Listen now, and learn how Secretary Sebelius is an innovative leader in Kansas.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Prior to joining the University of Kansas faculty, she was a research economist and associate policy adviser in the regional group of the Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta from 2000 to 2002 and taught at Washington University from 1997 to 2000 and Southern Methodist University from 1995 to 1997.

Her major fields of study are scientific labor markets, gender differences in employment outcomes, wage inequality, science policy, and investments in children.

A native of Wisconsin, Dr. Ginther received her doctorate in economics in 1995, master's degree in economics in 1991, and bachelor of arts in economics in 1987, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Listen now, and learn how Donna is an innovative leader in Kansas.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

At Wesley Theological Seminary, she has completed both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry degree, the latter focused on the applications of human-centered design thinking for congregational flourishing. At Wesley, she creates new initiatives, partnerships and experiments to help students and the church live into God’s dream for the world; has launched and manages several programs focused on innovation with emerging generations and congregational thriving; and oversees strategic planning and marketing.

Her career path has included teaching English at a university in China, working for U.S. Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts, directing programs at a national nonprofit, working in admissions at Wesley, and serving global United Methodist collegiate ministries. She is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. She is passionate about empowering young adults in leadership and revitalizing ministry.

Listen now, and learn how Beth is an innovative leader in Kansas.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

She previously served as KHI’s vice president for policy and led the organization’s policy activities, business operations and strategic planning. Prior to KHI, Kari held executive leadership roles in the health and human services sector of state government. She served as secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and as the director of the Division of Health Care Finance at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. She also served eight years in government affairs at The University of Kansas Hospital and four years in Washington, D.C., as a congressional staffer.

Kari currently serves on the board of directors for the National Network of Public Health Institutes and for Midland Care and is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board for the Healthcare Institute for Innovations in Quality.

Listen now, and learn how Kari is an innovative leader in Kansas.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

He is entering his fourth year of service as a senator and his second year as senate majority leader. He became the youngest person to serve in either position.

In this episode, he discusses his journey into politics and how being a young senator has brought a new perspective to the Senate. He also discusses his focus on child health issues for this session.

Listen now, and learn how Senator Blasi is an innovative leader in Kansas.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Dr. Younglove understands the battle with obesity.  She began her struggles with excess weight in adolescence.  Prior to getting her degree in Obesity Medicine, she gained and lost the same forty pounds at least twenty times.  She is also a busy single mother of three boys and understands how tempting it is to forego healthy foods in order to get something on the table between school, work, and obligations.  She brings her own personal life experience into the exam room along with her medical knowledge.  Dr. Younglove has a passion for living a healthy life and believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to live a life of wellness: physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Dr. Younglove is board-certified in both Obesity Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology. She recently earned her fellowship in the Obesity Medicine Association – a designation earned by only 70 people so far.  She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Kansas in 1997 and her Doctor of Medicine from The University of Kansas School of Medicine four years later. She has practiced medicine in the greater Kansas City area for over 18 years and has practiced Obesity Medicine since 2015. During the course of her career, Dr. Younglove has received many awards, including being named one of the “Best Doctors in America” for five years, as featured in the Kansas City Business Journal.

Stanek holds a graduate certificate in population health from Thomas Jefferson University, an MBA from Alfred University (NY) and a Bachelor of Science degree in health information management from the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, Utica, New York. She is also a Fellow of  the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, and is a Registered Health Information Administrator. 

Prior to her role with the State Employee Health Benefits Plan, Stanek spent more than 35 years in various health care leadership positions in Pennsylvania, western New York and Kansas, including 21 years of her career at Stormont Vail Health Topeka where she last served as chief operating officer and senior vice president. While with Stormont Vail, she oversaw a wide array of clinical and non-clinical functions and departments, as well as the strategic selection and rollout of a sophisticated electronic health record system across the region. Her most recent work involved focusing on population health, accountable care organization development and the transition to value-based care delivery. 

Listen now, and learn how Secretary Stanek is an innovative leader in health care.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

He has worked on reform of diagnostic testing oversight, drug shortages, helped lead a coalition in 2016 that authored a landscape report on drug development challenges in pediatric cancer, and led another coalition in 2017 that created a report and recommendations focused on overcoming cancer clinical trial enrollment barriers. He is currently the principal investigator on a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of a new clinical trial screening tool.

Throughout his work, Mark has striven to incorporate patient perspectives into inherently science-based issues, advocating for the inclusion of patients as partners throughout the bench to bedside translation of science. He holds a PhD in bioengineering from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland, conducted post-doctoral research at MIT, and previous policy experience includes time as a staffer to a U.S senator.

Listen now, and learn how Mark is an innovative leader in health care.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Jodi is a past president of the National Rural Health Association and representative to the American Hospital Association’s Small and Rural Hospital Governing Council; past Chair of the Kansas Hospital Education and Research Foundation and member of the Kansas Hospital Association’s Rural Emergency Hospital task force; and Sunflower Health Plan’s rural and community advisory boards. 

Listen now, and learn how Jodi is an innovative leader in health care.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Prior to founding Equum Medical, he served as Medical Director of eHealth at New York Medical College where he introduced multiple acute care telehealth programs with the eICU/Philips program achieving highest ranking in quality in the nation for three years in a row. Scurlock’s program growth extended to new care areas, including tele-sitter, where he was responsible for the implementation and operation of a system generating over 250,000 hours of monitoring. His pioneering work in virtual care helped scale Hicuity Health (Advanced ICU Care) tele-ICU service with multiple monitoring centers and physicians directly reporting to him. Before becoming involved in telemedicine, Dr. Scurlock was active in academic medicine serving as the Director of the CVICU at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Manhattan.

Listen now, and learn how Dr. Scurlock is an innovative leader in health care.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Kansas, which spurred his passion for environmental health issues and a master’s in public health with a concentration in public health administration from the University of Kansas Medical Center. 

Past volunteer roles include treasurer and president-elect for the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and the chair of the Olathe Housing Authority Board.

Listen now, and learn how Ryan is an innovative leader in health care.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Between 2008 and 2010, he served as a senior advisor on national health reform to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. During that time, he worked on the development and passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Between 2003 and 2008, he served as executive director of Health Care for All, Massachusetts' leading consumer health advocacy organization, where he played a key role in passage and implementation of the 2006 Massachusetts health reform law. Between 1998 and 2003, he was an associate professor at the Heller School at Brandeis University and a senior associate at the Schneider Institute for Health Policy. From 1985 to 1997, he served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he co-chaired the Joint Committee on Health Care.

His articles have appeared in Health Affairs, the New England Journal of Medicine and other journals. He also has authored three books.

He received a doctorate in public health in 1996 from the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan and a master's in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 1990.

Listen now, and learn how John is an innovative leader in health care.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Prior to Undue, Eva was a leader in the health advocacy community for over a decade. During her tenure, she collaborated with national coalition partners to advance health care affordability priorities. Eva also coordinated efforts to support health advocates and community partners advancing a health equity agenda that addresses social determinants of health, including economic security. 

Eva holds a Ph.D. in social policy from Brandeis University and a master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. 

Listen now, and learn how Eva is an innovative leader in health care.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

He served as the first-ever executive director of the Kansas Black Leadership Council (KBLC) in 2024-25.

The statewide organization was established 10 years ago to advance meaningful change for Black or African Americans living in Kansas. KBLC works to empower Black communities through civic engagement, leadership development and community advocacy.

Prior to KBLC, Mark spent two years at the ACLU of Kansas as deputy director of strategic affairs and as communications director and nine years as the CEO of The Kansas African American Museum. He also served as director of communications for the Kansas Leadership Center and worked as a writer for The Wichita Eagle and the Louisville Courier-Journal.

In this episode, he discusses his journey into storytelling, how journalism has changed, how a lack of access to health care impacts communities, the need for storytelling to open people’s hearts, and much more!

Listen now, and learn how Mark is an innovative leader in Kansas.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Before co-founding PerryUndem in 2013, Mike was a partner for 16 years at the national polling firm Lake Research Partners. 

Through public opinion research, Mike seeks to bring the voice of those most affected by today’s issues into the policymaking process. He works mainly with nonprofit organizations and foundations and has briefed members of Congress, White House officials, state-elected officials, journalists, activities and others on his findings.

He works on a wide variety of social issues but specializes in health care research. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern California.

In this episode, he discusses recent research he conducted in Kansas and nationally that reveals what is most challenging to families raising young children right now and what public programs they find most valuable.

Listen now, and learn how Mike is an innovative leader in health care research.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

In this episode, Karen discusses growing up on a farm in Kansas before graduating from nursing school and joining the Air Force for 30 years.

She shares about her time as a military nurse, including overseeing some of the U.S. Department of Defense’s largest maternal child units and serving as a flight nurse.

She also discusses her role and the efforts of the School of Nursing-Salina Campus and recent research she has conducted on rural and maternal health.

Listen now, and learn how Karen is a pioneering leader in health care in Kansas.

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

As executive director of SENT Inc., he has been instrumental in guiding the organization through critical transitions. Under his leadership, SENT is on track to see a projected $2.5 million in revenue for 2025 and has served thousands of individuals through mental health services, housing initiatives, education, and health and wellness programs.

He is passionate about holistic community development and has played a pivotal role in launching and scaling key projects, such as SENT Prep Academy in 2021, Mental Health Services in 2022, the Southside Filling Station in 2023, the Southside Wellness Clinic in 2025, the Fremont Hill Development beginning in 2025, and a workforce development program aimed at at-risk populations planned for 2025. He spearheaded the successful completion of 29 affordable housing units and led the development of the first new homes in the Hi-Crest area in over 60 years. His leadership has earned SENT Inc. the 2024 Topeka Center for Justice and Peace Organization of the Year Award, and the organization has been recognized as one of 30 grassroots leaders in health equity by the Kansas Health Foundation.

With a blend of leadership, strategic foresight, and a deep passion for social equity, he continues to influence positive change in Topeka and beyond. He has been recognized as one of Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40 and received the prestigious Living the Dream MLK Jr. Wayne L. Franklin Religion Award. 

Johnathan’s impact continues to be felt in every project he leads, as he works tirelessly to build sustainable and inclusive communities.

Listen now, and learn how Johnathan is a pioneering leader in improving the health and lives of Kansans. 

For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Ep. 28: Dr. Beth Oller is a family medicine physician at Rooks County Health Center in Plainville, Kansas.

She graduated from Wesley Family Medicine Residency in Wichita and has pursued clinical interests in maternal and child care, quality improvement, and rural medicine/access to care.

In this episode, she discusses her journey into health care and the decision to become a physician after working as a nurse. 

She also discusses her decision to practice in a rural area and the challenges that face rural health care and rural providers, plus much more!

Listen now, and learn how Dr. Oller is a pioneering leader in rural health care. 

Forw more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

Audé Negrete serves as the executive director of the Kansas Latino Community Network, an organization that works to improve health equity by empowering Latinos through nonpartisan civic engagement, leadership development and coalition building.

Audé’s passion for civic engagement began at her grandmother’s kitchen table when she was 7 years old. The moment Audé learned to read, her grandmother started asking her to read the newspaper every Sunday while cooking and eating breakfast. Current events, politics and even sad news articles were part of her weekend routine with her grandmother, where she began to understand the importance of civic engagement and how it impacts our communities. 

She has carried that passion throughout her career, first interning in college for the Honorable Delia Garcia at the Kansas State House in 2007. She helped promote Latino civic engagement, assisted with policy at the Kansas Legislature and helped with Latina Leadership events at the Capitol. 

After graduating from college, she began working in political campaigns in Kansas. She even went on to serve as the Kansas state director for a presidential campaign, where she led statewide campaign operations and achieved significant success through strategic planning and effective team management.

In between her roles on political campaigns, she gained experience as a community organizer, working for CASA de Maryland. She recruited and trained volunteers, as well as advanced community advocacy efforts. 

​Upon leaving campaign work, Audé began a position at El Centro Inc., where she expanded office operations, developed outreach programs and managed volunteers. 

She then joined the private sector, where she managed a bilingual team providing online content and online marketing services to Latino businesses. 

​She then became executive director of the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission, serving as a vital liaison between the Hispanic community and the governor’s office. They addressed health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and implemented culturally relevant programs. She then served as a community partnerships and engagement consultant at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, enhancing community-led health initiatives before launching the Kansas Latino Community Network.

He also has authored two books that center on alcoholism – one a family memoir of growing up in an alcoholic home and one about his own story of addiction.

In this episode, he discusses his journey into broadcasting and the various paths his career has taken – including as the press secretary for former Kansas Gov. Bill Graves.

Today, he is semi-retired but hosts a live daily radio talk show/podcast created to foster critical thinking and writes a column for his local newspaper, The Manhattan Mercury.

Haley, a proud Kansas native born in Wichita, oversees Kansas Appleseed’s anti-hunger advocacy and economic justice work across the state. 

She engages with Kansans in anti-hunger advocacy, leading grassroots campaigns and making the case for change through policy and legislative action. Her fight for justice is rooted in a devotion to equity and fairness for all. 

In this episode, she discusses what food insecurity means and food-assistance programs that are available. 

She highlights the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, and how it’s the most effective way to address food insecurity in Kansas and across the country.

She shares how current proposed legislation poses substantial threats to the program and could terminate benefits for millions of people and further strain state budgets.

Listen now, and learn more about Haley’s journey into advocacy and her efforts to improve access to food for Kansas families.

Brenda Sharpe has more than 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has served as President and CEO of the REACH Healthcare Foundation since 2004. As the Foundation’s first CEO, she helped define the organization’s grantmaking priorities and processes and established an effective governance structure. Brenda’s extensive experience allows her to leverage her skills to strengthen the leadership and governance capacity of organizations, institutions, and systems to support resilient people and communities. Since 2005, REACH has awarded a total of $83.5M to bridge the health insurance coverage divide, close the health equity gap, and strengthen the region’s health and human services safety net.

Brenda’s unwavering commitment to the community is most evident in her tireless efforts to ensure all individuals have access to affordable and equitable healthcare services. This dedication has led her to take on key roles supporting Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s efforts to expand Medicaid in that state, as well as supporting its implementation in Missouri. Brenda serves as an appointee to the Kansas State Board of Nursing, charged with assuring safe and competent practice by the state’s 70,000+ nurses and mental health practitioners. Over the course of her career, she has accepted numerous state and local appointments and served on national and local Boards, including Grantmakers in Health, MOSAIC Life Care, and the United Way.

Brenda’s recent appointment to the Kansas City Federal Reserve Community Development Advisory Council is a testament to her ongoing commitment to equitable growth and development opportunities for marginalized communities. In this role, she provides insights into the economic development challenges faced by low- to moderate-income communities. She also remains active in civic life, serving as a Trustee with both the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Johnson County Community College Foundation. In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, Brenda was appointed to the Johnson County, KS, Charter Commission, tasked with reviewing and making recommendations to voters on county government operations once a decade.

Brenda is most proud of her high-performing team of diverse professionals and thought leaders who provide best practice stewardship of the foundation’s approximately $150 million in assets. She credits this currently all-woman staff and a talented and passionate Board of Directors with making REACH a great place to work and knowing that their collective work makes a difference. Together, they are on a mission to create more just and equitable systems of healthcare for all people.

Antonio (Ton) Mirás Neira was born and raised in Galicia, Spain. He studied sign language interpretation at the Universidade de Vigo and graduated with a specialized degree in the psychosociology of the Deaf community and interpretation for the Deaf-Blind. He worked actively as an interpreter with the Deaf and Deaf-Blind community and became an official sign-language interpreter for the Spanish Parliament. He taught non-verbal communication and body expression at the University of Vigo, in collaboration with the university's Dramatic Arts department.

In 2012, Mirás Neira moved to the U.S. and began working as a Community Health Worker (CHW) with KC CARE Health Center. His enterprising work with patients in the emergency room at University of Kansas Hospital earned him the honor of KC CARE Health Center’s Employee of the Year for 2015.

Since 2016, he has been supervising a team of CHWs whose focus has been to assist the underserved population in Wyandotte County by empowering patients to get access to care and to address social needs among the African American, Refugee and Latino communities.

Mirás Neira has been the Co-Chair of the Kansas Community Health Worker Coalition for three years, empowering other CHWs across Kansas, promoting education for CHWs and networking with different programs within the state.

Currently, he is the Project Manager of the COPE project at The University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) and is currently managing 60 CHWs in 20 different counties throughout Kansas to address clients’ social determinants of health. Mirás Neira has developed and taught CHW and Supervisory training for his employees and co-designed a tailored database for CHWs to capture their outcomes and successes.

After leading the Kansas Department of Transportation for four years, Julie joined 1898 & Co., the business and technology consulting arm of Burns & McDonnell, where she serves as a senior managing consultant. With more than 25 years of experience, she’s known as a national leader in policy development, collaboration and implementing vision initiatives.

Julie was appointed Secretary of KDOT and Director of the Kansas Turnpike Authority in January 2019. While at KDOT, she 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. She was honored to receive the George S. Bartlett Award for leading development of a national vision for transportation for state DOTs, which was unanimously approved by all 52 state and territory departments of transportation in October 2022.

Julie was appointed as a Commissioner for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, representing Johnson County, Kansas in 2024. She received a 2024 Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Regional Leadership Award for “exemplary leadership at KDOT, advancement of regional transportation goals and commitment to engaging local governments in positively transforming the systems that form the backbone of our economies and communities”.

With the need to move the vision of the Kansas Water Plan to implementation, Governor Kelly’s administration engaged Julie and her team to support the development of an additional funding package proposal, draft new water policies and programs and streamline existing water programs and services. Julie has led statewide engagement in all regions of the state with public and private stakeholders, and facilitated investment scenario tradeoff discussions to build understanding of the interconnected nature of water in the state where the Ogalla aquifer is rapidly being depleted but is needed for irrigation and to support the agriculture economy.

Julie recognized the need for and led the development of the first statewide infrastructure hub in the US to support generational infrastructure investment opportunities through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grants. The Kansas Infrastructure Hub brings state agencies, including water programs, together to collaborate on and match community needs and grant opportunities. The Hub also provides a clearinghouse of resources to help Kansas communities and organizations make the most of federal grants available under BIL.

Lorenz holds a master's degree in organizational planning and bachelor's degrees in business administration and psychology.

Inseparable is the only mental health advocacy organization focused on building a social movement with the power to win major federal and state reforms that will save lives and improve care for millions of Americans.

Inseparable recognizes that the health of our minds is inseparable from the health of our bodies. The organization sees that the rise in mental health issues, stigmas surrounding mental illness, and the lack of durable funding to address crises and long-term challenges has created an urgent need for stronger policy & funding solutions and greater understanding.

Inseparable knows that we all go through hard times. We lose jobs and loved ones. We get anxious and depressed. We feel like we’re barely hanging on sometimes. For some, it’s clinical. For all of us, it matters. And when we care for our minds, it’s no less urgent than the care we need for our bodies. Each affects the other — just like us. Together, we are inseparable.

Established in 2020, Inseparable is a growing coalition of people from across the country who share a common goal to fundamentally improve mental health care policy — to take care of ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities. The organization fights for a future where mental health policy, no longer an afterthought, helps our country thrive.

Kathleen Daughety has over 15 years of experience in campaigns, strategic planning, project management, and stakeholder engagement across the political, private, and tech sectors. To Inseparable, Kathleen brings an undefeated electoral record; a keen interest in mental health, addiction abatement, and suicide prevention; and a commitment to making mental health an urgent priority for elected officials.

Kathleen began her career in Kansas politics, campaigning to elect Governor Kathleen Sebelius twice. She continued her career with the Democratic Governors Association, Governor Jay Nixon (MO), U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (CO), and Priorities USA, setting fundraising records in three states. Kathleen also spent several years in in the private sector, helping to launch the Women’s eCommerce Network at Liberty Media and McDelivery at Uber Eats, as well as, founding Well Technologies, a startup that aimed to leverage behavioral science and technology to help users achieve healthier alcohol use.

Kathleen serves on the NYC leadership board of Moms Demand Action, a grassroots movement to end gun violence; the junior board of Shatterproof, a nonprofit dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis; and as a counselor for CrisisText. Kathleen holds a BA from the University of Kansas and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. A native of Kansas, Kathleen resides in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and baby daughter.

Jim McLean is the Senior Reporter of Kansas News Service, where he directs a team of editors and reporters covering education, health and politics for public radio stations across Kansas. McLean also serves as Executive Editor of the KHI News Service, where he oversees the editorially independent initiative of the Kansas Health Institute.  KHI News Services is part of a network of state-based news organizations dedicated to providing in-depth reporting on health and health policy issues. From 2005 until 2013, McLean coordinated all communications activities at KHI as Vice President for Public Affairs.

Prior to coming to KHI, McLean had a distinguished career as a journalist, serving as the news director and Statehouse bureau chief for Kansas Public Radio and a managing editor for the Topeka Capital-Journal.

During his more than 20 years in Kansas journalism, McLean won numerous awards for journalistic excellence from the Kansas Press Association, regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Kansas Association of Broadcasters.

In 1997, McLean and two Capital-Journal colleagues received the Burton W. Marvin News Enterprise Award from the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism for a series of stories on the state’s business climate.

McLean holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washburn University.

Ashley All is an experienced communication strategist and advocate serving as President of the Kansas Coalition for Common Sense since May 2023, where the focus is on empowering Kansas voters through research-based messaging. 

Previously, Ashley held key roles including Senior Advisor at Families United for Freedom, Director of Communications for Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, and Communications Director for Governor Laura Kelly. 

With a Master of Science in Strategic Communication from Columbia University and dual Bachelor degrees in Journalism and Religion from The University of Kansas, Ashley combines educational expertise with a robust professional background in advocacy and communication.

Justin Duncan serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Washington County Ambulance District. Chief Duncan holds a Bachelor of Science in EMS Administration and is currently a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership degree.

Chief Duncan has a long history in EMS, serving as both a ground and air EMS Clinician. He obtained numerous certifications and designations, including the following: Nationally Registered Paramedic, Missouri Licensed Paramedic, Board-Certified Critical Care Paramedic and Board-Certified Flight Paramedic.

Given Chief Duncan’s history of dedication to healthcare and passion for education, his career naturally progressed into both education and leadership. He has served as an EMS instructor, a line level supervisor, department manager, regional director, and now Chief Executive Officer.

In addition to overseeing Washington County Ambulance District, Chief Duncan serves as the President of the Missouri EMS Association (MEMSA), is a Board Member for the Missouri EMS Agent Corporation, and a member of the National EMS Management Association.

Chief Duncan has endeavored to maintain both breadth and depth in all his healthcare pursuits. He is a life-long advocate for EMS professionals, an ardent supporter of education, and is constantly looking for new ways to bring innovative therapies into the prehospital setting. He is particularly passionate about mobile integrated healthcare systems and the study of mechanical ventilation.

Above all else, Chief Duncan is a dedicated servant leader and strives to support those who take care of the ill and injured.

Dr. Younglove understands the battle with obesity.  She began her struggles with excess weight in adolescence.  Prior to getting her degree in Obesity Medicine, she gained and lost the same forty pounds at least twenty times.  She is also a busy single mother of three boys and understands how tempting it is to forego healthy foods in order to get something on the table between school, work, and obligations.  She brings her own personal life experience into the exam room along with her medical knowledge.  Dr. Younglove has a passion for living a healthy life and believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to live a life of wellness: physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Dr. Younglove is board-certified in both Obesity Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology. She recently earned her fellowship in the Obesity Medicine Association – a designation earned by only 70 people so far.  She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Kansas in 1997 and her Doctor of Medicine from The University of Kansas School of Medicine four years later. She has practiced medicine in the greater Kansas City area for over 18 years and has practiced Obesity Medicine since 2015. During the course of her career, Dr. Younglove has received many awards, including being named one of the “Best Doctors in America” for five years, as featured in the Kansas City Business Journal.

Sonja Armbruster has an insatiable curiosity about how we can improve public health practice. She seeks new ways to learn, practice, think and do. Her interests include quality improvement, public health agency performance improvement, health policy, public health workforce development, community health assessment, health communication, and public health accreditation.

Her work focuses on providing training and technical assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments through her role as a performance improvement consultant for the Public Health Foundation. She also supports facilitation and training experiences for several health-related audiences. She continues to connect the worlds of academic public health and the practice community through her more than ten years of service to the Midwestern Public Health Training Center. Through her work with Wichita State University’s Center for Public Health Initiatives, she provides training and technical assistance to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and local health departments across Kansas. Sonja has been teaching and facilitating meetings or training experiences for over 25 years. She taught graduate and undergraduate courses for Wichita State University’s Public Health Sciences Department for five years. Prior to joining the faculty, she was the founding director of the Center for Public Health Initiatives at Wichita State University’s Community Engagement Institute.

Her public health career includes ten years of service in various roles at the Sedgwick County Health Department, last serving as the Division Director for Community Health Planning and Performance Improvement. Sonja has been a Kansas Public Health Association member since 2001, served as president of KPHA in 2009, and has intermittently served on the board as an ex-officio member, Policy Committee Chair, Conference Committee Co-chair, and other support roles. From 2021-2022, she served as president of Oral Health Kansas’s board of directors. She currently serves as Program Associate for the Wichita State University Community Engagement Institute; Performance Management and Quality Improvement Consultant for the Public Health Foundation; and as a Public Health Consultant with Armbruster Consulting LLC.

Her formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and a Master of Arts in Communication, both from Wichita State University.

Anne Dwyer is an Associate Research Professor of the Practice at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families (CCF). Her research and policy work focuses on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) including issues related to behavioral health.  

Prior to joining CCF, Anne served as Senior Health Counsel for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee leading the Medicaid, CHIP, and women’s health portfolio. During her time with the committee, she was directly involved in major health legislation including reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, passage of the American Rescue Plan, and multiple year-end bills advancing Medicaid and children’s health.  

Anne has received numerous awards for her work including the “Exceptional Congressional Staffer Award” from the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, the “Hill Health Care Hero Staff Award” from the National Association of Community Health Centers, and being named an “Emerging Health Care Leader” by Politico in 2016. She is also a former Winston Health Policy Fellow.

Anne holds a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and a Masters of Public Health from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. 

Sapphire Garcia is the founder and executive director of the Kansas Birth Justice Society, a nonprofit focused on policy change and direct community support to catalyze reproductive justice and perinatal health equity in Kansas.

The organization was incorporated in 2020 as the Wichita Birth Justice Society, with a mission to eliminate racial disparities in perinatal health and nurture birth justice throughout the state of Kansas through initiatives that support, advocate for, and center the needs of those who are most impacted by health inequities. In 2022, the organization rebranded as the Kansas Birth Justice Society and expanded its scope to also focus on the goal of delivering vital advocacy and evidence-based, culturally-affirming support services statewide.

Sapphire is a maternal and infant health advocate, certified lactation consultant and educator, and professional doula with more than a decade of experience working in the field of perinatal health equity. Her experience includes community-led activism, community organizing, public health messaging, and community midwifery. Additionally, she has almost two decades of experience in business operations and management.

Garcia’s work is focused on unabashed truth-telling, calling for accountability within systems, and kindling community change from the grassroots level. Sapphire continues to take pride in her strong community ties and in the hundreds of thriving babies she has helped welcome into the world as a community-based birth worker.

Kansas native Sonja W. Bachus, BBA, MJ, CHCEF, will transition as of December 2024 from her role as CEO of the Community Care Network of Kansas (CCNKS) to serve as Senior Vice President, Primary Care Association and Health Center Controlled Network Relations, with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).

A transformational leader, Ms. Bachus brings to the role deep roots in the Community Health Center Movement and more than 20 years of experience working across the healthcare spectrum. Her selection underscores NACHC’s commitment to partnering with critical stakeholders to work toward measurable change for the movement.

Through her leadership as CEO of CCNKS, the network developed key legislative and agency relationships resulting in a 34% increase in state grant funding and a 72% increase in capital improvement grant funding available to member health centers, which serve one in nine people across the state. Ms. Bachus led a multi-agency e􀀃ort which secured $10M in grant funding over five years for five member clinics to launch and/or expand integrated behavioral health in primary care clinics, and she launched an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) to pursue value-based contracts with seven of the network’s FQHC/LAL members.

Prior to her tenure in Kansas, Ms. Bachus served as the CEO of Greater Baden Medical Services (GBMS), a Maryland Community Health Center that serves 20,000 patients. While at GBMS Ms. Bachus led a financial and operational turnaround, which resulted in a 48% increase in annual revenue, an over 80% increase in days cash on hand, a 60% increase in 340B program usage, and professional advancement for 20% of internal team members.

Ms. Bachus served in leadership capacities at several other community health centers across the country to include Service Line Administrator for the satellite health centers of Swope Health Services in Kansas City, MO, and Chief Operating Officer of HealthNet, Inc., Indiana’s largest Community Health Center in Indianapolis, IN.

Ms. Bachus earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Washburn University and a Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law from Loyola University Chicago Law School. She also holds the designation of Community Health Center Executive Fellow from the Kansas Medical Center and a Public Policy Certificate from the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics.

Clay Wirestone serves as Kansas Reflector's opinion editor. His work has appeared in more than 100 outlets in two dozen states. He has written columns and edited copy for newsrooms in Kansas, New Hampshire, Florida and Pennsylvania. He has also fact checked politicians, researched for Larry the Cable Guy, and appeared in PolitiFact, Mental Floss and cnn.com. Before joining the Reflector in 2021, Clay spent four years at the nonprofit Kansas Action for Children as communications director. Beyond the written word, he has drawn cartoons, hosted podcasts, designed graphics and moderated debates. Clay graduated from the University of Kansas and lives in Lawrence with his husband and son.

Continuing her longstanding dedication to improving the lives of children and families, Kansas native Shannon Cotsoradis has served since 2023 as director of policy and strategy at the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, where she leverages her extensive experience in the early childhood education sector to support nonprofit organizations, both in Nebraska and nationally, which are working to improve child care quality and access both in homes and at childcare centers. The Buffett Early Childhood Fund focuses its philanthropy on children ages birth to five, paying particular attention to infants and toddlers, a population often overlooked in public funding but where early investment can result in some of the greatest gains and help ensure children grow up eager to learn, ready for school and inspired with hope.

Prior to joining the Fund, Shannon served as President & CEO at Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative starting in 2016. Shannon also has a strong background in advocacy and leadership, having served as President & CEO of children’s advocacy group Kansas Action for Children from 2010 to 2016 and as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer from 2001 to 2010. Shannon has a strong educational background, with an M.P.A. in Public Administration from the University of Kansas, M.A. in Child Development from Sarah Lawrence College, and a B.S. in Psychology from Sweet Briar College.

Matt All is the President and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS), the state’s largest and only locally owned health insurance provider. As a mutually owned, not-for-profit health plan, BCBSKS serves nearly one million members with the state’s largest provider network and award-winning customer service.

As a fifth-generation Kansan, All brings nearly three decades of experience in leadership and service to his role. His sole purpose as CEO is to make BCBSKS a vibrant, robust, progressive force for good in Kansas. He is committed to giving Kansans a better, more humane experience in the health care system, and to making high-quality care accessible and affordable in every Kansas community.

All joined BCBSKS in 2006 as its General Counsel. Over the next decade, he had the opportunity to learn and oversee nearly every area of the company, including areas as diverse as Information Technology, Human Resources, Operations, Strategy and Government Relations. In April 2018, he became the eighth President and CEO in the company’s history.

Prior to joining BCBSKS, All spent several years in private legal practice before serving in state government in Kansas as Assistant Insurance Commissioner and Chief Counsel to former Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

Some of All’s most significant accomplishments include the implementation and preparation of the Affordable Care Act. He also led the company's Health Care Reform Guidance Team and represented the company on the national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's Health Care Reform Implementation Task Force. Most recently, he led the company and its members through navigating the health care system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to his role as President/CEO, All serves in leadership positions for the company's subsidiaries. He is Chairman of Advance Insurance Company of Kansas, Chairman/CEO of BlueCross BlueShield Kansas Solutions and President of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation.

He also represents BCBSKS on the boards and committees of several national organizations. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, where he chairs its Health Policy and Advocacy Committee and serves on its Organization and Governance Committee. He also serves on BCBSA’s National Employee Benefits Committee. All serves on the Prime Therapeutics LLC Board of Directors and chairs its Human Resources Committee. He has also served as Chairman of the Western Conference Board of Trustees.

All received his bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas and his law degree from Yale Law School.

CEO Krista Postai has worked in health care for nearly 45 years, graduating with a journalism degree but soon engaging her passion for improving health. Krista started with a role at the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians in Kansas City then returned to her home community of Pittsburg, where she worked at the local hospital for 23 years before starting CHC/SEK – originally as a hospital department then becoming a Federally-Qualified Health Center to build sustainability. Krista has led CHC/SEK for 21 years through challenges and rapid growth, always with a consistent focus on providing high-quality care that is people-focused and mission-driven.

Jason Wesco, originally from a small town in Indiana, moved to Kansas in the late 90s with a Master’s degree in American Studies but also with a passion to be actively involved in improving the health of communities. In 2003 he got his start in health care serving as director of the Douglas County Dental Clinic, a Medicaid and uninsured clinic in Lawrence, before working for our state Primary Care Association - where he met Krista, who convinced him to move to southeast Kansas and join the CHC/SEK staff in 2006 as COO. Jason now serves as President and Chief Strategy Officer and has likewise played a large role in CHC/SEK’s growth and success.

Prior to joining NRHA in 2008, Brock served as a rural hospital administrator for more than 21 years and has served on the NRHA board and the regional policy board of the American Hospital Association.

Brock specializes in rural health system development that encompasses population health and the varied payment programs moving rural providers into value-based purchasing models. Slabach is a member of the National Quality Forum’s Measures Application Partnership (MAP) Hospital and Rural Health Workgroup and serves on the board of the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).

Brock is also the 2015 recipient of the National Rural Health Resource Center’s Calico Quality Leadership Award, and received the American Society of Healthcare Pharmacists (ASHP) Board of Directors’ Award of Honor for 2018.

During the four years prior to joining HRHS, Benjamin served as Vice President for Rural Health and Hospitals at the Colorado Hospital Association, where he provided leadership and direction in the development and execution of the Association’s rural strategies, advocated on behalf of rural hospitals and health systems and developed strategic partnerships with organizations that affected the health of rural Coloradans.

Before his move to Colorado, Benjamin served as CEO of Kearny County Hospital, a comprehensive rural health care delivery complex in Lakin, Kan. that serves patients of 30 nationalities within a 180-mile radius. During his six and a half years there, he led the organization through a period of rapid growth, expanding access to coordinated primary care and specialty services.

Anderson is a recognized leader in transforming rural health care through a mission-driven approach to recruiting physicians to underserved areas, tying together domestic and international service. His work has been recognized on CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, and in POLITICO and Sports Illustrated. Anderson was named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s Rising Star list of health care leaders under 40 and one of Modern Healthcare’s 2014 Up and Comers.

Benjamin has earned a reputation as an innovative rural hospital CEO for his work in improving hospital care, implementing highly effective provider recruitment efforts, and building recognition of the importance of partnering with community organizations to improve health.

Before becoming President and CEO of Thrive Allen County, Regehr oversaw many different departments at Thrive, including communications and the care coordination program. Regehr coordinated all local communication following Allen County’s successful pursuit of the 2017 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize. In addition, she has worked as part of the economic development team at Thrive since 2015, successfully recruiting Peerless Products into Iola in 2020, assisting in the recruitment and development of G&W Foods and Eastgate Lofts in 2017, and overseeing the recruitment of Green Cover Seed into Iola in 2019. Prior to returning to her hometown of Iola, Regehr worked for nine years with the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministries Foundation in St. Paul, MN where she was a Planned Giving Officer and Social Networker. Regehr grew the Foundation’s planned giving society by 35%, and as the social networker, was responsible for all online communications for the Foundation.

We view health as more than health care. Health depends on things beyond your control. Conditions in your community, the schools in your neighborhood, the availability of healthy food and good jobs, and whether you have health providers and hospitals close to you. 

These are factors that we can change together, and as part of this podcast we'll be bringing you stories of pioneers who have led important changes to improve health. The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund is a statewide health foundation dedicated to improving the health and wholeness of Kansans through funding grants, convening influencers, and advocating for policies. To improve the health of Kansans, we focus on three strategic areas; access to care, thriving children, and engaged congregations and communities. 

Through this podcast, we aim to bring you news and educate you, our listeners, on ways that you can promote better health in your lives and in your communities. Our hope is that the voices and perspectives that you find here will encourage you to take bold action. 

You can look forward to hearing from community and state leaders, policy makers, advocates, and researchers working on innovative efforts to improve health. Every podcast you'll hear from David Jordan, the president and CEO of the Health Fund, who brings perspective and a rich background with building community and leading advocacy in health care. He will lead you through thought-provoking interviews and inspiring conversations with our guests. 

If you ever have questions for us, we invite you to get in touch.