With a mission to support local moms and community, Wichita Moms Blog is proudly featuring Wichita women who deserve recognition for their inspiring work at home, in the office, or in the community through our She Means Business Series, brought to you in partnership with Martin Pringle Attorneys at Law.
We hope you join us in getting to know some of Wichita’s women who mean business. And stay tuned for next month when we announce and celebrate more local ladies!
Kara Hunt
How are you involved in the ICT community? Honorary Commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Boys and Girls Club Board Member, Salvation Army Board Member and Past Board Chair, Downtown Rotary Vice President of Programs, Big Sister BB/BS, Mission Wichita Trustee, Rainbows United Volunteer
What is your favorite thing about Wichita?The people, the opportunity, and the ability to get involved and make an impact.
What is your Favorite Podcast: TED Talks Daily, Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations
What is your morning routine:Get up shower turn on music I may or may not have a dance party get ready and wake up my girls if they have decided to hit snooze too many times. I am usually on the road by 6:30 am and I talk with my mom on my drive in to work or listen to Audible or a podcast and am in the office by 7 am. This way I have some quiet time to make my list and set my plan for the day and start calm.
Best tip for work/life balance: Be relentless in figuring what really matters and make time for that and cut out everything else that you can cut out.
Nomination: Kara is progressive and if there is a new program or initiative in Wichita, Kara is likely to be behind it! She brought the Appointment’s project to Wichita in an effort to get more women on civic boards, she co-founded the Mission Wichita program with McConnell Air Force Base and serves on a number of other Boards, task forces, etc. If you don’t know Kara, you need to!
Lynn Gilkey
How are you involved in the ICT community? Champion for teen girls through our mentoring program, Community speaking engagements, support grieving mothers and women in crisis.
What are you most proud of ? Being recognized at the White House under President Barrack Obama for the champion of change award
What is your favorite thing about Wichita? It is such a loving and supportive community of many things.
What is your favorite book? The Bible/ Becoming by Michelle Obama
What is your morning routine?Watching the news and drinking coffee with my husband
Best tip for work/life balance: Work and tasks at will always be there so don’t sweat the small stuff. Your Time on this side of heaven is not promised, use it time wisely and enjoy every minute of it!
What is your dream job? Giving others hope.
Fun fact about you? I was stopped by and officer for speeding and he asked what was my hurry. I said I had to pee. He let me go.
Michelle Moe Witte
Where do you work? I am a litigation Attorney at Martin Pringle, and focus my practice on employment law.
How are you involved in the ICT community? I love being a part of Wichita’s robust arts community. I currently serve as President of Music Theatre Wichita’s board of directors. It’s exciting to be part of an organization that advances the musical theatre art form by educating and nurturing creators, artists, and audiences, primarily through the production of Broadway-caliber shows. Each summer nearly 70,000 people come to downtown Wichita to enjoy these productions. About 25 percent of those patrons come from outside Sedgwick County. It’s a great way to introduce others to all that Wichita has to offer.
The fastest way to Broadway is through Wichita. Nearly every musical currently running on Broadway features performers who got their start in Music Theatre Wichita’s company. MTWichita is a reputable training ground leading the way for future generations of performers and technical staff. It feels great to be a part of an organization that is providing young people with positive experiences that are propelling them into future careers.
When a season ends, MTWichita’s sets, costumes, and props find new life in countless productions across the country. In recent years, its rental packages have appeared on stages in more than 26 states. People across the country know the value of being “Made in Wichita.”
What do you like to do for fun? I love to cook. My husband and I are always trying new recipes. We love exploring unique flavor combinations and giving old recipes a fresh new twist. I also love to watch musicals. My husband and I see about 30 to 50 musicals each year. Our daughter has started joining us for some of these productions. It provides quality family time and a host of topics for fund and heartfelt discussions.
What is your favorite podcast? Slow Burn with Leon Neyfakh. It explores the subplots and forgotten characters of recent political history. Season 1 explores Watergate. Season 2 explores Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
What is your morning routine? Yawn. Stretch. Shower. Coffee. Wake husband up. Wake kid up. More coffee. First time didn’t take. Wake them up again. Get dressed. Hugs. Kisses. Goodbyes. Go.
What is your favorite local lunch spot/restaurant? George’s French Bistro
Rachel Banning
Tell us a little about your family: We homeschool our son, run our own business, and enjoy all that Wichita has to offer. My greatest adventure began 20 years ago when I married Jeremy. We are opposites in most everything, but it definitely makes for an interesting life, and I like to think that we compliment each other’s strengths and challenges. Together, we have one lively teenage son, Dylan and one heavenly daughter, Mia (2000-2013). Mia sustained a birth injury resulting in severe cerebral palsy, limiting her mobility and communication. She passed away in 2013, but her kindred spirit forever bonded us to the world of special needs.
How are you involved in the ICT community? I am honored to be part of the Junior League of Wichita, an organization dedicated to building the potential of women and a better community. I’ve enjoyed being part of the Wichita Chamber and Leadership Wichita 2018. I am a proud Wichita State grad and volunteer with the Wichita Children’s Home and Families Together. Our family also involved in Special Olympics providing a fantastic opportunity for our son who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome (high functioning autism) to be accepted and make friends.
What is your favorite thing about Wichita? Can I pick 3? 1. I love that Wichita has a small town feel but with a large city attitude. 2. People are friendly and it always feels like home. 3. I appreciate quick trips across town are not plagued with traffic. I also love our downtown–and parking!
Tell us your guilty pleasure: I am an absolute sucker for a boring rainy Sunday afternoon Netflix binging chick flicks or re-runs TV shows all the while simultaneously reading fiction books, dozing off and on between chapters.
What is your favorite local lunch spot/restaurant? La Galette French Bakery on Douglas in Delano
Fun fact about you?In college, I was a fashion major turned political scientist–I went from being the life of the party to the buzz kill!
Laura Ellis
What are you most proud of? My family will always be my greatest pride. I have 8 kind, responsible, loving children. I am also proud of the fact that, as a mother of 8, I have built an international business in 14 months. The focus of that business is yo help others by teaching them to build their own business and achieve self-reliance.
What do you like to do for fun? I love to explore new places and experience new things. On the weekend my favorite thing to do is to spend time with my family.
What is your favorite book? Two that I have read recently and lives are “Leadership and Self-deception” and “All the Light we Cannot See.”
Best tip for work/life balance: Recognize limitations, realize that the balance comes over time. No one can do everything, every day. One day my main priority might be work because I have deadlines. The next, I will spend more time focused on family and things at home. The key is to focus on what matters most and set the rest aside.
Fun fact about you? Growing up I hated running. Still do. But, as a mother of 5 I ran my first (and only) marathon because so needed to challenge myself mentally.
Nomination: Laura is a mom of 8 children, and she runs her own international business from home in between getting kids ready for school, prepping meals, music lessons, and running her own taxi service (for her children). Laura is proof that you can set your goals high and accomplish them, no matter how much time you feel you do or do not have in a day. She inspires others on a daily basis to become you they’re intended to be, and she teaches people how to become self-reliant. Laura has an absolute heart of gold; she desires to help others in whatever way she can. And she is teaching her children that anything truly is possible.
Lisa McPherson
Where do you work? I am a Health Law & Medical Malpractice Defense Attorney at Martin Pringle.
How are you involved in the ICT community?I am on the Board at the Wichita Swim Club, a member of the Junior League of Wichita and sustaining advisor to their governing board for 2019-2020. We are somewhat active in our church and embrace all that ICT has to offer. Living in College Hill really puts us in the heart of the community.
Tell us a little about your family: We are a family of 4 people and one very cute white lab. Our kids are ages 16 and 19. We are finally sort of adjusting to only having one child under our roof each night since our son started college out of state this past fall.
What is your favorite book? I just read Michelle Obama’s Becoming. It was excellent. Marie Kondo’s, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up was probably the most helpful book.
What do you like to do for fun? I work out/run with friends often. My husband and I love to take in all of the great locally owned restaurants in town.
What is your favorite thing about Wichita? The big small town feel.
What is your favorite local lunch spot? Artichoke
What is your morning routine? Up and exercise before the sunrise, quick coffee with the girls and then get ready to start the day and go to work.
Fun fact about you? I love to entertain.
Jae Hedrick
Tell us a little about your family: I have been married to my best friend Christopher for almost 16 years, we have one amazing 14 year old son and a beautiful rescue dog named Nova. I am a development officer for The Saint Francis Foundation and a social worker by education.
What do you like to do for fun? I LOVE to box at Title Boxing Club-Derby.
What is your favorite thing about Wichita? The energy surrounding the movement to make it the best place to live, raise a family and work. Also that I can get great tacos all over town.
Tell us your guilty pleasure: Peanut Butter M&Ms
What is your morning routine? Coffee. Drop the boy off at school. Work. Boxing. Read. Throw in tacos and more coffee as needed.
Best tip for work/life balance? Schedule your fun time in your calendar as well. If you are like me things do not happen if they are not in my calendar. Also, do not take yourself too seriously haha.
Fun fact about you? I created an Instagram account for my rescue dog @novarescuepuppy
Chelsea Lamping
What are you most proud of? I’m proud of my career as an Air Force Pilot. I served 12 years as a mobility airdrop pilot, supporting our armed forces on the ground, both in training and in combat. I worked hard to achieve my aviation qualifications, and I am so grateful to have traveled the world for humanitarian relief missions and international training exercises.
What is your favorite thing about Wichita?I’m attracted to Wichita’s community pride. I love the ICT flag, the murals, food trucks, and small business communal collaborations.
What is your favorite podcast? TED Radio Hour
Best tip for work/life balance: Mindfulness. When you’re making time for work, give it your full attention. And vice versa with your family. Multi-tasking isn’t physiologically possible, yet as a working mom, I often allow myself to get buried in “doing it all at the same time”. I’m getting better at setting specific time aside and really giving my best minutes to one thing at a time.
Fun fact about you? My husband and I won a trip to the Cayman Islands while competing on Wheel of Fortune.
Nomination: Chelsea Lamping is by far the best living example of a strong and inspiring woman, mother, wife and community member. She lifts other women up and supports everything local, despite facing her own personal life struggles including a child with cancer, a parent with cancer, and losing her grandmother. Chelsea inspires others to be there best on a daily basis. She has a heart of gold and deserves to be recognized as one of Wichita’s greatest! She is a momtrepnurer of a great wine line and inspires us all to be our best, every day. She is amazing!
