Get to know the Regional Housing Partnership co-chairs

Oct 09, 2023
| Posted in
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Creating an affordable housing community by developing platforms to enable stakeholders from all sectors to connect, learn promising practices, share current work and engage builders, advocates, officials and planners is essential to the success of the Regional Housing Partnership (RHP). Leading this effort is the RHP Strategy Committee which is made up of representatives from across the region working on housing initiatives. Co-chairing the committee is Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw and Johnson County Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick.

RHP co-chairs

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Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw represents the 5th City Council District of Kansas City. She began serving her first term in August 2019. She has lived in the 5th district with her family for over 22 years.

Mayor Quinton Lucas appointed Parks-Shaw as Mayor Pro Tem of Kansas City in August 2023. She also serves as the chair of the Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee, chair of the Land Bank Commission, vice chair of the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Commission, and co-chair of the Health Commission. She previously served as the chair of the mayor’s Houseless Task Force. She is also a member of the Kansas City Zoo Board of Directors and the Starlight Board of Directors.

Parks-Shaw is a long-time healthcare executive. She has a Bachelor of Science from Missouri State University and a Master of Science from Southwest Baptist University. She is an alum of Ruskin High School in the Hickman Mills School District. Motivated by her membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, she has a deep passion for community service and improving the quality of life for Kansas City residents.

She has been a member of St. James United Methodist Church, also in the 5th district, for over 35 years. Parks-Shaw is a caring parent, successful small business owner, and an experienced leader. As a former union member, she is a champion for her constituents.
 

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Janeé Hanzlick was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022 to the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners for District 4. Her priorities include housing, mental health, aging, transit and climate sustainability.

In addition to serving as co-chair of the RHP Strategy Committee, Commissioner Hanzlick currently serves as MARC’s vice chair of the Board of Directors and the Kansas co-chair of the Total Transportation Policy Committee (TTPC). As commissioner, she serves as liaison to the Johnson County Transportation Council and Johnson County Library Board. She also provided leadership on the commission’s Housing Subcommittee.

As a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), Commissioner Hanzlick has 35 years of experience in human services. Most recently, Janeé served as the CEO of Safehome, Johnson County’s domestic violence agency. 

Commissioner Hanzlick earned a master’s degree in social work (MSW) from The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, and a bachelor's degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. She and her husband, David, live in Overland Park and are the parents of two adult daughters.

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