OFFICE OF GOV.-ELECT
TOPEKA – Governor-elect Laura Kelly has announced that Ashley All will serve as Director of Communications and Strategy beginning in January, Michelle Needham has been hired as the Director of Operations and Scheduling, and Shelbie Konkel will serve as Chief of Staff to Lieutenant Governor-elect Lynn Rogers.
Ashley All will be the governor’s Director of Communications and Strategy. She will oversee all external communications, including the Office of Constituent Services, as well as short and long-term strategic planning. Previously, All served as Director of Communications for the Laura Kelly for Kansas campaign, coordinating statewide strategy and messaging for all external campaign communication. All previously served as Director of Communications for the Kansas Office of Attorney General and also worked with the non-profit coalition Open Kansas to expand government transparency in 2016.
“Ashley has over ten years of professional experience working on behalf of state agencies, nonprofits and elected officials. She has been by my side for the last year, and she will be an integral part of my team moving forward,” said Kelly.
Michelle Needham will serve as the Director of Operations and Scheduling for Governor-elect Laura Kelly. She will oversee all scheduling and internal office operations. Previously, she was campaign scheduler for Kansas Secretary of State candidate Brian McClendon. Needham graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Welfare. She went on to work in various family and behavioral welfare positions focused on improving the lives of families and adults with disabilities.
“Michelle has a broad range of skills that will be an asset to our office,” said Kelly. “I’m pleased to have her on board and I know she will work well with the many constituents contacting our office on a daily basis.”
Shelbie Konkel will serve as the Chief of Staff for Lieutenant Governor-elect Lynn Rogers. She will coordinate his schedule, appearances and his work on the Rural Prosperity Plan. Konkel has four years of experience working with legislative leaders and statewide campaigns. Previously, Konkel was finance director for Paul Davis’s congressional campaign and earlier served as Legislative Director for the Senate Minority Leaders Office and the Communication Coordinator for the House Minority Leader’s Office. She graduated from Washburn University where she served as President of the Washburn Student Government Association.
“Shelbie will be an excellent addition to our team as we focus on implementing our Rural Prosperity Plan in the coming years,” said Lt. Governor-elect Lynn Rogers. “We are building a strong, motivated group of leaders to help stabilize our state and grow our unique communities.”
“We’re pleased to welcome Michelle and Shelbie to the team,” said Kelly. “I’m glad to have strong, talented women helping Lynn and me rebuild Kansas.”