WICHITA, Kan. – The Kansas Health Foundation has hired Janeth Vazquez as its first Southwest Kansas Regional Manager. The position is part of the Regional Presence Initiative, a new era for KHF and a long-term effort to deepen the Foundation’s relationships with communities across the state. Vazquez is one of three Regional Managers joining KHF this fall.

“Janeth didn’t wait for a foundation to show up,” said Drew Wilburne, KHF Associate Vice President. “She has a history of community service and bridging divides – a member of Liberal’s city commission since 2020 and working with the city and local healthcare providers to better meet community need. That’s the kind of leadership already at work in Southwest Kansas.”

Vazquez joins KHF after spending the past seven years as Director of Marketing and Business Development at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal. Before that, she worked as a bilingual multimedia journalist for Univision Kansas and KWCH Eyewitness News.

“I am incredibly honored to join the Kansas Health Foundation and serve as its first Southwest Kansas Regional Manager,” Vazquez said. “Southwest Kansas is home to resilient, hardworking and diverse communities, and I’ve had the privilege of listening to residents and working alongside local leaders, organizations and healthcare providers throughout my career. I’m excited to bring those experiences to KHF and, most importantly, to continue listening to communities and helping elevate their voices, ideas and priorities.”

Vazquez currently serves as vice mayor of Liberal. She was also a featured participant in a documentary series highlighting community identity, civic engagement and life in rural Kansas.

“As a reporter, through the hospital’s community health needs assessment and at the city commission table, Janeth has built a deep understanding of the needs and barriers across Southwest Kansas,” Wilburne said. “This role continues that work, and our job is to learn from it and let it shape what KHF does.”

Vazquez earned an associate degree in journalism from Seward County Community College, followed by a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Wichita State University. More recently, she completed her Master of Business Administration at Pittsburg State University.

“This opportunity is really about partnership,” Vazquez said. “I believe the people who live and work in our communities understand their challenges and their strengths better than anyone. My goal is to build relationships, listen without assumptions and help connect communities with the resources and opportunities they need to create meaningful, lasting change. I’m excited to begin this next chapter and to continue serving the people and communities of Southwest Kansas in a new capacity.”

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