TOPEKA – Kari Bruffett has been named Vice President for Policy by the Kansas Health Institute. The new position was created to formalize responsibilities she has in the areas of project management and operations, and to recognize the leadership role she plays in the organization.
“Since joining KHI nearly three years ago,” said Robert F. St. Peter, M.D., KHI’s president and CEO, “Kari has contributed to our work in many important ways. This promotion formalizes some of those roles.”
Before joining KHI, Bruffett worked in state government, including as secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. She also served as the director of the Division of Health Care Finance at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), playing a key role in the development of the state’s Medicaid managed care program, KanCare. Prior to KDHE, she served eight years in government affairs at The University of Kansas Hospital, and four years in Washington, D.C., as a congressional staffer.
“KHI does great work to support the health policymaking process in Kansas,” Bruffett said. “It’s a privilege to be part of an innovative team that enjoys partnering with others to improve the health of all Kansans.”
Bruffett, 48, lives in Lawrence with her husband and two daughters.