Kansas Human Rights Commission

MELVIN NEUFELD, Chair, Industry
TERRY CROWDER, Vice Chair, Labor
PAT HILL, Real Estate
JOSH NEY, Law
ANTHONY VILLEGAS, Labor
JEROME WILLIAMS, Industry
Vacant, At Large

The Commission meets monthly at various locations throughout the state. Commission meetings are open to the public. In January 2010, the Commission voted to reduce its meeting schedule to the third Friday of the month at 11:00 a.m. This action was taken due to reduced budgetary resources. The location for these meetings, unless otherwise noted, is the Commission's main office in Topeka. The meeting schedule and location is subject to change. Commission meetings are open to the public and conducted in accordance with the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Requests for reasonable accommodations by persons with disabilities should be submitted to the Commission office no later than 72 hours in advance of a Commission meeting. Individuals interested in attending may obtain more information by contacting the Commission's main office.


Top of page

Melvin Neufeld, Chair Melvin Neufeld was appointed to the Kansas Human Rights Commission by Governor Sam Brownback in August 2011. Governor Brownback designated Mr. Neufeld as Chair of the Commission in September 2011. Governor Brownback, in his press release, said, “Melvin Neufeld, Ingalls, spent more than 25 years in service to the State of Kansas. During most of this time, he represented the people of the 115^th district in the Kansas House of Representatives where he chaired numerous committees and was elected by his fellow lawmakers to be Speaker of the House. A strong advocate of health care and early childhood development issues, Neufeld also has served on numerous national committees and councils dedicated to promoting evidence-based policymaking” Then-Representative Neufeld, who was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1980, was instrumental in obtaining funding for the Kansas Human Rights Commission to establish its highly successful voluntary mediation program with Kansas Legal Services in the mid-1990’s. Top of page

Terry Crowder, Vice Chair Terry Crowder, Topeka, has worked at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for 40 years. A past sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and a Vietnam Veteran, Crowder continues his public service by volunteering with several local organizations. He has served as vice-chair for Community Action Inc., as a board member for both the Topeka Youth Project and the Brown Foundation; and as a volunteer for the Salvation Army and United Way. Commissioner Crowder was appointed to the Kansas Human Rights Commission by Governor Kathleen Sebelius in February 2009. Top of page

Pat Hill Pat Hill, of Overland Park, emigrated from England in 1976. She has been a successful real estate agent in Kansas City since 1997. Ms. Hill has also been an active member of the Overland Park Rotary Club and the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors. Governor Sam Brownback appointed Ms. Hill to the Kansas Human Rights Commission in January 2012. Top of page

Josh Ney Commissioner Ney was appointed to the Kansas Human Rights Commission in September 2011 by Governor Sam Brownback. Commissioner Ney is currently the Interim Securities Commissioner with the Kansas Office of the Securities Commissioner. Mr. Ney formerly served as a staff attorney with the Kansas Office of the Securities Commissioner and as the First Assistant County Attorney at the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office. He earned his B.A. in Global Studies from Northwestern College and his law degree from Washburn University School of Law. Commissioner Ney resides in Lawrence. Top of page

Anthony Villegas Commissioner Anthony Villegas, Kansas City, was appointed to the Kansas Human Rights Commission by Governor Kathleen Sebelius in August 2005. He was reappointed to the Kansas Human Rights Commission by Governor Mark Parkinson in May 2010. Commissioner Villegas retired from the Board of Public Utilities, Kansas City, Kansas in 2004. He had been employed at the Board of Public Utilities since 1978. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Kansas City Hispanic Heritage Committee and is a commissioner on the Kansas City Kansas Housing Authority. Commissioner Villegas also served as Assistant Coordinator for the National Council of La Raza awards presentation of scholarships for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund of Greater Kansas City. Top of page

Jerome Williams Commissioner Jerome Williams, Wichita, was appointed to the Kansas Human Rights Commission by Governor Kathleen Sebelius in August 2005. Governor Mark Parkinson reappointed Commissioner Williams to the Kansas Human Rights Commission in November 2010. Commissioner Williams retired from Raytheon Aircraft Corporations, where he last served as Program Manager T-6A International Programs. He was employed by Raytheon from January 1973 until August 2003. Commissioner Williams received his Master of Business Administration Degree from Friends University and served in the United States Marine Corps for two years. Top of page