“Equipping, Empowering & Elevating Communities, Stakeholders, and People One Relationship at a time…”
Passion, Persistence, Growth
My approach
"Building resilient communities requires a dedicated focus on accessible food systems, affordable housing, and robust infrastructure. Together, we can create sustainable solutions that ensure prosperity and well-being for all."
Gimmie Jo is passionate about ongoing personal and professional development in her industry, state, and beyond. In the late 2010’s she was heavily involved in the leadership and networking opportunities provided by Kansas and American Farm Bureau Federations, honing her advocacy and media skills and fostering relationships that crossed industry and party lines. She is a graduate of the Kansas Ag & Rural Leadership Program (Class XIV), Kansas’ premiere rural leadership experience. In 2023, Gimmie Jo completed the Eisenhower Series for Excellence in Public Service, a program for Republican women in the state of Kansas with a desire to learn more and serve the party in a greater capacity. In 2024, she was asked to serve on the Board of Governors for the Eisenhower Series and is now a key member of the Curriculum Committee.
Having remote management of the largest extension district in the state of Kansas, she was able to lead her team through meaningful work around community vitality leveraging relationships with community foundations, economic development, city and county governments, health care, and schools to make progress on community priorities. Some of the top priorities during her time in community vitality centered on expanding local food systems, housing, daycare, and maintaining/upgrading infrastructure. Through this, she worked to guide communities to resources and opportunities, all the while being mindful of the importance of developing leadership in the communities to sustain these programs/projects long term.