“I can’t wait to get started.” Meet Kansas Appleseed’s Executive Director

I am thrilled and honored to join Kansas Appleseed on September 30 as the next Executive Director.

As the Executive Director of the United Way of the Flint Hills, I’ve spent the last ten years working with my local community to build a brighter future through investments in education, health, and financial stability.

Over the years, as I looked at organizations making a difference statewide, I could see the great work being done at Kansas Appleseed. Its ability to work with communities and Kansans to create meaningful and long-term systems change, combined with its commitment to racial, social, and economic justice, is not just impactful, but necessary.

I know positive, progressive change is possible in Kansas. Through the work of communities, organizations, and grassroots leaders across our state, Kansans are building a more thriving, inclusive, and just Kansas each day:

• We’re working for continued investment in alternatives to youth incarceration.
• We’re implementing innovative strategies to reduce childhood hunger.
• We’re embracing elections–local, state, and federal–and the 2020 Census to ensure our voices are heard.
• We’re fighting back against cruel attacks on our immigrant neighbors.

But there’s work to do, and I’m excited to join Kansans and the strong team of advocates at Kansas Appleseed as we continue to build power.

Kansas is my home. I grew up in Hays, and I lived in cities throughout the country before my husband and I returned to Kansas with our children, Ben and Jacob, ten years ago. We wanted our children to grow up as Kansans and be proud to be a part of what our state can offer. We have now made Emporia our home, where our boys are in 10th and 8th grade, and my husband, Kim Simons, is on the faculty at Emporia State University.

I can’t wait to get started.