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Governor Kathleen Sebelius Appoints Mary Birch to Transportation Task Force

8/19/2008

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced last week the creation of a task force charged with crafting a new strategic transportation approach that positions Kansas for the future. Lathrop Gage's Mary Birch (Government Relations Coordinator - Overland Park) and 25 others were named to the list, which was announced August 14.

“We know transportation is critical to seizing economic opportunities and creating jobs to stimulate our economy,” Gov. Sebelius said in the announcement. “With our state’s 10-year transportation program coming to an end, now is the time to begin planning for the future to ensure we keep our infrastructure in good shape and put our state in position for economic growth. I’ve asked task force members to create a vision that is mindful of our money, recognizes the needs of both rural and urban Kansas and uses the strength of all transportation modes.”

The task force, Transportation-Leveraging Investments in Kansas (T-LINK), is charged with developing a set of recommendations for a new strategic transportation approach. The group's priorities, under the oversight of Department of Transportation Secretary Deb Miller, will include a commitment to keeping roads and bridges safe and in good repair, and a collaborative project selection process that aligns our transportation investments with the state’s economic priorities. T-LINK's first meeting will be on August 27.

Before joining Lathrop Gage, during her tenure as Chair of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce Ms. Birch facilitated the government relations efforts for the Chamber and its members at the local, regional, state and federal level. She has established relationships with elected officials and staff at various levels and worked primarily in the area of strategic issue management, and has nearly two decades of experience in government relations and consulting.
“The nation is at a transitional point in regard to transportation policy and it is crucial that Kansas be in a position to take advantage of changes that are coming. The course we chart must reflect today’s realities but prepare us for the future,” Miller said. “We have assembled a team of leaders who are positive about the task, enthusiastic and eager to begin work.”

About Lathrop Gage:
A leading Midwest full-service law firm, Lathrop Gage L.C. has approximately 300 attorneys in 10 offices nationwide – from Denver, Colo. to New York, New York. In 2007, Chambers USA ranked Lathrop Gage’s corporate, environmental, intellectual property, litigation, real estate and labor and employment teams among the best in the Midwest. For more information, visit www.lathropgage.com.