Michael Beckloff, Chairman of KansasBio, and Angela Kreps, President of KansasBio, have announced the hiring of Jennifer Brandt as Industry Relations & Policy Director.  KansasBio was founded in 2004 by the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) and the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute to give a single, unified voice to the bioscience community in Kansas.

“In an effort to strengthen Kansas’ leadership position in this very active global bioscience climate, the KansasBio Board of Directors made an instrumental decision late last year to advocate on behalf of industry recommended public policy issues pertaining to advanced technologies at the state and federal level,” said Beckloff.  “Jennifer Brandt will be responsible for soliciting input from KansasBio members and formulating a policy agenda that reflects the needs of the bioscience community and its affiliates.”

“It is imperative that the very industry that is funding the Kansas Economic Growth Act engage in regular dialogue with our policy makers about the needs of our burgeoning bioscience industry in Kansas,” said Kreps.  “Jennifer provides that critical link.”

Brandt has over twelve years experience in the economic development and communications industries.  Brandt formerly served as the Director of Public Relations for the Kansas City Power & Light District, an $850 million downtown Kansas City entertainment district developed by The Cordish Company, a private Baltimore development company.  Prior to Cordish, Brandt was Director of Legislative Affairs & Communications for the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri where she helped spur the legislative passage of the Missouri Downtown Economic Stimulus Act.  She also served as District Aide to United States Congresswoman Karen McCarthy.

Tracy Taylor, President & CEO of KTEC and a KansasBio board member, commented, “Jennifer Brandt is a very positive addition to the KansasBio team.  Her hiring is a testament to the significant growth Kansas has experienced in both bioscience and technology economic development, as well as proof of the need for more people working to enhance the commercial and research climates for biosciences in Kansas.”

“I am truly honored to become involved with an organization that is as well respected locally and nationally as KansasBio,” said Brandt.  “Education and advocacy is critical to the success of biosciences in this state, and I look forward to working with KansasBio members to provide insight as to how to help fuel industry growth.”