Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly recently was named 2020 national president of The Council of State Governments (CSG).
“It’s an honor to serve as CSG president this year. The Council plays a valuable role in bringing together elected leaders from both parties to facilitate productive, policy-driven dialogue, and find solutions to the problems we face,” Kelly said. “I always valued its counsel and expertise as a senator and a Henry Toll fellow, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Council’s president.”
Founded in 1933, The Council of State Governments is the nation’s only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy. CSG offers unparalleled regional, national and international opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving partnerships.
CSG’s mission is to champion excellence in state governments to advance the common good. The organization’s values reflect the governor’s values: nonpartisan and inclusive, respect diversity and act with civility, partner and collaborate with others and foster leadership development.
While in the Kansas Senate, Kelly was selected for the one of the nation’s premier leadership development programs for state government officials, the CSG Henry Toll Fellowship Program. More information on this program can be found at this link: https://www.csg.org/LeadershipCenter/TollFellows.aspx
Kelly will be the fourth female governor to serve as president of CSG since the organization’s founding in 1933, and the third Kansas governor, along with Gov. Frank Carlson and Gov. John Anderson Jr.
Kelly with serve alongside the national chair, Republican Rep. Joan Ballweg from Wisconsin.
“This is a special year to take on this role at CSG, given that 2020 is also the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment,” Kelly said. “In fact in Kansas, for the first time in our state’s history, women serve as the helm of all three branches of state government, with a female governor, a female chief justice and a female president of the Kansas Senate all presiding.”