Meet the Kansas Leadership Center Board of Directors
David Lindstrom, Overland Park (Chair)
David Lindstrom spent 9 years as a defensive end with the Kansas City Chiefs, retiring in 1986. Performing at the highest level of professional sports requires practice, hard work, and excellence – all of which shaped his leadership skills and earned him many awards in his post-Chiefs life. He chaired the Kansas Special Olympics board, runs four successful Burger King restaurants, ran for lieutenant governor, and served as a Johnson County Commissioner.
Kaye Monk-Morgan, Wichita (President & CEO)
A third-generation Kansan, Dr. Kaye Monk-Morgan is the president and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC), an internationally recognized center of excellence for leadership development and civic engagement. She previously served as the inaugural chief impact officer. Her work fosters civic leadership for stronger, healthier, and more prosperous communities in Kansas and beyond.
Service and education have been hallmarks of Monk-Morgan’s personal and professional story for decades. Prior to her time at the KLC, Monk-Morgan dedicated her talents to higher education. Over 30 years, she served in roles ranging from residence hall director to Assistant Dean of Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and ultimately the Vice President for Strategic Engagement and Planning. Her areas of responsibility varied over the years and included community and economic development, strategic planning, assessment and accreditation, and coordination of WSU’s First-Generation student services. Her longest appointment was as director of the TRIO Upward Bound Math Science program.
An active community servant, Monk-Morgan has served on non-profit and corporate boards at the local, state, regional and national levels. She currently serves as a board member for: NXTUS, a non-profit that catalyzes startup ecosystems, The African American Museum of Kansas; and Emprise Bank. She is a trustee for the Wichita Land Bank; and advisor to the Ulrich Museum at Wichita State University.
Her professional service record includes service as the board chair of tri-state, regional and national boards including Council for Opportunity in Education, a Washington-based, college access and success professional association and advocacy group. She is an advocate and faculty member for NASPA’s Center for First Generation Success, faculty for the Higher Learning Commission’s Advancing Strategy Institute, and member of the International Leadership Association.
A proud first-generation college graduate, Kaye has an earned Bachelor of Chemistry/Business, a Master of Arts in Public Administration, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Her research interests center on women in leadership and first-generation student success. She presents internationally on both topics.
While all of this is important, what really counts to Kaye is that she is a teacher, student, mentor, mentee, daughter, sister, auntie, wife, and most importantly a mother. She is a life-long learner, aspiring yogi, wannabe long-distance runner and tried and true girlfriend. She lives in Wichita, KS with her husband Derek. They share two, Wichita-based, young adult sons, Payton, and Cameron.
Jill Arensdorf, Hays
Dr. Jill Arensdorf learned about leadership at a young age while growing up in rural western Kansas where she participated in 4-H and the National FFA Organization. Today, Dr. Arensdorf is living out her dream career of focusing on leadership and developing people as a professor of leadership studies at Fort Hays State University (FHSU), where she currently serves as provost and vice president for academic affairs. Her research interests include the effects of service-learning on the development of leadership skills and the transfer of leadership skills to the workplace. Dr. Arensdorf’s philosophy has been shaped not only by leadership theories and concepts but also by her own learning experiences as well. The development of collaborative professional relationships with colleagues is at the core of her leadership philosophy.
Tracey Beverlin, Pratt
Tracey Beverlin is an attorney in Pratt, Kansas and has served as the Pratt County Attorney since January 2017. As County Attorney, Tracey prosecutes all adult felony and misdemeanor criminal matters, juvenile matters, and child in need of care matters. Tracey works with a wide range of law enforcement agencies, local businesses, organizations, and multi-disciplinary boards in executing her duties as County Attorney. Community service and involvement is a core principle that characterizes Tracey. She believes it is essential to give back and be a part of her community. Pratt has been home to Tracey and her family since 2009 and she touts the opportunities available in small town Kansas communities for young professionals. Tracey is a member of the Pratt Area Chamber of Commerce, founding member of the Pratt Young Professionals, graduate of Leadership Pratt (formerly Pratt Leadership 2000 Plus), and serves on the Board of Trustees for Pratt Regional Medical Center.
Gennifer Golden House, Goodland
After nearly 25 years working in the banking sector – most recently serving as vice president of electronic banking and marketing director at First National Bank – Gennifer Golden House transitioned from banking to serve her community as the director of donor services at the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation (GNWKCF). In this role, Gennifer oversees planned giving efforts for 26 counties in northwest Kansas. She also manages the administration of Ad Astra per Aspera, LLC, a fifth-generation family farming operation in Sherman County, Kansas. As an active volunteer who serves on a number of boards and committees in her community, Gennifer believes that the citizens in northwest Kansas have to be their own advocates to their area.
Ron Holt, Wichita
Ronald W. (Ron) Holt is a former Sedgwick County assistant county manager who focused on the divisions of culture, entertainment, recreation, public safety and community development. Managing efforts to bring INTRUST Bank Arena to downtown Wichita, he held the responsibility of funding relationships with a number of community museums and attractions supported by Sedgwick County. Prior to joining Sedgwick County, Ron served in various roles for more than 30 years at Westar Energy, including leadership positions in customer service operations, human resources management, community affairs and field operations.
Karen Humphreys, Wichita
A former U.S. magistrate judge, she has seen many Kansans’ bleakest moments from her vantage point on the bench, yet retains her optimism about people and their potential. The role of the Kansas Leadership Center, she believes, is to look everywhere – even in unlikely places – for leadership, and to encourage it across the state. She hopes the work of the Leadership Center will promote and lead to more collaborative problem solving and to a shared vision of community in neighborhoods, towns and cities across the state.
Mary Lou Jaramillo, Merriam
Mary Lou Jaramillo has committed her personal and professional life to human service organizations and civic engagement. Mary Lou is the former executive director of El Centro in Kansas City, Ks. and the Mattie Rhoades Center in Kansas City, Mo. Most recently she served as a consultant to the Olathe Latino Coalition.
Mary Lou was appointed by Governor Kelly in 2020 to serve on the Kansas Hispanic Latino American Affairs Commissioner. She is one of seven commissioners. Recent board service includes the Francis Family Foundation, the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, co-chair of the Diversity Equity & Inclusion initiative, United Community Services of Johnson County Health Equity Network and the Johnson County Latino Leadership Network.
Susan Kang, Lawrence
Susan Kang currently serves as the Senior Director of Development Recruitment and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lead at KU Endowment Association. Prior to that, she worked as the Development Director for the Dole Institute of Politics. In her former life as the Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs at the Kansas Department of Health & Environment, Susan learned the importance of exercising civic leadership in order to create robust, healthy communities.
As a participant of Leadership Kansas, she observed importance of exercising leadership not only in a civic context, but in corporate settings as well. As as a member of Leadership Lawrence, she experienced KLC principles actively used to teach leadership skills.
Peter Nájera, Wichita
Pete is the president and CEO of the United Way of the Plains where he works to advance the common good for all citizens in south central Kansas. A student of servant leadership, he has lived around the world in leading purpose-driven organizations in renewable energy, charitable planning, and private philanthropy. Pete is also a combat veteran, having honed his leadership skills in a 20-year Army career that included tours in Korea, Germany and Iraq. He spent time in Washington D.C. working in the Pentagon as an advisor to the Secretary of Defense, and later in the Executive Office of the President as a White House Fellow. His civic engagement includes volunteering with Reading is Fundamental in Wichita’s Title I schools, building homes with Habitat for Humanity, and serving on the board of the Wichita Rotary Charitable Fund.
Patrick Rossol-Allison, Seattle, Washington
Patrick Rossol-Allison is Head of Strategic Initiatives for the Learning Enterprise at Arizona State University. In his role he finds opportunities to create innovative tech-enabled solutions with the goal of democratizing the knowledge and opportunities that have traditionally been held by only a few to all learners at all stages of life. Patrick takes early stage learning ideas to executable and fundable concepts and oversees enterprise-wide strategic initiatives.
Patrick grew up in Germany, Canada, and Costa Rica and is fluent in English, Spanish, and German. Patrick and his family of four reside in Seattle, Washington.
Frank York, Ashland
Frank York has lived in Clark County most of his life. He returned to Ashland after college to pursue a career in banking from which he is now retired. Frank is still actively involved with his ranching and farming interests. Living in a less populated and rural area, York shares the concerns of many in his community and throughout the state. He has many interests and has enjoyed serving on a host of non-profit boards. York is eager to bring his rural Kansas experience and perspective to his service on the Kansas Leadership Center Board.