ABOUT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

  • Blue Valley Board of Education members live within their individual geographic member districts and are elected by a voting plan whereby six members live in geographic member districts and one runs at large.

     

    In a primary election, only residents from the geographic member district vote for the candidates. In all general elections, all residents vote for all candidates. This method reinforces the district's belief that all members represent all children in Blue Valley. Board members are elected to four-year terms. All seven serve the entire district without pay.

MEET THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

  • Headshot of Dr. Sonya Evans

    Dr. Sonya Evans (NE Area, Member 4)

    Dr. Sonya Evans began her service on the Board of Education on July 17, 2023, to fill a vacancy. Evans holds an EdD degree and an EdS, MBA, and BS in Organizational Management and Leadership. Evans is a longtime Blue Valley resident with an extensive history of support and involvement in the district. Committees served include the Blue Valley Curriculum and Instruction Board Advisory Committee, Blue Valley Strategic Planning Committee, Blue Valley Educational Foundation (BVEF) Grant Committee, and BVEF Women’s Giving Circle. Additionally, Evans serves on the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) Advisory Board and the BVEF Board. Dr. Evans has a son who graduated from Blue Valley High and a grandson who currently attends school in the district.

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  • Jodie Dietz

    Jodie Dietz, President (S Area, Member 3)

    Jodie Dietz began serving on the Blue Valley Board of Education in January 2020. She is a 30+ year Johnson County resident with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Management. Jodie is a former probation officer here in Johnson County, currently works at Johnson County Community College, and has been active in the community and school district in a variety of capacities for over 25 years. She is currently on the Johnson County Friends of the Library board, a member of various advisory teams with the City of Overland Park, and on the Board of Directors for the CAPS Network. Jodie and her husband have been Blue Valley parents for 20 years. They have three children who attend or have graduated from Blue Valley schools.

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  • Portrait of Patrick Hurley

    Patrick Hurley (NW Area, Member 2)

    The 2023-24 school year marks Patrick's ninth year as a member of the Blue Valley Board of Education. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Rockhurst University and a juris doctor degree from Washburn University. He currently works as a licensed attorney. Patrick has been active in the community as a volunteer with the Sporting Blue Valley Soccer Club, the Johnson County Transit Authority Council and the Overland Park Community Development Block Grant Citizens Advisory Committee. He served on several district committees prior to becoming a board member, including the Board of Education Finance Committee and the Blue Valley Educational Foundation Finance Advisory Committee. He and his wife, Allison, have lived in the district for 18 years and have two children attending Blue Valley Schools.

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  • Jan Kessinger

    Jan Kessinger (NE Area, Member 1)

    Jan Kessinger was appointed by the Board of Education in 2022 to fill a vacancy. He is a fifth-generation Kansas native who has lived in Blue Valley since 1984. Jan and his wife have three children who graduated from Blue Valley North, a granddaughter who graduated from Blue Valley Northwest, and a grandson who attends Northwest. Kessinger served four years as a Kansas State Representative and was on the Board of Directors of the Johnson County Research Triangle (JCERT). He has been a guest speaker at Blue Valley elementary schools as well as Blue Valley High School. He served as a project manager for the Kansas Commerce Department and is a retired management consultant.

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  • Gina Knapp

    Gina Knapp, Vice President (NW Area, Member 5)

    January 2022 marks the beginning of Gina Knapp’s service on the Board of Education. Gina and her husband Christopher live in Overland Park with their three children. She has a business degree from the University of Kansas and an MBA in finance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Gina works remotely as the Vice President of Finance for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis. She currently serves as the treasurer for the Blue Valley Northwest Quarterback Club.

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  • Jim McMullen

    Jim McMullen (S Area, Member 6)

    Jim McMullen began serving on the Blue Valley Board of Education in January 2022. He has lived in Johnson County most of his life. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law. He began his career as a Middle School and High School English teacher in Mississippi, and then in Washington, D.C. Jim owns a merchant banking firm, Royal Blue Capital, based in Overland Park, which advises corporate clients in a range of strategic transactions. He previously served as a board member of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife have lived in the district for nearly 20 years; four of their children have attended Blue Valley schools.

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  • Tom Mitchell

    Tom Mitchell (At Large, Member 7)

    The 2022-23 school year marks the 12th year of Tom's service to the district as a member of the Blue Valley Board of Education. In January 2020, Tom was elected Board of Education President. He has lived in Overland Park, Kansas, the majority of his life and has been extremely active in the community including past chair of the Blue Valley Educational Foundation, Leawood Chamber of Commerce, and Executive Board Member for the JCCC Foundation. He currently serves on the KSHSAA Board of Appeals and is a past board member of that organization as well. He has a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University and a master's degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He is the Global Business Development Leader and Principal for DLR Group. He and his wife, Chanie, have three children who attend or graduated from Blue Valley schools.

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