The Health Fund recently welcomed four new members to the Board of Directors, in addition to ushering in new leadership.
Three longtime board members retired from the board in May after reaching their term limits, including former board Chair Lori Hartnett.
The board welcomed incoming board Chair Matthew Penner, who has served on the board since 2018 and served on committees for two years prior to that.
The Health Fund also welcomed five new members to the board, in addition to one new committee member. New board members include: Ashley Hutchinson, Scott Kedrowski, Beth Ludlum and Jerry Williams and David Foster.
Matthew Penner
Matthew L. Penner is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (LSCSW) and a Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor (LCAC). Matthew is the owner of Penner Counseling Services, LLC. He provides outpatient mental health services and consultation focusing on child, adolescent, adult and family therapy interventions.
Matthew is endorsed by the Kansas Association of Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (KAIMH) as an Infant Family Associate, IMH-E (I). Matthew has completed advanced training in Autism and trauma. He specializes in childhood-onset disorders, including ADHD, Autism, anxiety, mood, trauma and behavioral disorders. Matthew has worked in residential treatment centers, therapeutic group homes, medical facilities and community mental health centers. Matthew has facilitated trainings for professionals and community members related to crisis intervention, childhood mental health, self-regulation and cultural diversity.
In addition, Matthew has served in leadership roles within his local church at Trinity United Methodist Church. Leadership roles include serving on the Staff Parish Relations and Nomination Committees, youth mentoring, and Praise and Worship Team. Matthew has also previously served the following community organizations in a leadership capacity as a volunteer: Hutchinson Community Foundation, Reno County Area Transit, Reno County Mental Health Task Force and the K-Ready/Early Childhood Council.
Ashley Hutchinson
Ashley McMillan Hutchinson is the executive director of governmental affairs and marketing at Salina Regional Health Center.
With a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washburn University, Ashley began her journey in the political arena over two decades ago. She worked in an official or campaign capacity for several Kansas leaders, including Kansas Senate President Steve Morris, Senator Pat Roberts, and Governor Sam Brownback. Ashley also served as executive director of the Kansas Republican Party.
Ashley has spent many years in community development in north-central Kansas and committed much of her time as a board member for her local critical access hospital in Concordia.
Ashley’s dedication to advancing healthcare accessibility and quality led her to transition into the healthcare sector. In 2021, she joined Salina Regional Health Center, where she now serves as the executive director of governmental affairs and marketing. There, she spearheads efforts to navigate the complex intersection of healthcare, public relations, governmental relations and payer relations.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Ashley remains deeply engaged in her community. She is serving her second term as city commissioner in her hometown of Concordia and has recently teamed up with other community leaders to start a nonprofit advancing Concordia’s community needs. Ashley and her husband Brandt are fifth- and fourth-generation Cloud County citizens and enjoy raising their sons Hobbs, Henry and Hershel close to her family farm.
Scott Kedrowski
Scott Kedrowski serves as the dean of advancement and alumni relations at Garden City Community College (GCCC) in Garden City, Kansas. With more than 31 years in education, Scott has held roles ranging from adaptive physical education instructor to building principal and special education director, shaping his deep commitment to equity, access and student success across all ages and abilities.
In his current role, Scott leads GCCC’s fundraising, alumni relations and community engagement strategies. He has played a key role in securing support for transformative campus projects, including the new Construction and Electrical Technology Center, which will provide immersive, hands-on learning environments to train students in both foundational and advanced construction and electrical skills. He also helped secure funding for a remodeled “front door” to the Garden City Career Connection Academy — a separate facility located on campus that offers adult basic education, GED preparation, ESL instruction and job-readiness training.
Together, these two facilities form a dual-entry pathway aimed at addressing health inequities and economic disparities through accessible education, workforce training and community-based support. Each serves as a point of entry for individuals who have faced traditional educational barriers, reinforcing GCCC’s mission to serve the whole community. Both projects are strategically designed to meet the workforce and economic development needs of southwest Kansas.
Scott also serves in a leadership capacity with the Garden City Community College Endowment Association, a nonprofit focused on reducing barriers to higher education. Under his leadership, the association has expanded its impact through increased scholarship funding, strategic partnerships and community engagement efforts that directly support student success.
Deeply committed to health and wellness in his community, Scott serves as vice president of the Finney County Health Coalition, where he works alongside local partners to improve public health outcomes, especially in rural and underserved populations.
Beth Ludlum
The Rev. Dr. Beth Ludlum 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. Her vocation has led her through a U.S. senator’s office, a global UMC agency, a national nonprofit and a local church.
At Wesley Theological Seminary, she has completed both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry degree, the latter focused on the applications of human-centered design thinking for congregational flourishing. At Wesley, she creates new initiatives, partnerships and experiments to help students and the church live into God’s dream for the world; has launched and manages several programs focused on innovation with emerging generations and congregational thriving; and oversees strategic planning and marketing.
After living in Washington, D.C., for more than 20 years, she recently returned home to Kansas. In her spare time, she spends as much time as possible hiking, biking and laughing with her family.
Jerry Williams
Jerry Williams is a retired T-Mobile executive with over 30 years of experience in business/consumer care (outsourcing), solutions engineering, technical service assurance and finance (collections).
Since retiring from T-Mobile, he has become an elected official with the City of Fairway and is chairing the board of The Ewing Marion Kauffman School. Other nonprofit board memberships include Swope Health, the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, The Menorah Heritage Foundation and The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey.
David Foster
David Foster is in his 28th year as an employee of the YMCA. He began his YMCA career with the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City in 1997 and has had the opportunity to serve in a variety of leadership positions at YMCAs in Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas and Kansas. He has been the branch director of the Hutchinson YMCA since May 10, 2022.
David is involved in his local community, having served in local Rotary Clubs, Chamber of Commerce boards, and various other leadership capacities. He is currently a member of the Hutchinson Rotary Club, the Hutchinson High School Booster Club and most recently joined the Investment Committee for the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. Additionally, he has spoken at national YMCA conferences on a variety of topics, including board and volunteer development and community partnerships.
David is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma and completed coursework toward a master’s degree in sports administration at Oklahoma State University. He is married to Ali, and they have a 17-year-old daughter, Audrey, who attends Hutchinson High School and is a member of the varsity cheer team. In his free time, David enjoys spending time with family, golfing, playing pickleball and watching a variety of sporting events.
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