Current Board Members:

President:  Cheri Koochel

Cheri Koochel. LMSW, is the KSSWA President and is a retired School Social Worker from USD  383,  Manhattan KS.

Vice President  Teresa Palmer

Past President:  Barb Meyer

Secretary: Dani Redd

Dani Redd, LMSW is a Special Education Social Worker for Topeka Public Schools, USD 501. She is also a member of the Legislative Committee for KSSWA. 

Co-Treasurer:  Becky Hegler

Co-Treasurer: Tracie Chauvin

  Tracie Chauvin, LSCSW is the Coordinator of Social Emotional Learning for Kansas City Kansas Public    Schools. She serves as the KSSWA co-treasurer.

Membership Chair:  Gerri Blaisdell

Member-at-Large:  Julie Gomez

Julie (Julia) Gomez, LSCSW is the School Social Worker for St. Marys Schools in USD 321.  She has been in her current position since August, 2005.  During this time she has also worked PRN for Hospice and the Crisis Stabilization Unit, both in Manhattan, KS.   Julie is serving on the Board as Member at Large and is excited to advocate for School Social Work.  

Communications Co-Chair: Katie Berry

Katie Berry, LMSW, is the KSSWA Communications Chair. She is a school social worker in USD 261,  working with students K-12.  She has entered her 11th year working as a school social worker.  Outside of working in the school and helping students and their families, Katie enjoys working on her family farm, gardening, being outside and reading a good book!

Communications Co-Chair: Sara Nowak

Legislative Chair:  Shelby Burnett

 

Shelby Burnett, LMSW, is a school social worker at Tonganoxie Elementary School. She is the Legislative Chair and on the KSSWA Board. Shelby has been a school social worker since 2018 and cannot imagine not being apart of the educational field. Shelby and her therapy dog pride themselves on building strong and safe relationships with others. 

Professional Development Chair: Kim Stoeber

Northwest Representative: Karen Sullivan

Karen Sullivan, LMSW, is the NW Regional Representative. She works for Colby Public Schools USD 315 as a School Social Worker. Karen moved back to NW Kansas after completing her Masters in Social Work at Washburn University in 2008. She has worked in education as a School Social Worker since 2009

Northeast Co-Representative:  Taylor Kehr 

My name is Taylor Kehr, LSCSW. I am currently a School Social Worker at Argentine Middle school in Kansas City, KS. This is my 9^th year as a Social Worker, and my 5^th year in the Kansas City, KS School District, I was in an Elementary school for 3 years prior to coming to Argentine Middle School last year. Before I became a School Social Worker, I worked in child welfare as a Case Manager and an Outpatient Therapist. I am very social and love to talk to anyone, but also love spending my alone time reading and going on walks. My favorite part of Social Work is advocacy. Because we use a person in environment lens to see the world, we are capable of making great change in a person's life and in society as a whole. 

Northeast Co-Representative: Jess Sholin

Southwest Co-Representative: Lindsey Sill 

Southwest Co-Representative: Carrie Brock

Southeast Co-Representative: Nicole Gilmore

Nicole Gilmore, LMSW, is a School Social Worker with the SEK Interlocal #637 at The Learning Center in Girard, KS servicing students K-12 across 13 districts. She is in her fifth year and is currently working on her principal certification through Pittsburg State University. She serves as a Southeast Regional Representative. 

Southeast Co-Representative: Caitlyn Dailey

KSDE Liaison:  Shanna Bigler

Shanna Bigler
  KSDE Education Program Consultant
  Special Education & Title Services
  KSSWA KSDE Liaison

Fort Hays Faculty Liaison:  Rekala Tuxhorn

  

Wichita State University Faculty Liaison:  

Washburn Faculty Liaison:  Kim Harrison

Kansas University Faculty Liaison:  Kelly Jones

Newman University Faculty Liaison: Vanessa Rials

Washburn Student Representative: Mandy Hermann

KU Student Representative: 

Newman University Student Representative:

WSU Student Representative: 

FHSU Student Representative: Bailey Zerger