The new trustees bring expertise in medicine, dentistry, public health, administration and finance. Four are KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine alumni.
KANSAS CITY, MO, UNITED STATES, July 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Kansas City University (KCU) has welcomed six new members to its Board of Trustees, adding distinguished professionals in health care, higher education, philanthropy and business to help guide the University’s continued growth and impact.
The new trustees bring decades of combined experience in medicine, dentistry, public health, administration and finance. Four of the six are graduates of KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine, reflecting the University’s longstanding tradition of alumni leadership and service.
The newest members of the KCU Board of Trustees are:
Rob Bratcher: Mr. Bratcher is president of Commerce Bank of Kansas City and serves on the board of directors of the Kansas City Area Development Council. He also serves as director of the Commerce Bank Kansas City Advisory Board and chairman of the Oppenstein Brothers Foundation, which provides grants to organizations serving the most vulnerable throughout the Kansas City region.
Dale W. Bratzler, DO, MPH, MACOI, FIDSA: Dr. Bratzler is dean of the Hudson College of Public Health at the University of Oklahoma. He is a Master Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internists, a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and a graduate of KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Karen Evans, DO: Dr. Evans is a primary care physician at Family Centered Medicine in Lawrence, Kansas. She serves as president of the Kansas American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians and is a former president of the Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine. Evans is a graduate of KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine and currently serves on its Advisory Board.
Karen J. Nichols DO, MA, MACOI, MACP, FAMWA, CS-F: Dr. Nichols is CEO of Nichols Leadership and a former dean of Midwestern University and Chicago College of Medicine. She is a past president of the American Osteopathic Association, the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association and the Americal College of Osteopathic Internists. She is a graduate of KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine and serves on its Advisory Board.
Joseph P. McGuirk, DO, FACP: Also a graduate of KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. McGuirk is division director of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics at the University of Kansas Cancer Center and the recipient of the prestigious Schutte-Speas Professorship in Hematology-Oncology. He helped establish the cancer center as a global leader in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.
Sheila Riggs, DDS, MS, DMSc: Dr. Riggs is chair of the Department of Primary Dental Care at the University of Minnesota and former CEO of Delta Dental of Minnesota. She also serves on the KCU College of Dental Medicine Advisory Board.
“We are proud to welcome these accomplished individuals to the KCU Board of Trustees, each bringing expertise and perspective that will strengthen our ability to support the University’s continued growth,” said Robert S. Juhasz, DO, MACOI, FACP, chair of the KCU Board of Trustees. “As KCU continues to grow and evolve, the board’s leadership helps ensure we remain focused on our values of excellence, equity and empathy.”
Since its founding in 1916, KCU has benefitted from the guidance of dedicated trustees who have helped shape the University’s mission and growth. Today, the Board of Trustees provides strategic oversight as KCU expands academic programs, increases access to health professions education and serves communities across Missouri, Kansas and beyond.
“Our Board of Trustees plays an essential role in stewarding our mission—improving the well-being of the communities we serve—and building on our legacy as a leader in health sciences education,” said Marc B. Hahn, DO, FAOCA, president and CEO of KCU. “The breadth of experience represented on our board brings valuable insight and leadership as we prepare the next generation of osteopathic physicians, dentists, clinical psychologists, scientists and anesthesiologist assistants.
For more information about the KCU Board of Trustees, visit the KCU website.
Jennifer Lindholm
Kansas City University
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