Kathy Kist, Chair
Kathy Kist was elected to chair the Olathe Republican Party in early March of 2007. Kathy is a teacher at Olathe South High School and has an extensive background in education, particularly in the areas of writing, English, literature, and mathematics. She earned her BA with honors in English Literature and Mathematics from Drake and a Masters with honors in English Literature from the University of Illinois.

Kathy has an extensive background in politics. She was a voting delegate to the 2000 Republican National Convention and a member of the Credentials Committee. She was a guest on C-Span's Washington Journal. While in Iowa she was also on the Board of Directors for Iowa Right to Life and was on the Republican State Platform Committee in 1996 and 2000. She has extensive experience in state and local campaigns and is truly a grassroots activist. She most recently was an alternate delegate to the 2008 Republican Convention.

You mail e-mail her for any questions!

Joe Leary, Vice-Chair
Joe was elected as vice chairman of the Olathe Republican Party in March of 2007. He is also serving in his 4th term as a Republican Precinct Committeeman.

Joe is employed as a Financial Representative in Overland Park and is also a retired Colonel in the United States Army Reserve. His military service includes service in Germany and Vietnam and he is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College.

Joe has been a resident of Olathe for over 14 years and is married to Kathy Leary and has three grown children.

Joe’s education background includes a BS Degree in Accounting from Canisius College, Buffalo, NY and a MBA from the University of Kansas.

Mike Krieg, Treasurer
Mike was elected as treasurer of the Olathe Republican Party in March 2009. Mike is currently serving his second term as a Republican Precinct Committeeman. He is active in youth ministry at Life Church in Olathe and is on the Site Council at Briarwood Elementary.

Mike is a Vice President responsible for the support and development of software at Dickinson Financial Corporation, a Kansas City-based bank holding company that includes Bank Midwest. He proudly served as an armor officer in the U.S. Army. Mike has lived in Olathe since 1996 with his lovely wife Carrie, who is a pediatric nurse and Republican Precinct Committeewoman. Mike and Carrie have three wonderful daughters.

Mike earned his BS Degree at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he studied National Security/Public Affairs and Systems Engineering, and a MBA from the University of Kansas.

Mike McGovern, Secretary
Mr. McGovern has been re-elected to the Olathe Republican Party and has served as Secretary since 2004. He is serving his third term as a Republican Committeeman for Olathe Ward 3, Precinct 03. Mike is an underwater consultant and educator for the commercial diving industry and the former co-founder, owner, and President of Midwest Marine Contracting, Inc., a successful underwater contracting firm. He was inducted into the Commercial Diving Hall of Fame in 2005 by the Association of Diving Contractors International. Mike has served twice as PTO President at Prince of Peace Catholic School. He is the active Cubmaster for Pack 3240 since 2001.

In 2003, McGovern ran for the Olathe School Board of Education – District #233. He is the current President of the Advisory Board for Olathe Catholic Charities and serves on the Kansans for Life Board. Mike is an NRA Instructor and a trained Kansas Concealed Carry Instructor. McGovern is a resident of Olathe in a “McGruff House” along with his beautiful and loving wife, Tana, and their three active sons, Ryan (age 16), Camron (age 13), and Aaron (age 10)