General Updates
Thank you for continuing to follow our office safety procedures, such as wearing masks when guests are present and helping to keep our meeting rooms safe and sanitized. This week, you received KHI’s Community Compact to review and return with your signature. Enclosed were two policies, KHI Office Use Guidelines and Prevention of Workplace Exposure to Acute Respiratory Illnesses, that have been updated based on protocols we are following at this point in the pandemic.
Open enrollment for the Flexible Spending Account 2022 began on Sept. 1. Employees can enroll and make modifications until Dec. 30, 2021. Paychex will send an automated email to eligible users with an email address on file urging them to join.
Peter Barstad will be leaving KHI and has accepted a position as legislative liaison with the Kansas Corporation Commission. His last day at KHI will be Friday, Oct. 15.
As we approach the end of the year Terry would like to encourage all staff to test the Teams app with more of your online meetings. Most are probably aware that we must pay for the Zoom Pro licenses, therefore, we have a limited amount of these licenses to assign to staff. Everyone has a license for the Teams app with no limitations. Terry will be reaching out to you early in the new year to get your feedback on the Zoom versus Teams features and experiences you have had with the services to see if KHI can move more of our meetings to the Teams platform. Please, take a fresh look at the Teams app so you can fairly evaluate the new features that Microsoft has added to make this platform more robust and appealing.
September Communications Metrics
KHI in the News
Financial risks of COVID-19 increase for most Kansans. Insurers shift costs to customers in wake of vaccines, The Topeka Capital-Journal (9/17)
Rural Suicide Rates Are Rising in Kansas and Solutions Won’t Come Easy. High Plains Public Radio (9/17). Other media outlets publishing the story from Kansas News Service reporter David Condos:
This reporting on rural suicide rates and prevention strategies was based on KHI’s publication: Issue Brief: Urban-Rural Differences in Suicide Rates and Leading Means in Kansas (September 2021)
New Staff
Hi, I’m Wendy
We most likely met, but I am one of the new analysts at KHI. I look forward to working with everyone and contributing to the amazing work that KHI produces. Prior to this new role, I graduated from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans with a master’s degree in public health, concentrating on health policy and systems managements. My experiences include holding two internships with the Louisiana Department of Health Office of Public Health (LDHOPH) and National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) and assisting in research projects as a NIH-BUILD research technician.
Aside from my academic background and experiences, I want to share some personal background with y’all! I was born and raised in New Orleans. I never really left home for college or graduate school, so moving out of state for work was an exciting (yet chaotic) experience. I did not leave by myself though! My two corgis, Poof (F) and Puffles (M), joined me on this move as well. They are both 3 years old and enjoys running, belly rubs, and treats. Other interests of mine include (but are not limited to):
• Watching movies and TV shows, especially Marvel Cinematic Universe-related ones
• Eating out at restaurants to try out new foods (or even drinks)
• Exercising
• Painting
• Buying too many houseplants
That’s all the interests that I can think of for now. However, I am always down to try new experiences if an opportunity comes up!
Fun Fact about me:
Don and I recently got engaged! If anyone has any wedding planning advice, let me know.
New Staff
Hi, I’m Samiyah
I recently joined KHI’s team of analysts and am excited to get to know you all and work with you on KHI’s many projects. I recently completed my masters in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation at the University of Oxford where I studied the connection between public transit and food access in the US. As an undergraduate, I triple-majored in Applied Behavioral Science, Law & Society, and Spanish at the University of Kansas. In the past, I’ve worked on issues around food insecurity, child nutrition programs, and housing with Kansas Appleseed. I’ve also led research on anti-human trafficking coalitions in the Midwest, and assisted with research on voting patterns, child development, and health within the United States and Argentina.
On a more personal level, I love travel and have been lucky to travel and study abroad frequently. However, Kansas has always felt like home. I grew up in Lawrence and Perry before my family moved and we began cheering on KU basketball from Wisconsin. Rock chalk! I very much enjoy food and frequently try out recipes in order to find new favorites. I also like to listen to audio books, work on puzzles, and garden in my free time.
Fun Fact about me:
Although my (family’s) puppy stayed back in Wisconsin, I have included a photo of Milo below. Please feel free to share your own dog photos with me! I’m a big fan of pups.
Celebrations
Happy Anniversary
Tatiana Lin — 14 years
Happy Birthday
Linda Sheppard — Oct. 8
Peter Barstad — Oct. 13
Stewart Cole — Oct. 16
Job Openings
The following positions are now open. We are actively recruiting through a variety of channels. If you know someone who would qualify for one or more of our open positions, please share the details from our website at https://www.khi.org/careers
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