Kansas HOSA elected a new slate of student leaders during the State Leadership Conference, held March 2-3 in Wichita. A statewide organization that helps students explore healthcare careers while building leadership, communication and professional skills, Kansas HOSA has seen record growth in recent years, ending the 2025-26 academic year with more than 2,300 members statewide. 

HOSA’s State Officer Team plays an essential role in leading the organization’s activities, and the selection process includes written testing, application reviews, interviews and speeches delivered before voting delegates and all 1,223 attendees of the State Leadership Conference. The process is intentionally designed to give students meaningful leadership experience while encouraging participation from schools across Kansas. 

The following students from across Kansas will serve as the 2026-27 State Officer Team: 

Catie Dee, Junction City High School; Elias Markle, Manhattan High School; Hailey Worden, Rock Creek High School; Kenlie Delay, Abilene High School USD 435; Luke Capehart, Frontenac High School; Nathan Guernsey, Chanute High School; Varsha Vivekanandhan, Wichita Collegiate Upper School; and Vidhu Reddy, Blue Valley Southwest. 

Among the career paths these student leaders are pursuing are internal medicine/med-peds, nursing, obstetrics and gynecology and physical therapy. While serving in the State Officer Team, these students will lead conferences and workshops, support statewide initiatives, engage with members across Kansas and serve as ambassadors for the organization throughout the coming year. Officers also assist with outreach efforts, leadership programming and healthcare workforce development activities designed to connect students with real-world healthcare experiences. 

Kansas HOSA continues to seek volunteers, donors and healthcare experts willing to invest in the next generation of future health professionals. Opportunities to get involved include mentoring students, leading workshops, supporting conferences and competitive events, providing hands-on demonstrations, or sharing personal career experiences with students exploring healthcare pathways.  

Kansas HOSA is one of the flagship student programs administered by the KU Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Through leadership programs, career exploration opportunities and partnerships with schools and healthcare professionals across the state, KU AHEC is proud to help students discover their passions, pursue their goals and become the future of healthcare in Kansas communities.