Source: Jackie Hartman, 785-532-6221, jlh1980@k-state.edu
Website: http://www.k-state.edu/landon
Photo available. Contact media@k-state.edu or 785-532-2535.
News release prepared by: Beth Bohn, 785-532-2535, bbohn@k-state.edu

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS TO PRESENT LANDON LECTURE

MANHATTAN -- Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and former governor of Kansas, will deliver the first Landon Lecture of the school year at Kansas State University.

Sebelius' lecture will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 29, in K-State's McCain Auditorium.

"We're excited about bringing Secretary Sebelius back to Kansas," said Jackie Hartman, chair of the Landon Lecture Series and K-State's director of community relations and assistant to the president.

"Since taking office in April 2009, Secretary Sebelius has been a leader on some of President Obama's top priorities, including the implementation of the historic Affordable Care Act. She also has been working with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on building a 21st-century food safety system, which is an important area of emphasis and research at K-State."

As secretary of HHS, Sebelius leads the principal agency charged with keeping Americans healthy, ensuring they receive the health care they need, and providing children, families and seniors with the essential human services they depend on. She also has been a leader during public health crises, coordinating the government response to the 2009 H1N1 virus and helping to provide rapid medical assistance following the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Prior to becoming the nation's 21st HHS secretary, Sebelius was twice elected governor of Kansas, serving from 2003 to 2009. The daughter of former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan, she was the first daughter of an elected governor to serve as governor in U.S. history.

As governor Sebelius led efforts to create jobs, improve access to health care and improve education for Kansas children. Her accomplishments in the office earned her recognition from Time magazine as one of the nation's top five governors in 2005.

Sebelius was the first Democrat to be elected state insurance commissioner, serving from 1995 to 2003. Her work earned praise from Governing magazine, which named her the 2000 Public Official of the Year. Sebelius also served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995. She has a bachelor of arts from Trinity Washington University and a master of public administration from the University of Kansas