Janet Schalansky, acting Secretary of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, today announced the appointment of Connie Hubbell as acting director of the SRS Division of Workforce Development.

Hubbell, who has held a number of state leadership positions including 10 years as an elected member of the Kansas State Board of Education, takes over the position vacated by Schalansky when she was appointed acting secretary by Gov. Bill Graves in early January. In accepting the position with SRS, Hubbell said she regretfully will resign from the State Board of Education, effective February 20

As director of Workforce Development, Hubbell will oversee a $51.7 million budget and a staff of almost 400 people. The position involves directing two federally mandated work programs, KanWork, the Kansas version of the federal Job Opportunities and Basic Skills program, and the MOST program for food stamp recipients. In addition, she will oversee child care services for Aid to Families with Dependent Children, General Assistance, Food Stamps and other income eligible programs. Hubbell will also be a member of the SRS Policy Committee.

Besides the board of education position, Hubbell also served four years as a board member of the National Association of State Boards of Education, including one year as president. She is a member of the National Board of Directors of Parents as Teachers and a member of the Midwest Higher Education Commission. In Kansas, Hubbell has worked on the Kansas School to Work Commission, served as chair of the Kansas Adolescent Health Alliance, was a member of Governor's Commission to Restructure Education, the Governor's Planning Commission on Mental Health and a member of the board of directors of the Kansas Business Hall of Fame. She has also been involved with community services, including serving as president of the YMCA Board of Directors.

Schalansky said experience Hubbell brings from her years of public service in the field of education will be invaluable to the KanWork program.

Successfully moving clients from training and education programs to work and self-sufficiency is the goal of KanWork, and Connie will bring solid expertise to that job," Schalansky said. She will work well with the team of private- and public-sector companies and agencies needed to make this happen -- community agencies, private companies, the Kansas Board of Education and the Department of Human Resources."

Hubbell said the new position will give her the opportunity to continue working with children and families. She also said she is looking forward to using statewide business and community networks she has developed over many years.

I will take a strong stance on the need to interface with business and industry, labor and education to provide the job training opportunities families need," Hubbell said. This is a unique opportunity to implement my long-held goals for workforce training."

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001