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Currently,
InterHab has six dedicated staff members. Find out more about
them below.
Tom
Laing, Executive Director
Matt
Fletcher , Associate Executive Director
John
Ratzenberger, Director of Marketing and Membership
Christa
Murphy, Coordinator of Marketing and Training
Janet
Middendorf, Office Manager
Jennifer
Matzek, Financial Manager
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Tom is a graduate of Emporia
State University, with a degree in Education, and an emphasis
in Language Arts. He taught in the Kansas public schools in
Dwight and in Pittsburgh, where his classroom was an inclusive
classroom for children who had been diagnosed with learning
disabilities and behavior disorders.
Tom was affiliated with the Kansas community
action movement, working as a grant writer and administrative
planner in a rural 11-county region. The organization with
which he worked provided HeadStart, Family Planning, WIC,
Job Training, Senior Services, intra-city transportation and
a variety of other comprehensive services for persons with
low incomes.
He has 20-plus years of experience in
government and politics, and his tenure in state government
included stints with the Departments of Revenue and Social
and Rehabilitation Services. He served as chief of staff to
the Democratic Leader of the Kansas House of Representatives,
culminating in his appointment as chief of staff for the Speaker.
Tom served during the Clinton administration
as a consultant to the President's Committee on Mental Retardation,
with assignments to assist state governments in Louisiana,
Washington and Wyoming.
Tom has been Executive Director of InterHab
since October 1993.
If you wish to contact Tom, please
email him at: tlaing@interhab.org
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A native of Kansas, Matt Fletcher
is honored to work for the members of InterHab. Matt has been
involved in the advocacy efforts of InterHab for nearly five
years. Matt has also coordinated InterHab's public education
efforts, communicating with media across the state of Kansas
for coverage of disability-related issues.
In addition to working for InterHab, Matt
served in public relations roles for other non-profit organizations,
and also worked for several years as a broadcaster in radio.
Matt is a freelance editorial cartoonist was the artist for
the comic strip "Mulch", a comic strip that featured
people with disabilities and appeared in several newspapers
across the United States. Matt is a graduate of Fort Hays
State University.
Matt and his wife Jennifer live in Topeka.
If you wish to contact Matt, please
email him at:mfletcher@interhab.org
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John graduated in 1999 from
the University of Kansas with a Communication Studies degree.
John started with InterHab after graduation and was put in
charge of the 1999 Annual Conference Trade Show. After putting
together a successful trade show, John took a short leave
of absence from InterHab to work in Lawrence.
John rejoined the InterHab staff in April
2000. Outside of the office, John has many interests, including
baseball, hockey, and movies.
John is currently working on several projects,
including CaseCommand and the upcoming InterHab Annual Conference.
John is the contact person for potential exhibitors, advertisers
and sponsors.
If you wish to contact John, please
email him at:jratzenberger@interhab.org
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Christa is a native of Topeka
and graduate of Kansas State University with a B.A. in Journalism
and Public Relations. Her professional background includes
two years as the Income Development Director for a non profit
organization and four years in financial services marketing.
She is very active in the
community serving as Vice President of the Helping Hands Humane
Society Board of Directors and a chairperson for the Junior
League of Topeka. She is also active in her historical neighborhood
and spends much of her free time working on her 115 year old
home and garden which she shares with husband, Sean, son Jack,
and their three dogs.
Christa spends much of her time during
the summer and fall planning InterHab's Annual Conference
which attracts nearly 700 people from across the state. Much
more information about the Conference can be found on this
website. She also coordinates both Direct Service Conferences,
year-round training efforts and any special events that help
promote the mission of InterHab and its member agencies.
If you wish to contact Christa,
please email her at: cmurphy@interhab.org
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Janet was born and raised in Topeka. She attended Washburn Rural High School and Highland Community College. Janet has two sons, Chad age 20 and Tyler age 17. Janet began working at InterHab in July 1998 as the Administrative Assistant.
In her spare time Janet enjoys water skiing, traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Currently, Janet handles all office manager duties, logistics for meetings and training as well as all registrations. She manages all membership databases and is Editor of the InterHab-o-Gram newsletter.
If you wish to contact Janet, please email her at:jwells@interhab.org
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| J.J.
Matzek was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. She attended Highland
Park High School and Emporia State University where she graduated
with a bachelor's degree in business and accounting. She has
been with InterHab since September of 1999 on a part-time basis,
and also does part-time accounting work out of her home.
A busy family life doesn't leave much
time for hobbies but when there is time she enjoys working
on a scrapbooks for her 2 daughters Holly and Brooke, and
getting in a quick workout at the gym.
If you wish to contact Jennifer, please email her at:jmatzek@interhab.org
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