The Board of Trustees meets at 7:00 PM on the third Tuesday of every month.
Notice: To request accommodations (i.e. qualified interpreter, large print, hearing assistance) needed to attend a meeting, please notify this office at 816-858-2412, ext. 'hashtag 100'.
Policy Regarding Public Comments at Board Meetings
Email public comments to the Board of Trustees (Must include name and Platte County residence address or Platte County business address)
The Platte County Health Department board of trustees is an unpaid, at-large, elected board comprised of a board chair, vice chair, treasurer, secretary and a board member. Board ,embers are elected to four-year terms as described in Chapter 205.031 RSMo. The board of trustees is the governing and policy-making body of the Platte County Health Department. The board oversees department functions and sets policy. The health department is responsible for a disease prevention, health promotion and ensuring the health of all Platte County residents and visitors.
A roster of the Board of Trustees and brief bios follow:
Board Chair
Dr. R. Kent Jackson, DVM
(term expires April, 2024)
Dr. Kent Jackson has lived in Platte County since 1968. He attended the University of Missouri in Columbia where he obtained his degree in Veterinary Medicine in 1976. Dr. Jackson owns and operates Jackson Animal Clinic in Platte City. He has promoted public health as a member of the Health Department's Board of Trustees and through promotion of the health of his veterinary patients.
Vice Chair
Cathy Hill
(term expires April, 2023)
Cathy Hill was born and raised in rural Leavenworth, Kansas. She moved to Northern Platte County in 1986 after she married her husband Jeff, who is a fifth generation Platte Countian.
Ms. Hill has worked in Healthcare Administration and Management in the Northland for the past 30 years. The majority of this time has been spent in the Family Practice setting. Ms. Hill has served as a Manager and Administrator in Home Health and Hospice. She has served on numerous healthcare boards and committees, including the Medical Group Management Association of Northwest Missouri (MGMA-NWMO) and the Academy of Professional Coders of Kansas City (AAPC of KC).
Ms. Hill recently semi-retired due to family health issues and works on a part-time basis for a Family Practice office in the Northland. Ms. Hill enjoys spending time with her family and friends, participating in both recreational and spectator sports, traveling, and being active in her community. She is currently serving her 2nd four-year term on the Board of Trustees.
Treasurer
Kathy Wright, RN BSN
(term expires April, 2023)
Kathy Wright is a Platte County native, having grown up in the house in which she currently lives. Ms. Wright graduated from Kansas University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Ms. Wright spent the majority of her Nursing career working in the Emergency Department at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where she served as the Department Manager for 12 years. In addition to her career at KU, Ms. Wright and her husband operated farms east of Platte City where they raised crops, livestock, and a beautiful family. Ms. Wright and her family have owned and operated Pumpkins, etc. since 1984 and more recently, Grandma Ding's, a fudge-making company. Ms. Wright has proudly served on the Board of Trustees for 33 years.
Secretary
Paula Owen Willmarth
(term expires April, 2023)
Paula Owen Willmarth has lived in Platte County since 2014, moving back to the KC area after 40 years in Jefferson City. In the capital city, Ms. Willmarth worked for the Missouri Department of Social Services and the Department of Mental Health for a combined 30 years. She served as the Director of the Division of Family Services for 4 years and was privileged to attend the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Ms. Willmarth studied Child Welfare at Duke University and at the National Child Welfare Leadership Center at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Ms. Willmarth was appointed by Governor Mel Carnahan as the first Director of the Governor’s Committee on Homelessness.
After retiring from Missouri state government, Ms. Willmarth continued her career in Social Work at the Administration of Children Services in New York City. Ms. Willmarth was Owner and CEO of Paula J. Willmarth Consulting until retiring from that career in 2012.
Ms. Willmarth is a published author, having published “The Road to Recovery”, First Edition April 2002, in conjunction with the University of Missouri, Project Life. "The Road to Recovery" is a guide to life in recovery from mental illness.
Board Member
Dr. Jeffrey Kingsley, MD, MS
(term expires April, 2024)
Dr. Kingsley is married with three children and lives in Platte County. He is a Board-certified Pediatrician and Neonatal/Pediatric Hospitalist who provides care for babies in a Level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, attends difficult deliveries, admits children to the Pediatric Ward, and is a consultative service for the Emergency Department.
Dr. Kingsley's educational background includes a Medical Degree, Master’s Degree in Anatomy/Neuroembryology, and Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. His medical training is in Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases, and Critical Care. His research background is in the fields of both hearing development and HIV treatment. Dr. Kingsley is a published author of many articles in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals.