KACE BOARD MEMBERS 2026

• President: Steve Rottinghaus, University of Kansas
• President-Elect: Sarah Mathews, Wichita State University
• Past President/ Historian: Pamela Hann, Kansas Department of Labor
• Secretary:  Paulicia Hungerford, Kansas State University
• Treasurer: William Mockry, University of Kansas
• College Relations Co-Chair:  Lisa Karlin, Fort Hays State University

• Employer Relations Co-Chair: Heather Homewood, Kustom Signals

• Membership Development: Sydney Steffen, Washburn University
• Technology Chair: Sara Leftwich, Wichita State University

Annual Conference Planning Committee

• Sarah Mathews, Wichita State University, sarah.mathews@wichita.edu (Committee Chair)
• Pamela Hann, Kansas Department of Labor, pamela.hann@ks.gov
• Gary Handy, University of Kansas School of Engineering, ghandy@ku.edu
• Lisa Karlin, Fort Hays State, lkarlin@fhsu.edu
• Nikky Hays, Ember Hope, nhays@emberhope.org
• Heather Homewood, Kustom Signals, hhomewood@kustomsignals.com
• Ana Abente, Wichita State University, ana.abente@wichita.edu
• Tami Zeferjahn, Washburn University, tami.zeferhajahn@wasburn.edu
• Anthony Ybarra, Kansas State, anthonyy@ksu.edu
• Penny McNeill, Wichita USD 295, penny.mcneill@usd295.net
• Aletra Cheney-Profit, Butler Community College, achaneyprofi@butler.cc.edu

By-Laws Committee

• Empty (Committee Chair)
• Pamela Hann, Kansas Department of Labor, pamela.hann@ks.gov
• Heather Busch, Pittsburg State University, hbusch@pittstate.edu
• Heather Homewood, Kustom Signals, hhomewood@kustomsignals.com
• Penny McNeill, Wichita, USD 295, penny.mcneill@usd295.net
• Aaron Evans, Wichita State University, aaron.evans@wichita.edu
• Christina Batalia, Overland Park Police Department, cbatalia2006@gmail.com

Membership Development Committee

• Sydney Steffen, Washburn University, Sydney.steffen@washburn.edu (Committee Chair)
• Pamela Hann, Kansas Department of Labor, pamela.hann@ks.gov
• Abby Kennemer, Fort Hays State, ankennemer@fhsu.edu
• Nikky Hays, EmberHope, nhays@emberhope.org

Site Selection Committee

• Empty (Committee Chair)
• Abby Kennermer, Fort Hays State, ankennemer@fhsu.edu
• Angela Valdivia, Washburn University, angela.valdivia@washburn.edu
• Kim Miller, EmberHope, kmiller@emberhope.org
• Aletra Chaney-Profit, Butler Community College, achaneyprofi@butlerce.edu
• Andrew Moses, University of Kansas, Andrew.moses@ku.edu

Special Projects/ Summer Drive-In Committee

• College Relations Co-Chair: Lisa Karlin, Fort Hays State University, lkarlin@fhsu.edu (Committee Chair)
• Employer Relations Co-Chair: Heather Homewood, Kustom Signals, hhomewood@kustomsignals.com (Committee Chair)
• Pamela Hann, Kansas Department of Labor, Pamela.Hann@ks.gov
• Abby Kennemer, Fort Hays State University, ankennemer@fhsu.edu

Technology & Communications Committee

• Sara Leftwich, Wichita State University, sara.leftwich@wichita.edu (Committee Chair)
• Pamela Hann, Kansas Department of Labor, pamela.hann@ks.gov
• Sarah Mathews, Wichita State University, sarah.mathews@wichita.edu