We are happy to announce our first Kansas Democratic Party Speakers Bureau. The speakers bureau is here to help each county party have informative and interesting speakers at county party meetings.

Your KDP staff has been visiting each reorganized county and they found that most counties needed help finding speakers on the issues affecting their area. Because of this need, we have compiled a list of excellent speakers on a variety of topics for you and your local county party to utilize.

We want you to take advantage of the talent and motivation to help increase your attendance at meetings, educate your community on issues and build coalitions with other groups. Please see below for the most current list of KDP speakers available to attend your meeting. If you are interested in becoming one of our speakers, or have a request for a specific topic or person that is not on the list, please call our office at (785) 234-0435.

To request one of the speakers listed below to attend one of your events please send a letter or e-mail stating:
1. What speaker/issue you request.
2. Details of the event including time, date, location, purpose and duration of speech.
3. Name and contact for your county.

Please mail or email your request to:
Kansas Democratic Party Attn: Speakers Bureau
P.O. Box 1914 Topeka, KS 66601-1914
kdp@ksdp.org

Speakers Bureau list by name:

Congresswoman Nancy Boyda
Position: Democratic Party Activist/Congresswoman for Kansas' 2nd District
Issue/Topic: Democratic Politics
From: Topeka
Bio: Nancy Boyda worked as an analytical chemist for the EPA, spent 23 years as a manager for various pharmaceutical companies' research and development departments, taught seventh-grade math for about one year. Boyda ran a full-time campaign for Kansas' 2nd Congressional District against Jim Ryun in the 2006 election. She was victorious in her campaign and now represents the 2nd district on Capitol Hill. All inquires should go through her office. (785) 234-8111

Dr. Beth Bradrick
Position: Kansas Human Rights Commissioner
Issue/Topic: Human Rights
From: Pittsburg

Bio: Beth Bradrick was appointed to the Human Rights Commission in the third
year of Governor Bill Graves' tenure. She was then re-appointed by Governor Kathleen Sebelius in 2003 to focus on labor human rights issues.Bradrick is currently employed by Congresswoman Nancy Boyda as the Pittsburg Constituent Services representative. Bradrick earned her doctorate based on an independently designed study of youth working on CETA and JTPA summer programs in 17 counties of Southeast Kansas. She then worked for a number of funded grant programs on the university campus as well as in the community at large that served special populations including disadvantaged youth, dislocated workers and the physically challenged. Recently, she and a colleague established a consulting service to do proposal writing, present related training workshops, and provide technical assistance to area clients. Bradrick is also the Democratic county chair of Crawford County.

Mr. Steve Brown
Position: KDP LGBT Caucus Member
Issue/Topic: LGBT Issues
From: Prairie Village
Bio: Steve Brown served as the president of the LGBT caucus from its formation in 2002 until 2006. He is a founder and current member of the Board of Four Freedoms Democratic Club in Kansas City, MO. Brown is a member of the Board of MainPAC. He currently represents the Kansas Democratic LGBT Caucus on the Advisory Board of the Kansas Equality Coalition, Inc. and serves on the Board of KEC as the representative of that advisory board. He was the first openly gay delegate elected to represent Kansas at a Democratic National Convention. He is a founder, former Board member, and past National Secretary of the National Stonewall Democrats. He has also previously served on the Board of the Kansas-Western Missouri Affiliate of the ACLU, as well as President of the Kansas City Chapter.

Mrs. Yvonne Cather
Position: Kansas Sierra Club Vice President
Issue/Topic: Enviromental Issues
From: Wichita
Bio: Yvonne Cather has been an active member of the Kansas Chapter and Southwind Group of the Sierra Club since 1990. She has served as the Chair, Vice Chair and Group Delegate while volunteering one to six hours a week for each position. Cather is currently serving as the Legislative Committee Chair.

Mr. Terry Crowder
Position: KDP African American Caucus Chairperson
Issue/Topic: African American Issues
From: Topeka
Bio: Crowder has been involved in the Kansas Democratic Party since the 80's when he attended his first national convention. He was the Shawnee County Democrats Treasurer from '92 - '96 and has been the president of the African American caucus since 1999. Life long resident of Topeka, Kansas. Educated in Topeka Public Schools and attended Washburn University. Served in the United States Marine Corps from 1965-1969. Received an Honorable Discharge with the rank of Sgt. E-5. A Vietnam Veteran, has received numerous awards one of which is the Presidential Unit Citation. Achieved the rank of 5th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. A Martial Arts instructor. Owned and operated the Crowder,s Tae Kwon Do Academy from 1980-1985. Member of St. Mark,s African Methodist Episcopal Church. Has worked at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for 35 years. A member of St. Mark,s for over 20 years. Served as the president of the local Lay Organization, a Class leader and member of the Trustee Board and Usher Board. Currently serves as Steward Pro Tem, is a member of the Building Relocation Committee and sings in the Men,s Chorus. Has participated as a workshop facilitator at Sunday School Convention teaching and demonstrating the Art of Self-Defense.

Representative Paul Davis
Position: Kansas House of Representatives
Issue/Topic: Legislative Issues
From: Lawrence
Bio: Paul Davis represents the 46th district in Lawrence. He is currently serving his third term. Davis serves as Policy Chair for the House Democratic Caucus and is a member of the House Taxation and Judiciary committees.

Davis is a partner with the law firm of Skepnek Fagan Meyer & Davis, P.A.. He formerly served as Legislative and Ethics Counsel for the Kansas Bar Association and also worked as Assistant Director for Government Affairs under former Kansas Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius.

Mrs. Danielle Dempsey-Swopes
Position: Executive Director of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission
Issue/Topic: African American Issues
From: Topeka
Bio: Danielle Dempsey-Swopes began work as the Assistant Director of Affirmative Action at Kansas State University in the fall of 1992. Danielle left KSU in 1996 to become Associate Director for Equal Opportunity at the University of Kansas. She ascended to interim Director of the Equal Opportunity Office at the University of Kansas. In August 2003, Dempsey-Swopes was appointed by Governor Sebelius to serve as the Executive Director of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission.

Mr. Mark Desetti
Position: Kansas National Education Association Government Director
Issue/Topic: Education
From: Topeka
Bio: Mark Desetti is KNEA's chief lobbyist, working with legislative and policy issues throughout the year. He is the KNEA primary contact for issues regarding the so-called No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act. In addition to the "political" side of his duties, Desetti continues to oversee the Kansas Reading Circle - a nationally recognized literacy and reading program that reviews hundreds of books for children annually and provides a "catalog" of reviews and recommendations. Prior to joining the association staff, Desetti spent 13 years as a bilingual classroom teacher.

Mr. Shane Gagnebin
Position: YD President
Issue/Topic: Youth Outreach
From: Bonner Springs
Bio: Shane Gagnebin has been involved with the Kansas Young Democrats for more than a decade. He was elected Program Director at his first meeting of the Emporia State YD's in 1993 and was elected President the following spring. He served four more terms as President before finishing his Masters program in 1999. He moved to the Kansas City area in the summer of 1999, and became President of the Kansas City Young Democrats in the spring of 2000. Gagnebin was elected president at the 2005 KYD Convention in Topeka. Since moving to the Kansas City area, Gagnebin has also been involved in senior party politics. He served on the Johnson County Executive Board and as a Ward Captain in Wyandotte County.

Mrs. Teresa Garcia Krusor
Position: KDP Vice Chairwoman
Issue/Topic: Hispanic Outreach
From: Winfield
Bio: Teresa Krusor was elected as the State Party Vice Chair in 2003 and reelected in 2005. She started out as a precinct committeeperson in Cowley County and was later elected Secretary, then Vice Chair and finally Chair. She served as Secretary for the 4th Congressional District and was later elected twice as the Vice Chair. Krusor served as the Secretary of the Kansas Democratic Party for eight years. She is helping lead the Hispanic outreach for the Party.

Mr. Larry Gates
Position: Chairman of the Kansas Democratic Party
Issue/Topic: Democratic Politics
From: Shawnee
Bio: Chairman Larry Gates began his political career in Kansas Democratic politics in 1970 while helping with the Roy for Senate campaign. He is the former Johnson County Chairman and law partner of 3rd District Congressman Dennis Moore. Chairman Gates headed Governor Kathleen Sebelius' 2002 Finance Committee and was elected Chairman of the Party in 2003and reelected in 2005 and 2007. He is currently an attorney in Johnson County.

Ms. Kathy Greenlee
Position: State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Issue/Topic: County Party Development
From: Lawrence
Bio: Kathy Greenlee, Lawrence, most recently was the Assistant Secretary for the Kansas Department of Aging, since 2003. Prior to that position, she served as the Chief of Operations and Chief of Staff in the Office of Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Prior to November 2002, she served as general counsel in the Insurance Department. Kathy was instrumental in Governor Sebelius' decision to halt the merger between Anthem of Indiana and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas while she was Insurance Commissioner. Greenlee was elected chair of Douglas County in 2004.

Mr. Mike Gaughan
Position: Executive Director of the Kansas Democratic Party
Issue/Topic: Democratic Politics
From: Lawrence
Bio: Mike Gaughan comes from a family of transplanted Kansas Democrats. He is a native of Houston, TX, and graduated from Kansas University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in History. Gaughan has been with the Kansas Democratic Party since 2003. During the 2004 election cycle he directed the Kansas Democratic Party's Coordinated Campaign. Since July of 2005, Gaughan has served as the Party's Executive Director.

Senator Anthony Hensley
Position: Kansas Democratic Senate Leader
Issue/Topic: Legislative Issues
From: Topeka
Bio: Senator Anthony Hensley is the longest standing member of the Kansas legislature. He served in the Kansas House from1977 to 1992 when he began serving in the Senate. He is the Senate Democratic leader and serves as the Vice Chair of the Confirmation Oversight Committee and the Ranking Minority on the Interstate Cooperation Committee. He also serves on the Legislative Coordinating Council as well as the Federal and State Affairs, Legislative Post Audit, Pensions, Investments and Benefits and Transportation Committees.

Representative Tom Holland
Position: Kansas House of Representatives
Issue/Topic: Legislative Issues
From: Baldwin City
Bio: Representative Tom Holland is currently the Ranking Democrat on House Taxation and serves on the Health and Human Services Committee and the Government Efficiency and Technology Committee. Holland was elected to the represent the 10th House district in 2002. He is the ranking member on the Governmental Organization and Elections committee and a member of the legislative Educational Planning Committee. Rep. Holland is also the president of Holland Technologies Inc., an information technology professional services firm.

Mr. Steven Jacques
Position: Dole Institute Fellow
Issue/Topic: Presidential Politics
From: Shawnee Mission
Bio: Steven Jacques served in both the Carter and Clinton administrations on the White House staff, and in senior staff positions in the State Department and Commerce Department. He has served on the national staff for Democratic nominees in the past eight presidential campaigns, beginning in 1976 for Jimmy Carter, and most recently as senior advance consultant for Sen. John Kerry. During the past two decades Jacques has created and implemented successful strategic communications plans for a diverse spectrum of corporate clients, nonprofit organizations, and municipal and federal government initiatives including the Kansas City Police Department, the expansion of NATO and the de-mining of Kosovo. He was the first Democratic Senior Fellow in the Dole Institute of Politics at KU, and served as their Director of Programming & Communications.

 

Mrs. Pat Lehman Position: IAM & AW Grand Lodge Representative
Issue/Topic: Labor
From: Wichita
Bio: Pat Lehman is a long time member of the Kansas Democratic Party and Kansas Labor Unions. She served as the Party Chairperson from 1983 to 1985 and is currently the Grand Lodge Representative of the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers.

Representative Dennis McKinney
Position: Kansas Democratic House Leader
Issue/Topic: Legislative Issues
From: Greensburg
Bio: Representative Dennis McKinney was first elected to the legislature in 1992 to House District 116. He was then elected the House minority leader starting in the 2003 session. Rep. McKinney serves on the Interstate Cooperation, Legislative Budget and Calendar and Printing Committees. Prior to becoming involved as a representative, McKinney served as a County Commisioner in Kiowa County.

Lt. Governor John Moore
Position: Former Lt. Governor
Issue/Topic: Commerce, Military Affairs, Health Care Cost Containment, General Government
From: Topeka
Bio: John Moore was elected Lt. Governor as the running mate of Governor Kathleen Sebelius on November 5, 2002 and assumed office on January 13, 2003. John was the Secretary of Commerce until September 1, 2004 when he became fulltime Lieutenant Governor. While Secretary of Commerce, Moore headed the Prosperity Summit process in which over 2,000 Kansans throughout the state participated. This process was key to developing the Economic Revitalization Act and the Economic Growth Act which were enacted into law in 2004. The 2004 legislative session has been called by many the most important session for economic development for decades. John chaired the Governor's Strategic Military Planning Commission. The Commission was chartered to protect and grow the military installations in Kansas during the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. He also serveed as a chairman of the Health Care Cost Containment Commission. Prior to being elected as Lt. Governor, John was employed by the Cessna Aircraft Company, which he joined in 1982 as Senior Vice President of Human Resources. In 1999, he was named one of two Executive Vice Presidents of the company. John has been married to his wife, Marty, for over 38 years. They have two children, Clay Moore of Shawnee and Stacia Wohlford of Lawrence.

Mr. Jim Ploger
Position: Energy Manager Kansas Corporation Commission
Issue/Topic: Energy
From: Topeka
Bio: Jim Ploger is the manager of the Kansas Energy Office and is responsible for administration of State Energy Program in Kansas. In addition, he is the public information program manager for building energy standards and has been active in supporting development and deployment of the home energy rating systems (HERS). Under his leadership, Kansas currently has over $78 million in energy savings performance contracting projects underway in over 20 million square feet of state-owned buildings. The projected utility savings are over $7.2 million annually.

Mr. Rehan Reza
Position: KDP Asian American Caucus Chairperson
Issue/Topic: Asian American Outreach
From: Topeka
Bio: Rehan Reza founded the Kansas Asian American Caucus and serves as the chairman. He is a successful businessman and has been a member of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce for over 10 years. Reza is the president of the Islamic Center of Topeka, the Bangladesh Association of Greater Kansas City and a member of the Federation of Bangladeshi Association of North America. Reza currently serves as the vice-chair of the Shawnee County Democratic Party.

Ms. Randy Roy
Position: KDP National Comitteewoman
Issue/Topic: Democratic Politics
From: Topeka
Bio: Randy Roy has been active in Kansas Democratic politics since her father Bill Roy ran for Congress in 1972. She helped as a grassroots organizer and has since then expanded her roll on campaigns to include fundraising and event coordination. Roy has been an integral part of the campaigns including Bill Roy for Congress, Marge Petty for Senate, Jim Slattery for Congress and Governor, Kathleen Sebelius for Governor, Dennis Moore for Congress and Laura Kelly for Senate. Roy was elected National Committeewoman for the Kansas Democratic Party in 2004 and continues to be an active part in Kansas politics.

Professor Judith Scherff
Position: Ecologist at Washburn University
Issue/Topic: Enviromental Issues
From: Topeka
Bio: Judith Scherff is an ecologist with graduate degrees in systematic and ecology from the University of Kansas, and political science from Pittsburg State University. She has published The Mother Earth Handbook and The Piracy of America, both environmental anthologies; and for the Episcopal Church, wrote the booklet Just and Proper Use. She is currently an ecologist and an Adjunct at Washburn University. Scherff will be available for holding workshops and writing on environmental topics.

Dr. Max Skidmore
Position: Professor at UMKC
Issue/Topic: Social Security
From: Overland Park
Bio: Dr. Max Skidmore is a nationally and internationally recognized authority on Social Security and Medicare. Skidmore is the author of several books, including "Social Security and its Enemies" and "Medicare and the American Rhetoric of Reconciliation." He is a professor at the University of Missouri at Kansas City and has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's attempts to alter Social Security.

Mr. Phil Stevenson
Position: Kansas House Democrats
Issue/Topic: Candidate Recruitment
From: Lawrence
Bio: Phil is a native of Coffeyville Kansas. He graduated from Kansas University in 2000 with his bachelor's degree in Political Science. While at KU he served as the president of the Young Democrats and in 2001 was elected as the president of the Kansas Young Democrats. Stevenson has worked in the House Minority's office since January of 1998 and is currently serving as the Executive Director for the office of Democratic Leader Dennis McKinney.

Representative Joshua Svaty
Position: Kansas House of Representatives
Issue/Topic: Legislative Issues
From: Ellsworth
Bio: Representative Josh Svaty is the youngest member of the Kansas House at 25 years old. He was elected to the 108th House district in 2002. Rep. Svaty is the ranking member of the Agriculture Committee and sits on the Utilities, Public Safety Budget, Environment and Arts and Cultural Resources Committees.

Dr. Bill Wagnon
Position: State Board of Education Member
Issue/Topic: Education
From: Topeka
Bio: Bill Wagnon was elected to the Kansas State Board of Education in 1996. He has served as the assistant legislative liaison, and is a member of the policy committee and the Board's representative on the Education Commission of the States. Wagnon has been a member of the Washburn University history faculty since 1968 and holds a PhD in history from the University of Missouri-Columbia. In 1993 he was a volunteer education liaison to the state legislature for the Governor, involved in the passage of the major education reforms, including a new accountability system (QPA) and school finance systems.

Secretary Joan Wagnon
Position: Secretary of Revenue
Issue/Topic: Kansas Tax Issues
From: Topeka
Bio: Joan Wagnon was appointed secretary of the Kansas Department of Revenue on January 13, 2003. Secretary Wagnon was president of Central National Bank after leaving office as Mayor of Topeka on April 10, 2001. She served as Mayor 1997 - 2001. Prior to her election, Wagnon was Executive Director of Kansas Families for Kids, a legislator from Topeka for 12 years in the Kansas House of Representatives, and was executive director of the Topeka YWCA.

Mrs. Janet Waugh
Position: State Board of Education Member
Issue/Topic: Education
From: Kansas City
Bio: Representing District 1, Janet Waugh has been involved with schools and children for more than 30 years. Prior to joining the State Board of Education in 1999, Waugh served for more than 15 years on the Turner Board of Education in USD 202, including eight years as president. She also held state and regional offices for the PTA and the Kansas Association of School Boards. She was elected to serve as the State Board's Vice Chair in 2001 through 2002, and was elected Chairman of the Board for 2003-2004.