Author: Nancy McCready

Podcast episode 44: Dr. Donna Ginther

Posted on by Nancy McCready

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Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health.

In episode 44, we interview Dr. Donna Ginther. She is the Roy A. Roberts & Regents Distinguished Professor of Economics, Director of the Institute for Policy & Social Research at the University of Kansas, and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Prior to joining the University of Kansas faculty, she was a research economist and associate policy adviser in the regional group of the Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta from 2000 to 2002 and taught at Washington University from 1997 to 2000 and Southern Methodist University from 1995 to 1997.

Her major fields of study are scientific labor markets, gender differences in employment outcomes, wage inequality, science policy and investments in children.

A native of Wisconsin, Dr. Ginther received her doctorate in economics in 1995, master’s degree in economics in 1991, and bachelor’s degree in economics in 1987, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In this episode, Donna shares how she first became interested in economics at an early age.

“I became interested in economics when I saw the economy affect my family. My dad was working for an automobile manufacturer and lost his job for several months in 1982 when we had a very deep recession,” she said. ” And I realized that the economy has an impact on everyday people.”

She pursued a bachelor’s degree and ultimately a master’s and doctorate degree in economics.

Now, as a distinguished economics professor, she shares about some of her recent and current research — much of which focuses on the drivers of inequality.

She discusses:

  • Her research on women in economics
  • Labor markets and how family structure affects educational outcomes
  • Research on how better access to public programs, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), reduces foster care placements and the number of children maltreated
  • How artificial intelligence is impacting the labor market
  • How inequality isn’t good for the economy or health
  • The Institute for Policy & Social Research
  • Property tax policies
  • The impact of federal dollars on state economic activity
  • The economic impact of not expanding Medicaid to include more Kansans
  • What excites her and gives her hope

And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Donna is an innovative leader in Kansas.

Please see the Pioneers in Health page on our website for more information on our podcast series and links to other episodes.  

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New report: Sustaining CHWs in Kansas

Posted on by Nancy McCready

Community health workers help bridge the gap between their communities and health care and social services. They provide culturally responsive care, improve access to services and address social drivers of health — including food insecurity, housing instability and transportation barriers. They extend the reach of health care teams by offering follow-up, education and support beyond clinical settings.

In Kansas, CHWs are especially critical in rural areas, where geographic isolation, provider shortages and chronic diseases are more pronounced.

Since 2011, Kansas has made significant strides in building a strong, sustainable CHW workforce. Though considerable progress has been made, continued efforts are necessary to support, sustain and scale CHWs in our state.

The Health Fund recently convened partners from across the state to plan for CHW sustainability. This report discusses what areas were identified as critical to sustaining CHWs in Kansas, as well as recommendations for action.

Download report

View presentation

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2026 Healthy Congregations Retreat

Posted on by Nancy McCready


Registration is now open for our annual retreat April 16-17 in Salina, Kansas!

Come experience the Gift of Community at this year’s annual retreat. This two-day event is designed to leave you feeling inspired and connected to others who are passionate about the health of their congregations and communities. It will be held at the Homewood Suites in Salina, Kansas, April 16-17.

The event is free to attend and is open to all Healthy Congregations members or United Methodists in the Great Plains Conference.

The Health Fund will cover the hotel costs for any attendee who needs to stay the night. Simply indicate that while filling out the registration form below. Details about the hotel are also below. Those needing hotel rooms must register by March 19; room availability cannot be confirmed after this date.

Healthy Congregations contact: Jackie Biggs, program officer, jackie@healthfund.org

AGENDA

This year will focus on the Gift of Community — with each other, your congregation and the place you call home. Click here or on the image below to check out the agenda here!

HOTEL

Homewood Suites in Salina, Kansas
115 E Mulberry St.
Salina, KS, 67401, US

Please indicate on the registration form if you’ll need a hotel room.

REGISTRATION

Registration for the 2026 Healthy Congregations Retreat is now closed. Please contact info@healthfund.org with any questions. Thank you for your interest.

Health Fund president receives national honor

Posted on by Nancy McCready

Health Fund President and CEO David Jordan received the Rural Health Advocate of the Year award by the National Rural Health Association Feb. 10 during the NRHA’s Rural Health Policy Institute.

He received the award as recognition for his extraordinary dedication to the health of rural Americans.

In presenting the award, NRHA leadership said David facilitated partnerships that helped the NRHA serve as a leading voice on rural Medicaid this past year.

“We really appreciate your work and commitment to rural communities,” said Alexa Mckinley Abel, NRHA director of government affairs and policy.

Podcast episode 43: Beth Ludlum

Posted on by Nancy McCready

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health.

In episode 43, we interview Rev. Dr. Beth Ludlum. Beth serves as vice president for strategic initiatives and executive director of The Hub for (Re)Imagining Ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. She also serves on the Health Fund’s Board of Directors.

In this episode, Beth shares how she grew up on a sixth-generation farm in southeast Kansas. She grew up active in her small Methodist church, where the older women taught her to bake bread and pray and the older men would tell her stories.

“Church was always a big part of my life,” she said, noting those early experiences really shaped her faith and identify.

Upon graduating high school, she left her small town to attend Kansas State University, where she majored in agricultural communications. While there, she began getting more and more involved in ministry. When graduation time rolled around, she struggled to find a job that felt right.

“I kept looking at jobs and thinking, this isn’t the right next step,” she said. “And so finally, a friend told me about this opportunity to teach in China. It was with a Christian organization, so kind of with the idea of going with eyes and ears toward what God was doing there, and that somehow just hit the right chord.”

She spent a year there, and fell in love with the people. Upon her return to the states, she shares how her career took a different path and led her into politics in Washington, D.C., and then ultimately into her current faith-based role.

She also discusses:

  • Her experience working in Washington, D.C., for U.S. Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts
  • Discovering a love of policy
  • Her journey into working in a faith-based role
  • Her decision to go to seminary and what she loves about ministry
  • Her passion for empowering young adult leadership and revitalizing ministry
  • What The Hub for (Re)Imagining Ministry does
  • The decline in church attendance
  • The role churches can play in their communities
  • The importance of lifting up the good in the world
  • What gives her hope

And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Beth is an innovative leader in Kansas.

Listen now

Listen below or on any of your favorite podcast services. Like and subscribe to stay up-to-date with each new episode!

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Please see the Pioneers in Health page on our website for more information on our podcast series and links to other episodes.  

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Podcast episode 42: Kari Bruffett

Posted on by Nancy McCready

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health.

In episode 42, we interview Kari Bruffett, president and CEO of Kansas Health Institute.

Kari, who grew up in western Kansas, began her career as a journalist for a small community newspaper in Paola, Kansas. There, she covered health care and government issues as part of her beat, which included localizing national health policy debate and covering an area hospital looking to expand into her county.

She also was able to interview U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum during that time, who shortly after had a position open up in her office. Kari was hired for the position, which further introduced her to health care policy.

She shared about her experience going from covering local health policy to working on national health policies. She worked for both Kassebaum and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran during her time in Washington, D.C.

“When I think about the kind of work that I’ve done, it really ties back to my strong belief that I really want folks to be able to live where they want to live, and where they live not to define their outcomes,” she said. “We know that’s such a real challenge in health care, but I didn’t know that that was going to be the sort of thing that was a motivating force for me when I first was starting out.”

Those experiences laid the foundation for a long career in health care and policy work.

In this episode, she also discusses:

  • Her career journey and the types of health policy she helped with along the way
  • Public health programs, including Medicaid
  • Behavioral health care
  • The Kansas Health Institute’s mission and work
  • How policy impacts health and vice versa
  • Opportunities that exist with rural health
  • Workforce development efforts
  • Policies they’re monitoring for this legislative session
  • Reimagining the health care system

And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Kari is an innovative leader in health care.

Listen now

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Please see the Pioneers in Health page on our website for more information on our podcast series and links to other episodes.  

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Podcast episode 41: Chase Blasi

Posted on by Nancy McCready

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health.

In episode 41, we interview Chase Blasi, Kansas senator and Senate majority leader. He is a fifth-generation Kansan who grew up in West Sedgwick County and represents Senate District 26 in the Kansas Legislature.

In this episode, Senator Blasi discusses his background and how his interest was sparked in politics.

He first became interested in politics in 2010 while in high school — a time when the Tea Party made headlines and was coming into prominence. He became a volunteer for Mike Pompeo’s campaign for Congress, who successfully was elected to public office and went on to hold many high-level positions, including CIA director and secretary of state.

In 2017, he joined Kansas Senator Susan Wagle’s office while she served as president of the Senate. He then worked for Senator Ty Masterson’s office after that; he, too, served as president of the Senate. After working five years as a staffer, Chase decided to leave the Statehouse.

“Only then, four months later, my senator (Gene Suellentrop) resigned, and I thought, well maybe I should run for office and and run for the Senate,” he said. “And so next thing you know, four months later, I’m back in the Senate — not as a staffer, but now as a senator.”

He was elected in a precinct special election and is now entering his fourth year of service in the Senate and his second year as senate majority leader. He became the youngest person to serve in either position.

He also discusses:

  • Servant leadership
  • His experience as a young senator and the perspective that brings to the Legislature
  • How being a father makes him a better legislator
  • The high cost of child care
  • Efforts to pass a statewide ban on cell phones in schools and how he built a non-partisan coalition to support it
  • His focus on child health issues for the 2026 legislative session
  • Leadership Kansas
  • What gives him hope

And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Senator Blasi is an innovative leader in Kansas.

Listen now

Listen below or on any of your favorite podcast services. Like and subscribe to stay up-to-date with each new episode!

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Please see the Pioneers in Health page on our website for more information on our podcast series and links to other episodes.  

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Health Fund president named to national health board

Posted on by Nancy McCready

Health Fund President and CEO David Jordan was elected to the national Grantmakers in Health Board of Directors this month.

Grantmakers in Health is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to helping foundations and corporate giving programs improve the health of all people. Its mission is to foster communication and collaboration among grantmakers and others, and to help strengthen the grantmaking community’s knowledge, skills, and effectiveness.

David joins Regan Gruber Moffitt, of St. David’s Foundation, as the newest members to the board.

“David and Regan bring deep experience in philanthropy and a powerful commitment to advancing better health for all, and we are excited for them to join the GIH board,” said Qiana Thomason, GIH Board Chair and President and CEO of the Health Forward Foundation. “We are grateful for their leadership, dedication, and willingness to serve.”

David’s three-year term begins in March.

“I am honored to be elected to serve on the Grantmakers in Health Board of Directors,” David said. “GIH is doing great work to support better health for all, and I am excited to support this important organization.”

Read full announcement

Child care subsidy program report, recommendations released

Posted on by Nancy McCready

Access to affordable, high-quality child care is essential to the well-being of Kansas families, the strength of our workforce, and the long-term economic prosperity of our state.

Reliable child care allows parents to work, pursue education, and provide stability at home. For employers, it means a dependable workforce and stronger productivity. And for children, high-quality early care and education builds the foundation for healthy development and lifelong learning. When families can find and afford the care they need, the benefits ripple across local businesses, communities, and the entire state.

A cornerstone of this system is Kansas’ Child Care Assistance Program, which helps families offset the cost of care through subsidies. When administered effectively, these subsidies enable parents to join or remain in the workforce, pursue education or training, and provide stability for their children — while also giving providers the predictable revenue needed to sustain their programs and deliver high-quality care.

Yet, in Kansas, only 7.4% of potentially eligible children are currently served by the program. To better understand the barriers and identify solutions to increase participation, the Health Fund supported a research initiative that took an honest, data-driven look at how the program is functioning today and where improvements are most needed.

This report, released publicly in January 2026, provides recommendations on what actions could improve access for families and increase participation by child care providers. View the full report or the research brief below.

Download full report

Download research brief

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Podcast episode 39: Janet Stanek

Posted on by Nancy McCready

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health.

In episode 39, we interview Janet Stanek, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Janet Stanek is the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), appointed by Governor Laura Kelly. KDHE has three divisions, including Health, Environment, and Health Care Finance, which includes the Medicaid program (KanCare) and the State Employee Health Benefits Plan, where Stanek previously served as the Director.

Secretary Stanek has worked in health care for more than 40 years, but her initial sights were elsewhere. They were on computer science. However, after just one year in college, she knew it wasn’t for her.

A college guidance counselor encouraged her to look at a new emerging field called medical record technology.

“He said computers were going to play a big role in that,” she said. “And he was right.”

She completed a two-year degree in medical record technology and then obtained a bachelor’s degree in medical record administration. And so began her career in health care.

She first worked as a medical biller in a small hospital and then worked her way up to COO and senior vice president at Stormont Vail Health, a large hospital in Topeka. She said her experience working in small, critical-access hospitals was invaluable to her career.

“In those hospitals, you learn a lot, and I would say that was the bedrock of my advancement to bigger hospitals and learning so much more, because everything replicates to a bigger scale,” she said.

In this episode, she shares highlights from her time in hospital administration.

She also discusses the evolution of technology in medical record keeping and lessons that apply to today’s newest technology with artificial intelligence.

She also discusses:

  • How the health care landscape has changed throughout her career
  • Workforce shortages
  • Her experience as director of the State Employee Health Benefits Program
  • The challenges large employers face in keeping health care costs down while maintaining robust coverage for employees
  • The importance of employee satisfaction
  • The role of KDHE
  • Efforts to strengthen public health
  • KanCare 3.0
  • How KDHE is working to mitigate current challenges, including federal budget cuts
  • How KDHE supports strengthening health care in rural communities
  • The Rural Health Transformation Fund
  • What gives her hope

And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Secretary Stanek is an innovative leader in health care.

Listen now

Listen below or on any of your favorite podcast services. Like and subscribe to stay up-to-date with each new episode!

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Please see the Pioneers in Health page on our website for more information on our podcast series and links to other episodes.  

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