Kelly Kultala

A fifth-generation Kansan, Kelly went back to college when her youngest daughter was just six months old, earning her college degree from the University of Kansas. As a working mom, Kelly helped pay the bills and provide health care for her family as her husband battled Type 1 diabetes, had a kidney & pancreas transplant and beat cancer.

Kelly’s time in public service has been defined by working in a bipartisan fashion to improve her community. Kelly has served on the Piper School Board, as a commissioner on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas and as a State Senator for the 5th District, which included western Wyandotte and Leavenworth Counties.

As a State Senator she served on the Ways & Means Committee and was the Ranking Minority Member on the Transportation Committee and Utilities Committee. She was part of the leadership team that crafted the T-Works Comprehensive Transportation Plan, creating 175,000 jobs throughout the state and she was instrumental in working with local and state officials to bring the Sporting KC Soccer Stadium and Cerner office complex to Wyandotte County, creating over 5,000 jobs.

Kelly is an avid supporter of public education. She believes that all children deserve a quality public education, no matter what their zip code is and that teachers deserve to have the resources available to them to provide the best teaching environment.

Currently, Kelly is a public affairs consultant. Married to husband, Dan, for 35 years, the Kultalas have three grown daughters, three sons-in-law and three grandchildren.