Kansas Health Institute | Information For Policy Makers. Health for Kansans.

TOPEKA — Two prominent Kansas health advocates have resigned their positions.

Corrie Edwards resigned Friday as executive director of the Kansas Health Consumer Coalition, citing personal reasons.

Linda DeCoursey, advocacy director for the American Heart Association in Kansas the past five years, also said she has resigned for personal reasons effective May 27.

DeCoursey said her resignation followed a reorganization at the association. She said she intended to "take some time off," but then perhaps return to some sort of advocacy role at the Kansas Statehouse where she has been a regular the past few sessions.

"If a door opens for me to still be involved, I may be back," she said.

DeCoursey said she was leaving the association on a high note after seeing a statewide public smoking ban become law.

Edwards said only that she had resigned for personal reasons.

The consumer coalition, under her direction, has lobbied at the Statehouse on issues such as medical debt and underinsurance.

Edwards, among other things, in 2007 served on an advisory panel to the Kansas Health Policy Authority as the agency drafted health reform proposals for consideration by the 2008 Legislature.

Anna Lambertson has been named the coalition's interim director.