2022 Executive Board
President
Jill Johnson
is in her 16th year teaching Math in SMSD. She began her career at Shawnee Mission North, transitioned to the middle school level at Hocker Grove for 7 years, headed back to North for 5 more years and will be transitioning again back to middle school next year at Indian Woods Middle. She’s been involved in NEA-SM since her first day as a teacher and has held the offices of Treasurer-Elect, Treasurer, Vice President, Lead Negotiator and is in her 1st term as NEA SM President. Her husband, Nick, is a playground designer and supports Jill in all her union endeavors! Her two daughters Mae (13) and Lucy (10) love to dance, sing and act and have been known to sneak around the NEA SM office in search of candy :)
Co-Treasurer
Mark Lange
I am in my 19th year in Shawnee Mission. I have taught Computer Dimensions at Mission Valley for 7 years, was Coordinator of Assessment for 8 years, and am in my 4th year of Computer Dimensions at Westridge. I have been involved with NEA-SM since the beginning but Treasurer-Elect is my first officer position . My wife Christina, who also teaches in SMSD, and I have been married for 23 years. We have two daughters, Mikaela (SMNW graduate and KSU freshman) and Carissa. I am also currently sing tenor with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus.
Amber Pagan
Secretary
is in her 18th year teaching, 6th in SMSD, and 3rd year teaching PreK at Nieman Elementary. She has been involved with NEA-SM for 3 years and has held the office of Elementary Representative and is currently the Secretary of NEA-SM. She also serves on the Shawnee Mission Racial and Social Justice Task Force, Baker's Dozen Racial & Social Fellowship, and KNEA Racial Justice Leadership Committee. She also serves as the resolutions commissioner for KNEA and has served on the resolution committee for 3 years. She is married and has two kids, Zylen (11) and Zander (8). She loves watching movies and spending time with her kids.
Alyssa Passmore
Communications Chair
is in her 5th year teaching middle school art at Hocker Grove Middle School. She has been in the district for 5 years and have served in the role of Building Rep for 4 years. She manages our social media accounts, the website and SMSD Educators page. She has taken on the EdSummer role and leads trainings on 1:1s and recruiting new hires at the start of the school year!
I have the cutest rescue dog in all the land, named Jade who I love so much, I also coach volleyball year round between HG VB and Mavs KC!
Amanda Dirks
Elementary Rep
I teach 1st grade at Crestview Elementary. This is my 4th year teaching in Shawnee Mission, but my 17th year teaching overall. My role in NEA-SM is elementary rep and a building rep.
I am married to Jonathon Dirks, who is a math teacher at Indian Woods. We have two children- Haley and Hayden. Haley is in 8th grade at Indian Woods and Hayden is in 5th grade at Brookridge Elementary. We love to go on cruises and spending time together at Worlds of Fun and the pool. In the fall, we enjoy cheering on the Chiefs.
Megan Hergenrader
Elementary Rep
is a special education teacher at East Antioch Elementary. This is Megan’s sixth year in the district and has served as a NEA-SM Building Elementary Rep for the past two years. Megan has been on various district and building level committees, including her building leadership team which she has been on for the past five years. Megan will serve the next two years on the Executive Board as an Elementary Building Rep. She strives to create an inclusive community for all students and staff in her building. Megan enjoys spending time with family & friends, exploring new places, watching sports, reading, and finding new shows to binge!
Vice President
Lindsay (Atchison) Mihalko
Lindsay is in her 6th year teaching special education in SMSD. She is currently at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School teaching in the ED/BD center based program. She has served as Secretary and on the Negotiations Team. She is newly married to Matt who works at the Ford KCAP plant and is a UAW member.
Co-Treasurer
Kimberly Gilman
I'm Kimberly Gilman and I teach social studies at Hocker Grove Middle School in Shawnee. I love to travel and learn especially in other countries. I am focused on justice, the environment, technology, and the humanities. I have served NEA SM as Treasurer-Elect, as a KNEA and NEA Delegate, and as a Building Rep. I will be your Treasurer for 2022-2023. I serve on the KNEA Racial and Social Justice Leadership Team and the KNEA Budgets and Audits Committee as well as on the Boards of the Kansas Council for History Education (KCHE) and the Kansas Geographic Alliance (KGA). I also volunteer with KC Serves and enjoy hiking with my beagle, Sherman.
Elementary Rep
Laura Holland
teaches Kindergarten at John Diemer and have been in Shawnee Mission for 8 years. I got involved with NEA when I was in college and have been involved ever since. I served as a building rep for Omaha Education Association 5 of the 7 years I taught there. I have also been a building rep for 6 years and spent the last 2 years on the NEA Shawnee Mission Executive Board as an Elementary Representative.
In my spare time, my husband of 26 years and I enjoy spending time with our 6 children (ages 25-12), spending time on the lake, reading and training our 2 dogs.
Amanda Jessee
Elementary Rep
has taught 5th and 6th grades in Shawnee Mission since the last millennium (1998)! She is currently one of NEA-SM’s elementary school executive board representatives and Westwood View Elementary’s building rep. Amanda was a delegate at the 2022 KNEA representative assembly. Her favorite people include her husband, Brady, and kids, Caty and Zane!
Genie is in her 23rd year teaching in SMSD. She currently teaches 7th grade science at Indian Woods Middle School and is an assistant volleyball coach as well. She has previously taught at Hocker Grove, Rising Star and Mill Creek. She has also served on the Executive Board as an Elementary Rep and currently serves as a KPAC Commissioner.
Genie has been married to Terry for 17 years, and they have two children. Eva is a sophomore at SMNW and Noah is a 7th grader at Trailridge.
Ad Astra Board Member KNEA
Genie Scruton
Middle School Rep
Heather Mayfield
is starting her fifth year teaching middle school ELA at Trailridge Middle School. She is the head cross country coach and directs the musical. Heather has two sons, a recent SMN graduate and a middle schooler at Hocker Grove. In addition to serving as a middle school representative, Heather also serves as the chairperson of NEA-SM PAC. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and binge watching shows then being disappointed when they’re over.
Danielle Russell
High School Rep
is in my 12th year of teaching Social Studies. I began her career teaching in Puerto Rico then came back to Kansas to teach Social Studies at Trailridge Middle School for 6 years. I returned to my alma mater Shawnee Mission South HS and have been teaching Geography and US History for the past 4 years. She has been involved in NEA-SM as a member and grown into leadership as a building representative and secondary executive board member. I love teaching about history, different cultures, current events and sharing travel stories. I am married with two littles Leila (4 months), Ari (2.5 years) and a black lab named Elwood. Outside of school I love to spend time in nature, doing water sports and boating, traveling within the US and abroad, watching KU basketball, competing dock dogs with Elwood, and spending time with friends and family.
OPEN
New to The Profession
Seth Peck
High School Rep
is a Special Education teacher at SM South High School. He currently serves as a building representative and is also a member of the Executive Board of the KNEA. He is a freelance-writer in his spare time and has written both Wolverine and The X-Men for Marvel Comics. He lives in Overland Park with his son Owen, and their three dogs Milo, Louis, and Matilda.
UniServ Director
Linda Sieck
I began teaching Spanish at SM East in 1992 Linda Sieck taught Spanish at S.M. East for 30 years and served as NEA SM President for almost seven years, She now is the Ad Astra Uniserv Director. She works closely with leaders and members in Shawnee Mission, De Soto, and Gardner-Edgerton. She works alongside the Executive Board members in an advisory capacity, supporting their efforts to build an even stronger union. Linda loves spending time with her family and vacationing at the beach.
Jane Mallonee
Retired Representative
After teaching Elementary Art for 40 years, she has been retired for 6, and has enjoyed 5 terms on the Exec Board as the Retired member. As a member of KNEA-Retired, she currently serves on the Coordinating Council, held in Topeka. And her most recent office is as Co-President with Sheryl Siegele of KNEA-Retired Sunflower East.
She and her retired husband enjoy their young Scottie and trying to keep up with grandchildren.
Administrative Assistant
Betty Woods
Hi, I’m Betty Woods, and I am the KNEA Administrative Assistant for Ad Astra Uniserv. I handle the memberships and paperwork between KNEA and NEA Shawnee Mission. I am also the Admin Asst for the KNEA student program, Aspiring Educator, and our REACH program. In my free time I like to read fiction suspense/murder books and I make quilts. If you have any questions, you can email me at Betty.Woods@knea.org