served as Director of Donor and Volunteer Engagement at Jackson County CASA, where he led efforts to grow and diversify the organization’s supporter base while embedding equity into fundraising and outreach strategies. CASA’s vision is to ensure every child who has experienced abuse or neglect and is involved with Jackson County Family Court finds a safe, permanent home.
Prior to CASA, Tahir worked at Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City, where he began his nonprofit career as a case manager—a pivotal move from the corporate sector into the nonprofit world he had come to love through years of dedicated volunteer work. He later joined BBBSKC’s recruitment team, where he helped lead the organization’s DEIB initiatives, focusing on outreach strategies that deepened community partnerships and expanded access for underrepresented youth and families.
Tahir remains a volunteer advocate with Jackson County CASA and has a longstanding commitment to organizations that support healing, learning, and equity for people navigating adversity.
He has contributed to regional leadership efforts, previously serving as Co-Chair of KC Rising’s DEI Advisory Committee and as a member of the Racial Equity Institute–KC Community Advisory Board. He currently serves on the Nonprofit Connect Board of Directors.
Tahir lives in Kansas City with his wife—his high school sweetheart and a librarian extraordinaire—and their dog, Domino. When he’s not working or volunteering, they’re often out with friends, catching a horror flick or stand-up show, or trying (with limited success) to keep Domino off the furniture.