Lansing USD469 is thrilled to share our 5th episode of Season 2 of the Lansing USD469 podcast episode titled The Lion Pride-Cast. In this episode, we get to hear from Dr. Tami Bartunek. Tami was born in Nebraska, where her father dedicated his entire career as a union electrician while assisting with the family farm and raising three children. It was during her high school years that she crossed paths with her future husband, Paul. They have been happily married for 32 years and are blessed with two sons. Their lives took a significant turn when Paul enlisted full-time in the Army as a military intelligence analyst during Operation Desert Storm. As part of his service, Paul was stationed at Camp Casey on the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, which meant an unaccompanied tour overseas. Meanwhile, Tami remained at Fort Polk, Louisiana, diligently pursuing her bachelor's degree. After Paul completed his military service, the couple decided to start a new chapter in Florida. It was here that Tami began her career in higher education as a college recruiter. Over the course of almost twenty years in the field, Tami held various positions, including Director of Admissions, Assistant Dean, and Foundation Executive Director. Her most recent prior role was as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Outreach, where she served as a Cabinet Member. She now serves as the Kansas City District Director for US Senator Roger Marshall, MD. Tami firmly believes that education and specialized training are vital for a prosperous future. She understands that developing valuable talents and skills enables individuals to contribute marketable assets and abilities to build a financially secure life. In addition to her dedication to higher education, Tami possesses an entrepreneurial spirit. Together with her husband, they have partnered and operated three different small businesses. Two of which were manufacturers representation firms in the HVAC industry. At one point, they had a warehouse, leading Tami to become a certified fork truck driver to effectively manage the warehouse operations. Despite the demands of work and raising children, Tami was determined to further her education. She successfully completed a master’s degree in business administration and a Doctorate degree in Human Capital Management. Her doctoral dissertation focused on healing organizations after experiencing trauma through the application of servant leadership elements. As a servant leader, Tami strongly believes in giving back to the community. She actively serves on the Advisory Board for the Boys and Girls Club, the Kansas City Kansas Chamber of Commerce Women's Network committee, and the Kansas City Kansas Chamber of Commerce marketing sub-committee.