Drew Wilburne joined the Kansas Health Foundation in January of 2022 and now serves as the Director of Civic Life and Policy.

In this role, Wilburne is responsible for designing, implementing, and monitoring the Kansas Health Foundation’s approach to civic life and policy work.

Prior to joining KHF, Wilburne served as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services – the commonwealth’s largest department with approximately 16,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $40 billion. He was the first individual to hold the position and responsible for developing the agency’s approach to engaging with advisory groups, advocates, service providers, associations, local and federal officials, affinity commissions, universities, philanthropies, and lobbyists.

Concurrently, he was appointed to serve as the Executive Director for Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s Council on Reform – an advisory group tasked with developing a set of reforms for the commonwealth’s systems serving the most vulnerable. The council’s recommendations were the basis for the governor’s budget proposal the following year. He has also served as Communications Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.

Wilburne resides in Wichita with his wife, Jen, and daughter, Audrey. He was raised in a central Pennsylvania town of approximately 8,500 people. Flooding induced by Hurricane Agnes devastated the local economy in 1972. Today, the median household income is $40,200, more than 35% of residents are impoverished, and over 85% of the population is white. Despite growing up in this narrow context, music and art enabled him to travel, gain exposure to other cultures, and broaden his worldview. He believes deeply in the ability of people and the power of community.