Staff

The Christian Church in Kansas (Disciple of Christ) is led by a twelve member staff. They operate out of three offices:

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Topeka Regional Office (Business Office)

Rev. Tom Stanley, Regional Minister and President
Since August 2022
Regional Business Office, Topeka
Email Tom

Rev. Tom Stanley was called to serve the Kansas Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada on August 7, 2022. Prior to being called to serve the Kansas Region, Tom and his spouse Sandy Malget served three churches in the Oklahoma Region. While serving those congregations Tom provided leadership to the Oklahoma Regional church serving ten years on the board, including leading the board during the COVID Pandemic. The thing Sandy and Tom are most proud of during that time is the raising of their two children TJ and Scout.

Tom serves as the Regional Minister and President of the Christian Church in Kansas. Providing pastoral care, search and call support, and congregational support to the Northeast, Southeast, and South-Central Districts. Tom also provides support and guidance to the Kansas Bible Chair Grant Committee and the regional Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Task Force. He provides oversight of regional administration, finances, communication, and youth and camp ministries.

Outside of serving the Kansas Region, Tom enjoys spending time with his wife Sandy, playing with his grandchild Miles, and walking their dog Johnny. 

Barb Koelling, Regional Treasurer
Since February 2020
Regional Business Office, Topeka
Email Barb

Barb oversees the region’s financials.  She reviews annual budget requests and presents budget reports to the regional board.  She liaisons between the region and Treasury Services who handles our bookkeeping.

Barb spends her after hours’ time with family and friends – especially her two grandsons, Eli and Zeke. She enjoys golf, and travel to golf destinations with her husband, Doug.

Cindy Streeter, Bookkeeper
Since June 2023
Regional Business Office, Topeka
Email Cindy

Cindy handles regional donations, invoice payments, and liaisons with treasury services. Cindy’s previous work experience includes bookkeeping for small businesses in the Topeka area for over 20 years and a bookkeeper for over 25 years.

Outside of work, Cindy volunteers at Harvesters, Topeka, and the Topeka Ronald McDonald House. In her free time, she can be found walking on trails or enjoying water aerobics classes, baking holiday cookies, and cooking for her family and friends.

Cindy Sharp, Regional Secretary
Since September 2023
Regional Business Office, Topeka
Email Cindy

The Executive Secretary provides administrative assistance to Tom and church search committees with Search & Call of pastors, notarize documents, and prepare for Executive Committee and Regional Board meetings. They manage the Topeka regional office and coordinate between two satellite offices and staff. They also maintain church and ministerial information in permanent files and approve bank transactions, account payables as requested by bookkeeper.

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Central/High Plains Office (Clergy Care Office)

Rev. Dr. David Dubovich, Acting Associate Regional Minister
Starting November 2023
Regional Clergy Care Office, Great Bend

David will provide pastoral care, search and call support, and congregational support to the Central and High Plains Districts.  He will work with clergy care ministries regarding clergy standing, ordination, commissioning, and scholarships.  He will work with clergy, Disciples Men, and Spirituality retreat planning teams.

Outside of work, he likes to work with ceramics and painting various items. “This was one of the many hobbies my grandmother had, and she taught me various techniques to make creative items,” said David. His other hobbies are computers, the piano and organ.

Juli Reed, Administrative Assistant
Since March 2022
Clergy Care Office, Great Bend
Email Juli

Juli provides administrative support for Clergy Care ministries, Disciples Men ministries, and the congregations in the Central and High Plains Districts.  She assists the communications office editing promotional videos and updating the events calendar on the regional website.

Outside of work Juli loves gardening and has a YouTube channel called Best “Buds” Gardening.  In her spare time, she plays with her one-year-old Maltese, Gizmo, and her four-year old parrot, Mango, who knows how to kiss, wave, target, and play basketball.  

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South Central Office (Communications Office)

Rev. Travis Smith McKee,
Associate Regional Minister of Congregational Transformation
Since August 2023
(August 2021-2022 as Disciples Youth Coordinator)
Communications Office, Augusta
Email Travis

Travis oversees the New church and Congregational Transformation ministries of the region. 

In this new position, he will provide regional support new church starts and for congregations looking forward to next steps in the transformational process, finding healing from changes, and supporting new worship expressions for church.

Travis started with the Kansas Region in 2005 as a summer camp intern and has served churches in the Kansas and Greater Kansas City regions. He has most recently served as interim pastor at Galva Christian Church and as Regional Disciples Youth Coordinator. Travis has a passion for empowering congregations to reach out to their communities, finding expansion to the witness of God’s grace.

Rev. McKee lives in Wichita with his wife, Rev. Kassie Smith McKee, and their daughter Lucy. He enjoys playing music, board games, disc golf, craft coffee and gardening.

Steve Hart, Communications Director
Since January 2020
Communications Office, Augusta
Email Steve

Steve advises the region on all marketing and communication efforts and supports in planning for regional events.  He provides editorial planning, copy writing, and copy-editing regional communications including the Kansas Messenger newsletter.

He oversees the archiving and preserving of regional publications.  Provides oversite and mentoring for the ongoing work of the regional communications specialist.

In free time, Steve enjoys his three grandkids as they participate in soccer, basketball and baseball leagues and tournaments, working at various leadership positions at Woodridge Christian Church, Wichita, and traveling with his wife, Wilma, as they follow Wichita State athletics.

Jessica Marston, Communications Specialist
Since July 2015
Communications Office, Augusta
Email Jessica

Jessica manages all regional communications including Kansas Messenger newsletter, regional website, social media accounts, and text alerts.  She coordinates with regional ministries and event planning teams to distribute event promotional materials.  She liaisons with the Disciples General Church communications office to distribute communications. 

She provides administrative support to Tom, youth and camp ministries, and the congregations in the South-Central Districts.  As the need arises, she coordinates the design and purchase of regional logo merchandise.

Jessica is active in her home church, Woodridge Christian Church, Wichita, and enjoys reading urban fantasy books, traveling, and taking nature photographs.  She is a fur mom of a King Charles Cavalier named Maddie.

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Disciples Center at Tawakoni

Rev. Olivia See, Tawakoni Executive Director and Pastor
Since June 2022
Disciples Center at Tawakoni – Check out Tawakoni here.
Email Olivia

Olivia provides summer camping program oversite and oversees camp facilities management at Tawakoni.  She liaisons between the region and event coordinators who use our facilities for a variety of programs and events.  She oversees the hiring and evaluation of paid camp staff and oversees volunteer recruitment and management.

Outside of work Olivia loves being outdoors with people camping, hiking, kayaking or just sitting around talking. She also enjoys creating and building and fixing almost anything. Woodworking is a special love, and she’s always up for learning a new hobby.

Amanda Jolly, Disciples Center Director of Operations
Since June 2023
Disciples Center at Tawakoni – Check out Tawakoni here.
Email Amanda

Amanda Jolly is happy to be re-joining the Disciples Center at Tawakoni staff after taking several years off, and is excited about getting to help shape the direction of the facility for future generations of visitors and campers in her role as Director of Operations.

Amanda has a long history at the camp, which started with her interning for three summers in college (2006-2008), and then serving in the capacity as Summer Camp Host/Intern Supervisor (2012-2016).
Outside of camp, her professional career consists of fourteen years teaching all grade levels of music. Amanda estimates that she’s taught over 2,000 different students over the course of her teaching career! She has also served as the Music Director for Riverside Christian Church in Wichita since 2012.

Amanda resides in Park City, KS with her husband Nick, and two sons, Henry and Jackson. In her spare moments, she likes to workout and run, work on DIY house projects, and be outside. She’s run two half marathons and hopes to add more to the list!

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Region Wide Ministry Specific:

Rev. Luis A. Mendez, Disciples Men Coordinator
Since September 2020
Email Luis

Luis coordinates regional Disciples Men retreats and special events with the focus of connecting and equipping Disciples Men for ministry.  He liaisons with Disciples Men ministries of the General Church and assists with distributing communications. 

With the help of the Disciples Men Cabinet, he mentors established and the creation of congregational Disciples Men programs.

Luis also serves as the pastor at North Heights Christian Church, Wichita. He devotes his spare time to swimming, movies, music and his lovely wife, Carmen. 

Carla Pearson, Disciples Women Coordinator
Since November 2019
Email Carla

Carla coordinates regional Disciples Women retreats, Spirit Fest, and special events with the focus of connecting and equipping Disciples Women for ministry.  She liaisons with Disciples Women ministries of the General Church and assists with distributing communications to women across the Kansas region. 

She works with the KDW cabinet to create opportunities for women to be a part of Disciples Women programs and activities.

When not busy with Disciples Women she enjoys sewing quilts, baking, gardening, and enjoying life’s journey with her husband, Floyd.