Former Kansas Governor
Kathleen Sebelius

Kathleen Sebelius was sworn in as the 44th Governor of Kansas in January 2003, and just under three years later, Time magazine named her one of the nation's top five governors, citing her work to cut waste in government and bridge the partisan divide.

Job creation is a priority of her administration, as is promoting the safety and security of Kansas families at home and in the community. Former Governor Sebelius also has initiated audits of school districts to ensure every child has an effective and efficient school, and is working to reduce the cost of health care for businesses and families.

Former Governor Sebelius served on the National Governors Association's Executive Committee. She was chair of the Governor's Ethanol Coalition and chair of the Education Commission of the States.

Sebelius served four terms in the Kansas House of Representatives and two terms as the state's Insurance Commissioner, and was the first daughter of a U.S. governor to serve in that same position.

Kathleen has been married to her husband, Gary, a federal magistrate judge, for 31 years, and they have two sons: Ned, a law student, and John, a recent college graduate.

Click here to contact Former Governor Sebelius

Randall Allen
Executive Director
Kansas Association of Counties

Randall Allen is the Executive Director of the Kansas Association of Counties, an organization of 98-member counties which provides legislative representation of county interests at the Kansas Legislature as well as various educational and member inquiry services to counties and county officials. Randall assumed this position at the KAC in April, 1996. Randall's leadership of the KAC has been instrumental in the organization's outreach to partner with state agencies and other local governments. This vision was a key catalyst for the formation of The Kansas Collaborative.

Before joining the Kansas Association of Counties, Randall served for seven years as City Administrator in Marshfield, Wisconsin and held various positions in Sedgwick County government, including Budget Director and Assistant County Manager. He is a native of Dodge City (Ford County), Kansas and received Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Political Science from Wichita State University.

Contact Randall at allen@kansascounties.org

Gene Merry
Former President and Board Member
Kansas Association of Counties

Gene Merry is a former Coffey County Commissioner, former chairman of the Coffey County Commission and former President and board member of Kansas Association of Counties, Past president and current vice president Kansas Sampler Foundation, Steering Committee member of the National Association of Counties Energy, Environment, and Land use Committee, Advisory Director for First American Capital Corporation, Chairman of the Governor-appointed Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board, Board member of the Central National Bank, Burlington, a member of the Governor-appointed Kansas Energy Council, and Past member of Select Committee on electrical transmission for the State Energy Resources Coordination Council. Gene is treasurer for Burlington Masonic Lodge #66 and a member of the Burlington Rotary Club.

Gene graduated from Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. Gene is gainfully employed in his own real estate development companies, currently Managing Partner of Burlington Development Properties L.L.C. - mini storage and apartments and owner/manager of Merry Investments - apartments, oil development, laundry services and commercial leasing.

Gene has served on numerous, federal, state and local government boards. He previously served as Mayor/Councilman City of Burlington for 8 years rejuvenating the downtown areas and starting numerous innovative programs to improve quality of life in this rural Kansas community.

He is married to Barbara who has been employed 28 years at Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation as a Procurement Specialist. Barb and Gene have two children Emilee 22 an actuary trainee for Allstate Insurance, Chicago and Bobby 20, is a Junior Business Major at Kansas State University.

Gene would love to get a Masters Degree in Public Administration but is too busy doing public administration.

Contact Gene at downtownguy@earthlink.com

Don Moler
Executive Director
League of Kansas Municipalities

Don Moler has been with the League of Kansas Municipalities for 21 years and serves as its Executive Director.  He has earned bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from Eastern Illinois University and a master's of public administration degree from the University of Illinois.  In 1985 he graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law.  He also teaches local government law at Washburn Law School.

Contact Don at dmoler@lkm.org

Kathleen Harnish-Doucet
TeamTech, Inc.

Kathleen Harnish-Doucet is one of the principals of TeamTech, Inc., a Kansas-based firm providing strategic facilitation and consulting services.

Kathleen has successfully led efforts to improve collaboration and resource management practices within and across state and local governments. Her particular expertise is in linking and leveraging efforts across units of government to improve efficiencies and effectiveness of efforts. From November 2002 through Fall 2004, she co-facilitated Kansas Governor Sebelius' BEST (Budget Efficiency Savings Team) project, an effort that resulted in significant budgetary savings for the state of Kansas. In 2005 Kathleen, with her partner Joel Wright, brought the idea for The Kansas Collaborative to the state, county and local governments of Kansas. This idea became a reality in November 2005 with more than $26 million saved to date. Most recently, TeamTech was asked by Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson to assist Kansas with the implementation of collaborative opportunities provided by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA).

An expert in the field of facilitation and systems improvement, Kathleen coauthored the 1993 top-selling video, Implementing Total Quality Management, which was produced and marketed by CareerTrack® and was a coauthor of the 2003 book, The Facilitative Way: Leadership That Makes the Difference. Kathleen is also the coauthor of the 2006 booklet, Making Dollars & Sense.

Kathleen earned a bachelor of business administration degree, graduating summa cum laude from Pittsburg State University, and an MBA summa cum laude from the University of Kansas. Kathleen received the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1991 as well as completed an internship with Dr. W. Edwards Deming, one of the key creators and teachers of the total quality management concepts.

Contact Kathleen at kathleen@teamtechinc.com

Joel Wright
TeamTech, Inc.

Joel Wright has spent over 30 years working for and with organizations that wanted to achieve outstanding bottom line results through the wholesale involvement of people.  His career-long interest has been mastering the art of facilitation so he could bring a dramatic new dimension to organizational development, strategic planning, problem solving, team building and the handling of emotionally difficult situations. Joel has worldwide client experience with such diverse organizations as the Chicago Department of Economic Development, Community Council Tairgwaith Wales, Inter-American Development Bank, Kentucky Commerce Cabinet, Mobil Oil Indonesia and Sprint. Since 2002, Joel and his business partner, Kathleen Harnish-Doucet, have focused on creating the Breakthrough Team Process. This process was first used in the BEST (Budget Efficiency Savings Team) project for Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and now in the work of The Kansas Collaborative, a joint effort between the State of Kansas, The Kansas Association of Counties and the League of Kansas Municipalities.

Joel is coauthor of the 2006 booklet, Making Dollars & Sense, and coauthor of the 2003 book, The Facilitative Way: Leadership That Makes the Difference and was the driving force behind the initial effort that produced Winning Through Participation, a best-selling book that shares basic facilitation skills and techniques. 

Joel earned a bachelor's degree from William Jewel College, and a master's degree from St. Paul's School of Theology.   He was awarded the Dear Neighbor Award by The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet and the Saint Joseph Health System and recognized for services to The Young Black Male Symposium by the Kansas City Missouri School District. He was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel for his work with the Kentucky Commerce Cabinet.

Contact Joel at joel@teamtechinc.com