Kathy Kist, Chair
Kathy Kist was elected to chair the Olathe Republican Party in early March of 2007. Kathy is a teacher at Olathe South High School and has an extensive background in education, particularly in the areas of writing, English, literature, and mathematics. She earned her BA with honors in English Literature and Mathematics from Drake and a Masters with honors in English Literature from the University of Illinois.

Kathy has an extensive background in politics. She was a voting delegate to the 2000 Republican National Convention and a member of the Credentials Committee. She was a guest on C-Span's Washington Journal. While in Iowa she was also on the Board of Directors for Iowa Right to Life and was on the Republican State Platform Committee in 1996 and 2000. She has extensive experience in state and local campaigns and is truly a grassroots activist.

Kathy is married to Brian Kist, whom she married in 1988. They have four children: Christian, Michael, William and Victoria. She is in the choir at College Church of the Nazarene.

You mail e-mail her for any questions!

Joe Leary, Vice-Chair
Joe was elected as vice chairman of the Olathe Republican Party in March of 2007. He is also serving in his 4th term as a Republican Precinct Committeeman.

Joe is employed as a Financial Representative in Overland Park and is also a retired Colonel in the United States Army Reserve. His military service includes service in Germany and Vietnam and he is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College.

Joe has been a resident of Olathe for over 14 years and is married to Kathy Leary and has three grown children.

Joe’s education background includes a BS Degree in Accounting from Canisius College, Buffalo, NY and a MBA from the University of Kansas.

Wayne Skow, Treasurer
Mr. Skow is a structural engineer employed 3 yrs by HNTB Engineers/Architects after 25 yrs in a similar capacity with Black & Veatch Engineers/Architects.

Wayne is serving his seventh term as a Republican Committeeman for Olathe Ward 1, Precinct 9. Wayne has also served as campaign treasurer for state senator Karin Brownlee and 10 yrs as treasurer of Fellowship Baptist Church of Olathe.

Wayne has served in many volunteer postions including the Commander of a local AWANA chapter, church elder, church deacon and Sunday school teacher.

Wayne is married to Josie, past vice-chair and secretary of the Olathe Republican Party. He has two grown boys, one which is raising a family near St. Louis, MO and one serving active duty in the US Air Force and currently stationed in S. Korea.

Mike McGovern, Secretary
Mr. McGovern has been re-elected to the Olathe Republican Party and has served as Secretary since 2004. He is serving his third term as a Republican Committeeman for Olathe Ward 3, Precinct 03. Mike is an underwater consultant and educator for the commercial diving industry and the former co-founder, owner, and President of Midwest Marine Contracting, Inc., a successful underwater contracting firm. He was inducted into the Commercial Diving Hall of Fame in 2005 by the Association of Diving Contractors International. Mike has served twice as PTO President at Prince of Peace Catholic School. He is the active Cubmaster for Pack 3240 since 2001.

In 2003, McGovern ran for the Olathe School Board of Education – District #233. He is the current President of the Advisory Board for Olathe Catholic Charities and serves on the Kansans for Life Board. Mike is an NRA Instructor and a trained Kansas Concealed Carry Instructor. McGovern is a resident of Olathe in a “McGruff House” along with his beautiful and loving wife, Tana, and their three active sons, Ryan (age 16), Camron (age 13), and Aaron (age 10