Board of Directors

President
Jennifer Sourk

Jennifer has been an active member of Junior League of Topeka for 6 years.  Jennifer jumped into a leadership role in her 2nd year of league by serving as the Treasurer.  Now, she plays the important role of President.  Jennifer holds three degrees from Washburn University where she also serves on the Board of Regents. By day, Jennifer is the General Counsel for Midwest Health, Inc.  and is very active in the Topeka community.  Jennifer and her husband, Grant, have two boys who keep them busy and are their inspiration for making Topeka the best community it can be.

 

Treasurer
Bridgette Hooper

Bridgette joined the Junior League of Topeka in 2014 and served on the Community Impact Council as the Grant Manager prior to being elected as Treasurer. In addition to JLT, she is active in International Rotary and the H.E.L.P. Foundation, which focuses its efforts on underprivileged children in the Philippines. Bridgette attended Washburn University and graduated with a Bachelors of Business Administration in 2004. She currently works as the Director of Energy Procurement for INTL FCStone where she advises clients on commodity risk management practices related to electricity and natural gas. Bridgette and her husband Michael share two children, Peyton and Tucker. In her spare time, Bridgette enjoys attending her children’ activities and loves to be around the water.

 

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Secretary
Angie Haggard

Angie joined the Junior League of Topeka in 2012 and has served on the Funding Development and Leadership Councils.  Angie attended Washburn University and graduated with her Bachelors of Business Administration, Cum Laude in 2000 and MBA in 2004.  Angie currently works as the Chief Financial Officer for Valeo Behavioral Health Care, Inc. here in Topeka where she oversees the agency’s $21 million budget and leads the Finance, Information Technology, Maintenance, Human Resources and Reception programs.   Angie and her husband Robert, have two children, Dylan and Isabelle.  Angie coaches her daughter’s fastpitch softball team.  She loves running, spending time in nature with her family and watching them play sports.

 

Vice President of Communications Council
Amber Carlson

Amber joined Junior League of Topeka in 2015, upon returning to the community after eighteen years. She was the 2015-2016 New Member MVP, and helped us to develop and formulate plans for our publication, Capital Impact, of which she served as the first Editor. She will be serving on our board as Vice President of Communications from 2017-2019. After attending the University of Kansas, Amber made her way into the advertising world as an Account Executive, then as the owner of a small advertising, public relations, and marketing agency in Kansas City. She gained experience in the publishing world as Advertising Director, Acting Publisher and Associate Publisher of an alternative newsweekly in Augusta, GA. Amber and her husband, Kristopher, have been married for twenty years and have six children. They started the “Dr. Kristopher and Amber Carlson Family Foundation” in 2015 as a way to pay it forward into the community that they raise their family in. Most days you can find Amber on various field trips while homeschooling their youngest four.

 

Vice President of Community Impact Council
Erin Aldridge

Erin joined Junior League into 2014. She was named the 2014- 2015 new member MVP for her work with sustainer relations and on a special funding committee. She will serve on our board as Vice President of Community Impact from 2017-2019. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in Strategic Communications, Erin has worked in the non-profit and advertising industries. She was the awarded the 2011 Fast Foward (FORGE) Member of the year by the Topeka Chamber of Commerce for her work as the 2010 Fast Forward Chair while working at the Topeka Performing Arts Center. Erin is currently the Development Director for the Jayhawk Area Council, Boy Scouts responsible for raising the funds necessary to support the growth and development of over 6,000 youth in 11 counties. In addition to League, Erin is a volunteer board member of the Shawnee Boat and Ski Club as their Corresponding Yoeman responsible for  all public and member communications. Erin and her husband, Brandon, own a State Farm Insurance office and live in the Shawnee Heights area with their children, Kaitlyn and Reid. Most weekends you’ll either find them at Lake of the Ozarks or at one of Kaitlyn’s swim meets.

 

Vice President of Funding Development Council
Ali Wilson

Ali is currently serving her second year as Vice President of Funding Development. As a new member of the Junior League of Topeka in 2014, she jumped right into leadership. She served as the Funding Chair after her provisional year and then went right into the Vice President position. Ali is currently employed at SE2 as a Client Relationship Manager and while not at work or spending time with her Junior League family, she enjoys spending time at home with her husband Sean, her sons, Walker and Zane, and her puppy Stella. Ali loves to ski and finds every opportunity to take vacations; her favorite being the mountains of Colorado.

 


Vice President of Leadership Council
Kim Sixkiller

Kim joined the Junior League of Topeka in 2012. She has been a member of our Funding Development Council, Community Impact Council, and served as volunteer coordinator for the Leadership Council for two years prior to being elected Vice President of Leadership Development. Additionally, Kim is in her forth year of service as the Executive Vice President for the Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary, Topeka Lodge #3. Outside of her board commitments, Mrs. Sixkiller also volunteers for the SHES PTO, Temple Beth Sholom Religious School, and enjoys including her children within her volunteer efforts to instill the importance of giving back to one’s community. Kim has been in the financial industry for ten years and is currently a member of the Life Operations Management team at Advisors Excel. She is a Shawnee Heights graduate from the class of 2000 and earned her bachelors degree from Emporia State University. Kim and her husband, Shaun, live in Topeka with their two daughters, Hannah and Ava. As a family the Sixkillers enjoy road trips throughout the United States, attending various sporting events, and getting outdoors while camping, boating, and fishing.


Vice President of Membership Development Council
Katie Elwell

Katie joined the Junior League of Topeka in 2014 when she moved to Topeka.  Along with her husband, Aaron, she has two young, very active, boys, ages 4 and 1.  Aaron is the fourth generation of his family’s local construction company, Shirley Construction.  Before shifting her focus to family, she worked in the apparel industry.  Using her degree from Kansas State, she designed for Lee Jeans (Kansas City) for over 10 years and also worked in buying at Neiman Marcus (Dallas, TX).  Katie keeps her head for business by consulting for a variety of apparel merchandising and development projects.  She also serves her community by volunteering at Prince of Peace Preschool as a board member.  Together with her family, she enjoys traveling, running and entertaining. She  served as Recruitment Chair for two years before being elected to the Board of Directors.

 

Sustainer Representative
Laurie Niehaus

Laurie joined the Junior League of Topeka in August 1999.  She served on the Resource Development Committee from 2000 to 2001, Care Chair from 2001 to 2002, Membership Services Director from 2002 to 2003, Community Program Council Director from 2003 to 2004, President Elect 2004 to 2005, President 2005 to 2006, and Past President and Funding Development Council Member from 2006 to 2007.  Laurie became a Sustainer in June 2007.  Besides being involved with Junior League of Topeka, Laurie is also involved with The Mulvane Art Museum and loves serving Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church.  After a 30 year career in banking, she changed career paths and joined Kansas Secured Title as a Closer.  Laurie and her husband, Curt, have three adult children, Regan, Grant and Addison.  They were awarded the title of Grandparents when Brinley Grace Baxter was born.  When not doting on Brinley, Laurie enjoys cross stitching, scrap-booking and watching any K-State sport.

 

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Sustainer Advisor
Marsha Sheahan

Marsha joined the Junior League of Topeka in 1976 and was an active member until going sustaining in 1990.  In addition to serving as League President 1987-88, she served as Community Vice President, Training Chair, Editor of Jaytalk, Headquarters Task Force Chair and Business Manager for Next-to-New.  Taking Community Placement for several years, she served as the first chair of the Topeka Community Foundation, a Junior League of Topeka project.  She was awarded the Gold Rose in 1994.  Marsha retired in 2015 after 36 years as Vice President of Public Relations for the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce.  While working for the Chamber, she initiated and directed the Leadership Greater Topeka program from 1984-2014.  She has facilitated training on boardsmanship, strategic planning, membership development and nominating training for a myriad non-profits in Topeka.  She currently serves on the boards of the Topeka High School Historical Society and the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library Foundation.  She and her husband Bill have three adult children and two granddaughters.