Campaign Phone
9133838365
Personal Biography
John is a retired business leader who spent his career in the greeting card industry. He and his wife are 30+ year residents of Prairie Village having raised their two children here.
Education
Journalism and Business (Masters), Northwestern University
Community/Public Service
United Way agencies, USPS.
John is running for City Council to ensure more responsible fiscal management, protect residential zoning, and give residents a stronger voice on major city decisions — including the proposed new City Hall project.
Throughout my career as a business leader, I developed the skills to manage complex organizations and lead diverse teams. I've learned the best results come when we work collaboratively. I’ve worked closely with local, state, and federal government agencies, and I understand how public policy decisions can affect real people, businesses, and communities.
I bring financial discipline, a steady non-partisan approach, and a deep respect for community input. In both my career and civic involvement, I’ve prioritized listening, building consensus, and making decisions based on factual information and long-term impact.
As a Prairie Village resident who raised a family here, I care deeply about protecting what makes this community special.
The City Council plays a vital role in shaping the future of our community. It sets the city’s budget, approves major capital projects, oversees zoning and development decisions, and creates policies that directly impact the daily lives of residents — from public safety and infrastructure to parks, housing, and taxes.
Because Council members are elected by their neighbors, they have a responsibility to listen, represent local voices, and ensure that city government remains transparent, accountable, and responsive. In a city like Prairie Village, where so many decisions are made locally, the City Council is often the most direct connection residents have to how their government works.
Ballot City
Prairie Village
Campaign Phone
9133031722
Personal Biography
For more than 15 years, Betsy, her husband and their 2 daughters have lived in Prairie Village, drawn to its strong schools, safe neighborhoods, and welcoming community. Betsy spent her professional career as a labor and employment attorney and Fortune 100 executive. She now shares her expertise as an adjunct professor at KU’s School of Law. Betsy is committed to using her experience and collaborative leadership style to strengthen the community she is proud to call home.
Education
University of Kansas, B.S. Business Administration; University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law, J.D.; Cornell University, Certificate in Professional Mediation
Community/Public Service
100 Women Who Care, Johnson County Election Worker, multiple grassroots needs-based assistance networks
1. Continuing to fund our police to ensure they have the tools, training, and facilities needed to serve with professionalism, accountability, and a strong community connection.
2. Protecting Prairie Village from efforts by secretly funded groups to dismantle the form of local government that the city has operated under since its founding and that has given us the beautiful parks, quality services, and community we value.
3. Safeguarding taxpayer dollars by planning ahead, acting when it matters, and investing wisely. Delay and inaction lead to higher costs and missed opportunities. Fiscal responsibility isn’t just about the immediate bottom line - it’s also about vision and doing what’s right for our city now and in the years ahead.
As a mom, seasoned business executive, lawyer, mediator, and educator, I bring a unique blend of experience, leadership, and integrity to the Ward 5 race for Prairie Village City Council. My professional career has been devoted to finding solutions, resolving complex issues, and advocating for others —skills that will serve our community. I understand the importance of fiscal responsibility, organizational efficiency, setting and implementing forward-thinking policies, and bringing diverse stakeholders together for positive outcomes. I will serve with independence, compassion, collaboration, and common sense.
Local government is where democracy lives every day. It’s where decisions are made that directly affect our neighborhoods, our quality of life, and our future. I’m troubled by the divisiveness in our local politics today and even more concerned when it leads to extreme tactics like trying to dismantle our form of government. I’ll work to lower the temperature, encourage others to move past personal politics, and focus on doing what's best for our community.
