Make your application today! Deadline is February 28, 2019!
30
Dec
2018
08
Sep
2018
SEPTEMBER 9th MEETING
Our September 9th Meeting
features Brett Hoedl and Wendy Budetti.
Brett Hoedl has lived in Johnson County his entire life. He is an Olathe North graduate, and he is currently employed at Black and Veatch. He is the chapter chair of Equality Kansas- Metro Kansas City, on the Political Policy Action Committee of the Mid America Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and he was instrumental in starting up Black and Veatch’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group.Wendy Budetti has lived in Johnson County for almost 30 years. She is a graduate of Shawnee Mission East and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English at KU. She is a board member of Equality Kansas – Metro Kansas City, a founding member of Thrive ( a local organization working towards inclusive school policies), and an active member of the Johnson County chapter of Moms Demand Action. Education and advocacy have always been passions of Wendy’s.
Brett and Wendy live in Olathe with their five children ranging from 11-20, all current or former students of the Olathe School District. Their youngest son, Eli, came out as gay almost two years ago, when he was in sixth grade. They have spent the past two years engaged within their community to further LGBTQ+ issues.
PLEASE JOIN US SUNDAY AT 3:00!
14
Aug
2018
SUICIDE: The Ripple Effect
PFLAG-KC is hosting the screening of Suicide: The Ripple Effect. Help us spread the word! Help us save a life! The screening is Monday, August 27th at 7:30 PM at AMC 20, Leawood, KS! Order your tickets in advance! CLICK HERE: https://gathr.us/screening/23712
10
Aug
2018
August 12th Meeting
Our August 12th meeting features Tom Phillips and Michael Poppa who are both passionate about suicide prevention outreach, mental health awareness and LGBT equal rights.
Michael Poppa is a member of the governing body for the City of Roeland Park, and has served as council president since February 2018. He was elected in 2015 following a hard-won campaign in which the fight for civil rights took center stage. At that time, he became the third openly LGBT elected official in Kansas and the first in northeast Johnson County. Previously Michael served as the local chapter chair for Equality Kansas, where he helped to introduce and pass an LGBT inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance. In addition to equal rights advocacy, Michael is passionate about mental health awareness and suicide prevention outreach. He currently serves on the board of directors of Suicide Awareness Survivor Support (SASS-MoKan) with his husband, Tom Phillips, who lost his brother to suicide in 2011.
Tom Phillips is a local professional and vice president of the board of directors for Suicide Awareness Survivor Support (SASS-MoKan). Tom began his journey of grief support and mental health advocacy after losing his older brother to suicide on January 9, 2011. Struggling to cope in the tragic aftermath he contacted SASS-MoKan Founders, Bonnie and Mickey Swade, and began attending the grief support group at the Shawnee Mission Medical Center Campus. Through the group, he was able to identify his “new normal” and began volunteering with SASS-MoKan and other local service organizations. Realizing that no one gets through suicide grief alone, he felt compelled to obtain his certification as a bereavement support group facilitator through the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and subsequently began a new peer-led suicide survivor support group serving the Kansas City midtown/downtown areas called Through This Together.
PLEASE JOIN US SUNDAY AT 3:00!
02
Jul
2018
July 8th Meeting
Our July Meeting features Officer Kim Shaw-Ellis, KCMO Police Department
In Law Enforcement for 30+ years. Began career in the USAF as Military Police, served active duty for a four year tour. Deputy Sheriff for the Denver Sheriff Department for 6 years. Joined the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department in 1998. While on the KCPD have worked in the East Patrol Division, Central Patrol Division, Violent Crimes Division (Detective in Domestic Violence and in Homicide), North Patrol Division, currently an Instructor for the Kansas City, Missouri Regional Police Academy as well as the Diversity Officer for KCPD and the LGBTQ Liaison Officer.
Officer Shaw-Ellis recently spoke at the Missouri’s Regional Suicide Prevention Conference. Please join us!
