Longtime teacher and administrator, Cynthia Johnson, overcame major obstacles throughout her life and is now devoted to making sure her students thrive in their educations and ultimately reach their full potential.

Executive Director – Lawrence Schools Foundation
(Spirit Squad Director/ Head Coach – Free State High School)

Setting aside graduate school to work in the music industry may not have been the original plan, but it led Jacki Becker to realize not only her passion for music but other passions, as well.

Community Organizer and Entrepreneur

An activist for people with disabilities, Dot Nary works to eliminate disparities in housing, health care, transportation and recreation, and create a more inclusive community so the disabled can thrive in a society that often rejects them.

City Commissioner – Lawrence

Assistant City Manager

With a career that began with a mere interest in the workings of the city, Mayor Courtney Shipley methodically moved up the ranks.

With a combination of discipline, empathy and tenacity, Ballard Center CEO Becky Price turned a “nightmare” into a thriving nonprofit providing stability to families in need.

President/CEO, The Chamber of Lawrence, Kansas

Emprise Bank Market President – Lawrence

A pillar of the Indigenous community and a strong advocate for her people, Carole Cadue-Blackwood continues to shed a light on the racism against Native Americans in all walks of life—from sports to schools to everyday life.

Kansas State House Representative, House District 10

Jill Elmers, Common Harvest CSA, is shaping the local food system with a focus on putting sustainably grown local foods on the plates of Douglas County residents.

Professor, University of Kansas, Schools of Law, Business, and Political Science

The seeds of a life in public service were sown early in Kansas Rep. Barbara Ballard, who gained her drive toward civic duty from her all-female high school and college, as well as with hands-on experiences during the Civil Rights Movement.

With a passion for health equity, Erica Hill has gone above and beyond to ensure all community members are afforded the right of good health without fear of being denied because of their consequences, poverty or discrimination.

Owner/Operator Merchants Pub & Plate

Using fairness and reason while relying on a deep-rooted compassion, Judge Sally Pokorny presides over her courtroom much like she does her life—with an eye toward treating all people with humanity.

Kansas State Senator

For Dana Ortiz, it’s all about the relationships, many of which channeled her passion for volunteering with homeless communities on the West Coast to becoming the director of Family Promise right here in Lawrence.

A jack-of-all-trades, Kate Dinneen has her hands in not only her passion for blacksmithing and bike riding, but also acting as a role model to teens through Van Go and volunteering her time with Emergency Management for Douglas County.