2017 Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership Awards Panel

Barbara Bollier, MD
Kansas State Senate

Barbara Bollier attended the University of Kansas for undergraduate studies and entered the University Of Kansas School Of Medicine in 1980. She completed her residency in Anesthesiology. She chose medicine because of her strong desire to care for people and make a difference. In 1987 Dr. Bollier joined her father at Surgicenter of Kansas City and practiced anesthesia for twelve years. During this time was elected President of the Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists. She has served as an Elder/Trustee at Village Presbyterian Church, been on the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation board, and for the past 20 years she has taught comprehensive sex education in the Presbyterian Church.

Dr. Bollier retired from active practice at the end of 1999 and found additional time-intensive opportunities to volunteer and make a difference in the world. In 2001 she was asked by the Center for Practical Bioethics to chair a steering committee directed toward improving pediatric palliative care in Kansas City. That three-year commitment evolved into a part-time volunteer job at the Center, where most of her time was spent working on Caring Conversations for Young Adults©, an advance directive written for 16 to 25-year-olds. Barbara taught for two years in the Bioethics Masters Program at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

In January 2010 Dr. Bollier began her service in the Kansas House of Representatives. Barbara was elected to the Senate this past fall. Her current committee assignments include Education, Commerce, and Health and Public Welfare, where she serves as vice-chair. She also is part of the KanCare (Medicaid) Oversight Committee.

Barbara is married to Rene, a Family Practice physician, and they have two children, Anne-Marie (29) and Bobby (27).

Gary Burton
Partner, Burton & Liese Government Relations, former Missouri Representative

Gary served in the Missouri legislature for 14 years. During his tenure as a legislator, Gary served on numerous committees including: Insurance, Budget, Appropriations, Utilities, Financial Services, Energy and Environment, and Public Safety.

As a member of the Missouri General Assembly, Gary was elected the State Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a national organization of legislators and the private sector. He also served as national chairman of ALEC’s Telecommunications and Information Technology Taskforce.

Gary has received numerous awards, including,: ALEC “Thomas Jefferson Award” naming him one of the top five legislators in the nation, Missouri Chamber of Commerce “Legislator of the Year”, Missouri Associated Industries “Voice of Missouri Business”, Missouri Farm Bureau “Friend of Agriculture”, the “Distinguished Service Award”, Council on Developmental Disabilities “Outstanding Legislative Advocacy Award”, and Ozark Center Board of Directors “Leadership and Public Advocacy Award”.

In addition to his service as a legislator, Gary was instrumental in forming Joplin.com, the first non-profit internet service provider for Southwest Missouri; is co-founder of the Wildcat Glades Audubon Nature Center in his hometown of Joplin; served on the Joplin City Council and various city boards; former State Board Member and President for the Missouri Special Olympics Board; former board member of Joplin’s Ronald McDonald House, and his church. He currently serves on the Board of Bright Futures USA in Joplin, MO.

Gary graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. He is presently a real estate developer and small business owner in the Joplin, MO area.

Jay Hardenbrook
Associate State Director of Advocacy, AARP

Jay Hardenbrook is the Associate State Director for Advocacy with AARP Missouri. Jay has worked in public policy for the last sixteen years, recently working for the Missouri Budget Project as their policy director. Jay possesses an extensive knowledge of Missouri’s budget process and has a depth of knowledge in health care, consumer and utility issues. He has spent years building relationships with House and Senate leadership and with like-minded advocates in the Capitol.

Jay previously worked as AARP Missouri’s Program Coordinator from 2007 to 2009. Even then he was recognized as a powerful builder of strategic partnerships, an effective volunteer manager, and having an ability to build deep, meaningful and effective relationships on all sides of the political spectrum.

Ken Hussey
Director of Leadership and Civil Engagement, Missouri State Alliance of YMCA’s

Ken Hussey serves as the Director of Leadership and Civic Engagement for the Missouri State Alliance of YMCAs. In this role, he provides leadership to the YMCA Youth and Government program, along with other youth leadership programs. With the Alliance, he works with Missouri YMCAs to advance their policy priorities at the local, state, and federal levels.

Prior to this, Ken served as the Executive Director of the Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a statewide association comprised of over 1,100 pediatricians and residents in Missouri. He served as the lobbyist for the chapter, advocating for children’s health issues in Jefferson City.

Ken has also served as an instructor for Moberly Area Community College and Lincoln University, teaching courses on government and public policy.

He graduated from Truman State University in 2001 with a degree in political science, and from Indiana University in 2005 with a master’s degree in public affairs.

Since 2013, Ken has served as a councilman on the Jefferson City Council. He is active in the community, and involved with organizations such as Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, and Serve Jeff City.

Ken and his wife Kelsey live in Jefferson City. They have two daughters – Lillian and Eleanor.

David Jordan
Executive Director, Alliance for Healthy Kansas

David Jordan is the executive director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, a coalition of over 100 organizations, working to improve health and access to health care in Kansas. David oversees the Alliance’s operations and the effort to expand KanCare, Kansas’ Medicaid program.

David joined the Alliance after spending nearly seven years at Community Catalyst, a leading national consumer health advocacy organization, as the Dental Access Project Director. At Community Catalyst, David led a national campaign to expand access to dental care by initiating and supporting state campaigns to establish the practice of dental therapists. David oversaw the project’s political strategy, state field operations and strategic and operational relations with collaborating partners. During his tenure leading the national effort to add dental therapists to the dental team, David oversaw efforts that resulted in dental therapy being recognized by the dental industry’s accrediting body, the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and scope of practice laws changed to add dental therapists to the dental team in Vermont.

Prior to joining Community Catalyst, David served as chief of staff to a Massachusetts state senator and led integrated communications campaigns at Solomon McCown & Company. He also managed the successful MassACT! ballot campaign, which in part led to Massachusetts’ landmark 2006 health care law. David is a veteran of electoral politics and has worked on local, state and national campaigns. David has presented at dozens of national conferences and was regularly quoted in the media on health issues, including the Washington Post, USA Today, Baltimore Sun, National Public Radio, and many state and local outlets.

David loves his wife, Suzanne, and their dog, Emma, in Lawrence, Kansas. David is a graduate of Emerson College.