Recognizing Kathryn A. Kuhn

Floor Speech

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Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kathryn A. Kuhn. Kathryn is retiring after more than 30 years of leadership and service in federal, state, and local government and community relations, with leadership roles in both the private and public sector.

Kathryn served as the Associate Director of Intergovernmental Relations for Milwaukee County where she led federal relations from 1993 to 2000. During this time, she worked with the U.S. Congress to transfer land ownership from the Clement J. Zablocki Veterans' Administration Medical Center Facility VA to the stadium district, making way for the construction of Miller Park. Also, she secured a change in state statutes which facilitated the sale of Doyne County Hospital to Froedtert. As Legislative Associate at Wisconsin Counties Association, Kathryn secured a waiver from the George H. W. Bush Administration for Wisconsin's juvenile justice facilities that saved taxpayers millions of dollars.

However, Kathryn's greatest achievements came from her position as Vice President of Government and Community Relations at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). Kathryn joined the MCW in 2001 as Director of Government Affairs and was subsequently appointed Associate Vice President of Government Affairs and then Vice President.

During her tenure at MCW, Kathryn's leadership has directly resulted in tens of millions of dollars in funding to support MCW's missions including the creation of MCW's regional campuses as a signature strategy for addressing the projected physician shortage. In 2013, her advocacy efforts with state legislators led to a $7.4 million State Building Commission grant for the development of MCW-Green Bay and MCW- Central Wisconsin. She also advocated for the creation of a $5 million graduate program to fund a medical education grant program within the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to assist MCW create and expand residency programs across the state. In addition, she helped secure multiple increases for the MCW family and community medicine residency appropriations to support programs in southeast Wisconsin, Green Bay, Appleton, and Eau Claire and worked with elected officials to obtain a $25 million State Building Commission grant for aiding in the construction of MCW's Translational and Biomedical Research Center. Finally, she succeeded in securing an additional $5 million federal grant to supplement these state funds.

Kathryn's legacy at MCW extends into the research mission. She has helped to provide critical infrastructure and laboratory space for MCW scientists pursuing new discoveries, as well as helped to open a new avenue of funding support through the U.S. Department of Defense that has led to considerable growth in extramural funding. Kathryn also has provided expert guidance to investigators with research strengths that match scientific priorities at the U.S. Department of Defense. This includes MCW's Center for Neurotrauma Research in the Department of Neurosurgery, which has been a key partner in the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education Consortium, the nation's largest and most comprehensive study of traumatic brain injury in U.S. military service academy cadets and collegiate athletes.

Finally, Kathryn worked to enhance access to specialty care throughout Wisconsin, including overseeing efforts to support the creation of the Wisconsin Child Psychiatry Consultation Program. The program has improved access to mental and behavioral healthcare through a hotline for primary care physicians. The program greatly benefited children and adolescents with mental health challenges and educated primary care providers on how to better manage their patients' mental health needs. The program now covers the entire state of Wisconsin thanks to $2 million of ongoing, annual funding in the state budget.

Kathryn Kuhn has been recognized throughout MCW for her expertise and dedication displayed in settings from major hearings to individual meetings with elected officials in many locations throughout Wisconsin. I am pleased to say that I have had the privilege of meeting with her on many occasions over the past 25 years while I served at both the state and federal levels. She always came extremely well-prepared and knowledgeable about the topic and programs she supported. I have developed a strong relationship with Kathryn Kuhn over the years and consider her a friend. Kathryn is kind and reaches out to assist whenever possible and sees a need to assist MCW, individuals, and the community at large.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I am honored to recognize Kathryn A. Kuhn and her lifelong service in the medical field to Wisconsinites and Americans everywhere. I wish her a happy retirement.

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