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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 54, we interview Avenel Joseph, Ph.D. She serves as vice president for policy at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). She provides strategic leadership to the foundation’s programming, leads its Washington presence and guides the foundation’s policy direction.

In this episode, she shares how her early aspirations were to become a veterinarian. She entered the pre-vet program at Penn State University. However, after a number of internships, she realized that wasn’t the path for her. She decided to pursue the research route instead. So after graduating with an animal sciences degree, she pursued a master’s degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and then ultimately graduated with a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from Emory University.

She loved working in the laboratory and assumed her future would be in the lab and research. However, in 2009, she took a chance on a congressional fellowship sponsored through the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It brought scientists to Capitol Hill to inform policymaking. It was just a one-year opportunity, but it changed the trajectory of her career.

“The experience helped me to see how clearly science and policy are interconnected — how research shapes laws, budgets and systems that affect people’s daily lives,” she said. “And I think my scientific training grounded me in the importance of rigorous data. You can’t understand what the needs are without good data. You can’t come up with solutions without the good data. And I think when I was on the Hill, I saw firsthand both how science and evidence can inform smart policymaking, and how the absence of that can really lead to some harmful decisions.”

She shares how that experience ultimately led to her obtaining her current position at RWJF.

In this episode, she also discusses:

• RWJF’s mission and work
• Why voting rights are important to health and well-being
• Efforts to support the ballot-initiative process and voter participation
• Negative consequences of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or HR1
• RWJF’s One Nation Overcharged story-sharing campaign
• What gives her hope

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

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

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 49, we interview Tracy Quillin, associate director of Humanities Kansas. Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit leading a movement of ideas. Since 1972, HK’s programming, grants and partnerships have documented and shared Kansas stories to spark conversations. Together with statewide partners and supporters, HK encourages Kansans to draw on histories, literatures, and cultures to create connections with one another and strengthen Kansas communities and our democracy.

In this episode, she shares how her early years shaped her interest in the arts. She remembers going on a field trip to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City and looking at artifacts that were thousands of years old. It made an impression on her seeing items that old.

She also loved celebrating Kansas Day and learning about Kansas history.

“Those are really core memories to me,” she said.

It led to her pursuing college courses in history and art history, ultimately majoring in art, art history and history of culture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She later pursued a master’s degree in historical administration and museum studies with an emphasis in history from the University of Kansas.

In this episode, she discusses:

• Her first full-time job, where she would dress up as a 1904 school teacher and teach fourth and fifth graders
• Working at the Johnson County museum
• Working for Humanities Kansas and sharing stories from history across the state
• The mission and work of Humanities Kansas
• The “Americans” exhibit and partnering with Native American tribes
• The “Declaration 1776” exhibit that will be traveling across the state to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday, as well as declaration conversations they’re hosting
• The goals of Kansas folk life
• Convening Kansas historians and celebrating the story of Kansas
• What drives the work forward despite current challenges in funding
• What gives her hope

And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Tracy 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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Listen below or on any of your favorite podcast services. Like and subscribe to stay up-to-date with each new episode!

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 51, we interview Elliot Regenstein, a partner at Foresight Law + Policy. He has extensive experience in state-level policy and advocacy, with a particular focus on early learning. He has consulted with more than two dozen states on a wide range of education policy topics.

In this episode, he shares what led him to focus on K-12 and early childhood education.

Elliot said many people begin in education and find their way to policy work, but his journey was different. He started in policy work and found his way to education.

He was working as a municipal and land use lawyer, and a colleague from a previous job was working in a high-up position for the Illinois governor’s office. They were running a major education initiative, and his colleague contacted him and asked for his help on it. He didn’t have any experience in education policy at the time, but his colleague promised he could learn it on the job. That was more than 20 years ago. As a governor’s office staffer, Elliot simultaneously learned all about early childhood education, K-12 education and higher education.

“Sometimes I think that’s given me a really different perspective on how these pieces fit together, but I was certainly very grateful for that opportunity and have been trying to keep learning ever since,” he said.

In this episode, he also discusses:

• School choice
• Early childhood curriculums
• Authoring multiple books about education
• Successes with states that have established a unified government structure for early childhood
• Challenges states face
• The importance of local leadership
• The role philanthropy can play in developing early childhood policy
• How far the early childhood system has come over the last 20 years

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

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

Listen now

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

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 50, we interview Robert Stiles, chief executive officer at Community Care Network of Kansas. The Community Care Network of Kansas is comprised of health centers and community-based clinics with a common goal of providing high-quality, whole person healthcare for all Kansans. 

In this episode, Robert shares what led him to health care. He originally thought he’d be a lawyer, but he ended up pursuing a different path in his 20s. He worked with migrant farmers in Guatemala through the Catholic church. Then, as he neared 30, he decided to take a job with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in order to have benefits.

“I loved working with migrant farm workers, so I first started working with the Kansas farmworker project, which provides health care services,” he said. “I quickly discovered that I felt like just like food, water, education, people need access — and deserve access — to those things they need to be healthy,” he said.

Once he took the job at KDHE, he decided to obtain a master’s in public health, and he’s been in health care ever since.

In this episode, he also discusses:

• Community health centers
• Opening a community health center, as well as a school-based clinic
• Placing community health workers in schools and health clinics
• Telehealth
• His vision for the organization and member clinics
• The Rural Health Transformation Program
• The role of federally qualified health centers and the connection to federal policy
• What gives him hope

And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Robert 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.  

The Health Fund was honored to recognize Dr. Robert Kraft with the Kim Moore Visionary Leadership Award during a special ceremony May 5. He was honored for his extraordinary commitment to advancing health equity and strengthening rural health care in Kansas through partnership, vision and action.

This award, named in honor of our founding president, honors one individual whose leadership has had a positive effect on the health of Kansans.

Dr. Kraft embodies the spirit of this award. For more than 25 years, he has helped shape the future of family medicine in Kansas through clinical excellence, innovative leadership, and an unwavering commitment to patient-centered care.

Congratulations, Dr. Kraft, and thank you for the difference you make.

The Health Fund was honored to recognize Kelly Davydov, of Daydelys LLC, and Dr. Jennifer Francois, of Kansas State University, with the Janet Sevier Gilbreath Special Project Recognition Award at a special ceremony May 5 in Hutchinson.

This award, named in honor of our first board chairperson, recognizes one outstanding project from among all funded projects.

Kelly and Jennifer were honored for their commitment to data-driven research, meaningful stakeholder engagement and demonstrated impact on a system that serves Kansas families and children.

The Health Fund partnered with them to take an honest examination of why too few child care providers participate in the Child Care Assistance Program, contributing to only 7.4 percent of potentially eligible children participating. Access to affordable, high-quality child care is essential to the well-being of Kansas families.

Their efforts led to developing clear, actionable direction and led to the formation of a Governor’s Office advisory group that was focused on improving the child care subsidy system. A final report was then released with actionable recommendations.

Those recommendations are now being incorporated into the Office of Early Childhood’s transition planning and directly contributed to the passage of legislation this spring that will modernize the child care subsidy management and payment system, which should increase participation of families and child care providers in the subsidy program.

Congratulations to Kelly and Jennifer, and thank you for helping improve the lives of Kansas families.

Three Kansas organizations are embracing innovation in order to sustain a critical service that was decimated during recent federal funding cuts.

Thrive Allen County had initially received a $12.1 million federal grant to support multiple Navigators — people who are trained to help Kansans find and sign up for health insurance plans through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. Navigators also could refer or assist with enrollment in Medicaid, the income-based federal public health program.

However, that funding was cut by 90% last year by the Trump administration, leaving the positions without funding and making it harder for Kansans to get the assistance they need to enroll in a health care plan that’s right for them. 

This prompted Thrive Kansas and the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to search for innovative ways to provide this service without the reliance on federal dollars. 

Through a new approach, Thrive Kansas will use a private, nonprofit insurance broker model to continue providing this valuable service. The Health Fund is providing initial  financial support for the positions, who will become certified insurance brokers. They will earn commissions on assisting people, which will help financially sustain their positions in the future as grant funding is stepped down. 

“When this funding was cut, we had a choice — step back or find a better way forward. Kansans still need trusted, local help navigating their health insurance options, especially in rural communities where resources are limited,” said Lisse Regehr, president and CEO of Thrive Kansas. “By working together with partners across the state, we’re making sure this support doesn’t disappear but instead evolves into a more sustainable model for the future.”

This model was pioneered in Kansas by the Community Health Council of Wyandotte County, which has been operating a similar model for about five years and is providing guidance to Thrive Kansas. 

Thrive Kansas will base two positions in El Dorado to serve rural areas and has partnered with SENT Inc. to house a third position at its facility in Topeka. Together, they will help serve the entire state.

“Finding the right health insurance plan can be time consuming and complex,” said David Jordan, Health Fund president and CEO. “However, it’s critical that as many Kansans as possible have health coverage to benefit their families and the entire health system.”

Health care costs rise for everyone when more people are uninsured, as it forces hospitals and other medical providers to absorb the cost of care.

Under this new approach, the insurance brokers can assist Kansans with navigating and applying for Marketplace insurance, Medicaid and even Medicare — broadening the amount of plans they’re knowledgeable about to discuss. 

It will be free for Kansans to work with these specialists.

“Helping families find the right health coverage is not a small thing,” said Johnathan Sublet, executive director of SENT Inc. “It can shape whether they get care when they need it, whether they can stay financially stable, and whether they have a real chance to thrive. That is why this partnership is so important. It reflects the kind of collaboration Kansas needs, with rural and under-resourced urban communities working together to close gaps for families across our state. By housing this resource at SENT’s one-stop Family Resource Center, we can connect people not only to insurance help, but also to other supports that strengthen the whole family. When trusted help is in one place, it reduces strain, restores dignity, and makes it easier for people to move forward.”

We are pleased to host three workshops with The Neighboring Movement this year. Learn more about each workshop below and then register using the form. Registration is required to attend; Zoom information will be emailed following form completion. Feel free to download and share the flier, as well!

Congregations as Connectors

Congregations play a crucial role in community development, but the traditional program-based church model struggles to adapt to cultural change. This webinar introduces a missional perspective, helping congregations leverage their unique roles and resources beyond church walls into the surrounding neighborhoods and their members’ neighborhoods. 

This webinar provides a practical framework with actionable steps to address projects by focusing on strengths and abundance, allowing churches to become “community connectors” and active agents of flourishing neighborhoods. 

UPCOMING!
Covenantal Neighboring | Noon July 31
60-75 minutes

 We live in a time marked by “squishy commitment,” where relationships often involve one foot in and one foot out. People tend to avoid deep involvement, keeping their options open and feeling free to leave at any time. This transient behavior can damage trust and weaken communal culture. 

This workshop explores how to cultivate committed individuals, focusing on dedication to neighborhoods and their residents, ecology, and organizations. While we acknowledge that life can lead us in different directions, participants will learn to assess their commitments intentionally, welcome others, sustain relationships, and leave gracefully, ensuring community cultures remain strong despite changes. 

Holy Listening Conversations | Noon Oct. 2
45-60 minutes

 Many people lack the chance to engage in deep conversations about what makes them feel truly alive. This workshop offers hands-on experience with Holy Listening Conversations (HLCs), a method for discovering the unique gifts God has placed within each of us. You’ll learn to invite others to participate in HLCs, ask insightful questions, listen actively, and identify individual strengths to foster connections and strengthen relationships. 

The workshop wraps up with an introduction to asset mapping, demonstrating how to leverage connections to complete projects and overcome challenges. 

REGISTER BELOW

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