How does a person properly acknowledge a trusted, diligent, kind, dedicated, supportive, beloved colleague and friend as she sails into a well-deserved retirement? Just saying “goodbye” is wildly insufficient.
Lezlee Heryford, outgoing Kansas State Chapter Executive Treasurer, has provided 24 years of dutiful service to our Kansas sisterhood. From presenting at executive board meetings to providing expertise and explanations at Kansas State Chapter Convention; from monitoring the books for Kansas Sunflower Grants to making sure KSC’s money is invested wisely; from giving expert insight to P.E.O. International’s home office staff to helping new executive treasurers from other S/P/D chapters…the list goes on and on. If you ask Lezlee a question, you know you’ll get the right answer. She has trained countless local chapter treasurers, executive officers of convention, hostess chapter representatives, incoming members of the executive board, AND the incoming executive treasurer!
But beyond any of the things on Lezlee’s list of accomplishments, she is and remains our sister. We’d love to keep her forever, but loving concern doesn’t just mean being supportive to a sister in need. It also requires us to know when to step back and let her hand her role to the next sister. This season in Lezlee’s P.E.O. life has ended, but the next, beautiful season has just begun. I have it on pretty good authority that Lezlee’s next season is called “Nana” and will be filled with lots of time holding her beloved newborn grandson.
Dearest Lezlee, on behalf of the Kansas State Chapter Board and the rest of Kansas P.E.O., I send you into your retirement with every last bit of sisterly love we have. You have given us so much of yourself, and you deserve every happiness life has to offer.
Lovingly in P.E.O., Aidan Koster, President of Kansas State Chapter
The Kansas State Chapter Executive Board is excited to announce that Sharon Leatherman, JC, Lawrence, has accepted the position of Executive Treasurer. She will begin her duties on November 1st, 2024. Please welcome Sharon to the team!
Sharon is a member of Chapter JC, Lawrence, where she was initiated in 2015. She has served as JC’s president, vice president, treasurer, chaplain and guard. She has also been active in leading the chapter’s annual Snack Sack Ways and Means project.
Sharon and her husband, Terry, met on the way to class at the University of Kansas. They both hold degrees in Broadcast Journalism from KU. They worked in news reporting after getting married – Sharon in radio, and Terry in radio and TV. Since then, Sharon’s career has focused on association management, event planning, and business communications. Terry is a senior association manager with KnowledgeWorks Global. Both Sharon and Terry grew up in the Kansas City area.
Sharon most recently served as Employment Services Coordinator for the University Career Center at KU. She also spent 12 years at the KU Memorial Union and was the Assistant Director of Event Services. She has managed teams of both professional and student staff.
Sharon and Terry have two daughters, Robin and Kelly. Robin is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and is Lawrence Clinic Director at Willow ABA Services. She and her husband, Mo, a web development business owner, have two daughters, Layla and Zayna. Kelly is a program manager with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and resides in Chicago.
In her spare time, you’ll most likely find Sharon reading a good book on her Kindle, trying to keep her garden and houseplants alive, or hanging out with the granddaughters.