June 2021
A Message from the Director
Friends,

Please join me in congratulating Lisa Dodson on her retirement in July. We are so thankful for all she has done for our community and the PPMC. Feel free to join our celebration for Lisa on June 29th, or send Lisa a note of congratulations here.

We are excited to welcome the PPMC's new Research & Program Evaluation Manager, Dulcinea Rakestraw. Dulcinea is completing her PhD in Community Psychology from WSU this summer and has a strong background in program evaluation, quantitative and qualitative analysis, research dissemination, and public sector management. We are so glad to have her on board!

I also want to highlight the PPMC blog as a resource for you and your community. This is a place where we will continue to publish helpful information on relevant topics, like our latest Juneteenth blog, or information to help you get to know us better, like our Meet Our Team series.

I hope each of you gets to take some time to relax and reflect this summer.

Best wishes,

Misty Brucker
Updates
Projects & Initiatives

  • Wichita Bar Association | The PPMC completed a strategic plan for the Wichita Bar Association. See a testimonial from WBA Board Member Christine Campbell below.

  • WSU Brand Survey | The PPMC is conducting a survey to gauge perception of the Wichita State University brand.

  • Goodwill Industries of Kansas | The PPMC is conducting a strategic plan for Goodwill. We are in the stakeholder engagement portion of the project, talking with board members, customers, employees, and more.
Lisa Dodson's Retirement Celebration
Please join us to celebrate Lisa Dodson’s 35+ years of service, including 24 years in varying roles at Wichita State.

In total, Lisa has served the PPMC for over 12 years. Prior to rejoining the PPMC in 2016, Lisa owned an independent consulting firm and held roles at Kansas State University Institute for Academic Alliances, Kansas African American Museum, and Tabor College. Lisa earned a M.Econ. and M.Ed., both from Wichita State University. She most recently served as the Research & Program Evaluation Manager at the Public Policy & Management Center. Lisa will officially retire July 1.

Brief remarks to be given at 4:00 p.m. by PPMC Director Misty Bruckner.
Light refreshments will be provided. Let us know you're coming!
Women in Public Service
WPS had a great in-person luncheon last week!

It was wonderful to be together with fellow professionals in public service. Thank you to Monique Garcia, Director of Community Relations for the Kansas Health Foundation for her presentation and discussion: Serving and Holding Purpose; The Power of a Mindful Truth.

Thank you for joining us!
Don't forget to register and join us for the Summer 2021 Women in Public Service Conference!

Date: July 29
Cost: $30 members / $60 nonmembers /
Lunch-only members (FREE)

Conference Keynote: The “Feedback” Loop: How to Give (and Receive!) Authentic Feedback with Emily Hedges Vietti, Institute for Leadership Studies Partnership Director, University of Kansas
Don't Just Take Our Word for It...
Read More from the PPMC Blog
Why Juneteenth Is Important to Celebrate in Your Community
by Abigail Hammack, PPMC Program Manager

Most people learned in history class that President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, abolishing slavery and making enslaved people free. While this is something to celebrate, those enslaved were not instantly set free...
Meet Our Team: Dulcinea Rakestraw
by PPMC

Get to know our newest team member: Research and Program Evaluation Manager Dulcinea Rakestraw. Dulcinea joined the PPMC in June 2021 and is an invaluable member of the team...
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: We Remain Committed.
What did the PPMC talk about this month?
Do your DEI efforts include differently-abled persons?

Read:

Consider:
  • Is your workplace and hiring processes inclusive and accessible?
  • When you are watching TV or scrolling through your social media, what do you see shown? Is it just able bodies? 

Little ways to make change in your organization:
  • Increase the font size on your documents
  • Make sure your website has "alt text"
  • Consider the physical requirements of your job descriptions - are they necessary?
Resources
Inclusion Resources

LGBTQ+ Allyship

Involving Children in Equality Discussions
Learn More about the PPMC
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