Mike Kelly joined Johnson County Government as the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners in January 2023. Functioning in a capacity similar to a city mayor, he serves as the chief elected official for the largest county in Kansas and serves the entire community.

Before assuming that position, Chairman Kelly served as mayor of Roeland Park, Kansas, beginning in 2017.

Born and raised in Leawood, Chairman Kelly has lived throughout Johnson County his entire life. Following his family tradition, Chairman Kelly attended Kansas State University where he graduated with degrees in journalism and political science. He earned his law degree from the University of Kansas. His alma mater always wins at the KU-KSU games!

Kelly is a partner in the Kansas City office of the Husch Blackwell law firm, where he has focused on real estate, design and construction litigation.

In 2019, he was a co-founder and is a current board member of Climate Action KC, a regional leader implementing best practices for reducing emissions, energy efficiency and natural conservation.

JCDS Emerging Artists is an art as employment program offered by Johnson County Developmental Supports. The artists are adults who are passionate and driven to create and have and intellectual or developmental disability. Artwork can be purchased at the studio located in side the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center: Monday-Friday from 9am-3pm, or through the online store.

Follow Emerging Artists on social media @JCDSEmergingArtists for the latest news and creations!

Hector E Garcia was born in Guatemala, Central America. Since and early age, Hector found himself creating small illustrations on the margins of his school text and note books. His father, a self-made journalist and aspiring watercolorist introduced his to watercolors. Hector fell in love with this medium and he has kept exploring and applying it in his work.

Hector attended the University of San Carlos, School of Architecture, but his studies were cut short when fearing for his safety and that of his family, they fled Guatemala in the mid 80’s, arriving in Chicago where they lived for two years. While living there, he attended the American Academy of Art where a recruiter saw his portfolio and was offered a position in a well known Kansas City greeting card company in 1988. While working there, he attended the Kansas City Art Institute. He also enrolled in the School of Architecture at the University of Kansas, where he earned a degree in architecture.

Throughout his life, Hector has used watercolors to create illustrations and it is his medium of choice for the detailed caricature work. Hector began to produce more complex artwork reflecting architecture and people, two of his favorite subjects, and finds inspiration during his travels where he takes many photographs that he uses as a reference for his paintings. Hector has exhibited his work in local public art competitions and his pieces have been acquired by private collectors.

Hector continues to develop his skills experimenting with a variety of media, such as acrylic paints, oils, and digital artwork creation. In 2021, Hector answered a call for artists through Art in the Loop, and won the design of the KC Streetcar Graphic Wrap. The appeal of his design to the public was such that the KC Streetcar organization decided to extend the time it was going to be shown on the vehicle.

Hector and his wife, Olga, have three children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandson.