Susan Sankey

Susan Sankey joined the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program in fall of 2018 and serves as vice president for the organization. In her role with KARL, she provides support for all areas of the program, including fundraising and curriculum. Prior to this, Susan served as general manager for the Kansas State Fair, with a mission to promote and showcase Kansas agriculture, to create opportunity for commercial activity, and provide an educational and entertaining experience that is the pride of all Kansans.  She also worked for Cargill in the areas of quality assurance and food safety and was on the management team for a processing plant start up in the Oklahoma panhandle. While at the Kansas State Fair, Susan worked with state legislators to introduce SB415 that ultimately passed and now affords the fee funded agency to retain sales tax generated on the Fairgrounds. She also introduced and implemented electronic ticketing infrastructure and services for the Kansas State Fair. Susan holds a bachelor of science degree in agricultural education from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She is interested in joining the Eisenhower Series to network with others passionate about our nation and state and communities, for advancing integrity and values, and to better understand our changing economic and political landscape. She has a passion for leadership development and process improvement, and also served as a development officer for a rural hospital foundation. She enjoys mentoring young adults, serving as a 4-H leader, and as a board member for several organizations including the public library, community center, and a national wildlife refuge volunteer group. She lives in Sterling, Kansas.