Barbara Ballard

Barbara Ballard joined the Dole Institute in 2004.  As senior associate director, she coordinates the Youth Civic Leadership Institute (YCLI) for nominated Kansas high school seniors, Civic Engagement and KU Leadership,  Get Out the Vote and voter registration, Constitution Day, Civic Engagement and Leadership Conference for Kansas Government, History  and Social Studies Teachers,  Veterans Day Gala, and A Conversation on Race series. Barbara has been with the University of Kansas since August 1980, where she has served as an associate vice provost for student success, associate dean for student life and the director of the Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center. Barbara, has a Ph.D. in Counseling and Student Personnel services and an M.S. in Guidance and Counseling.  She also teaches for the School of Education and Department of Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Barbara is a member of the Kansas Legislature. She was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1992. She currently serves on the following Kansas House Committees: Appropriations, Social Services Budget (ranking member), Transportation, and Joint Committee on Home and Community Based Services and KanCare Oversight.  She  serves on the House Leadership Team as the Democratic Caucus Chair and is the first African American on Leadership, serving over fifteen years. She is a past President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL), past President of the NBCSL Foundation and served as a Regional Coordinator of the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NOBEL Women).