The Unified Government Ethics Commission welcomed two new members this week. Martha Jenkins and Adrion C. Roberson were appointed by the Ad Hoc Ethics Commission Appointment Panel. They were officially sworn in during the commission’s August 14 meeting.
The Ethics Commission, made up of volunteer Wyandotte County residents, plays an oversight role within the Unified Government. Its responsibilities include reviewing potential violations of the Ethics Code. The commission also issues advisory opinions on conflicts of interest. They recommend updates to strengthen ethical standards. Commissioners serve four-year terms and must be county residents in good moral standing.
About the Appointees
Martha Jenkins is a retired regulatory attorney. She brings more than 15 years of ethics and legal experience to the role. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas. She earned her law degree from Washburn University. She also earned a certificate in Anglican Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary. Jenkins has served as counsel for Sprint and SCC Communications. Most recently, she was General Counsel to the District of Columbia Board of Alcohol Beverage Control. There, she also served as Chief Ethics Officer. In that role, she advised employees and board members on ethics, accountability, and transparency. An ordained Episcopal Deacon, Jenkins serves at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kansas City, Kansas.
Adrion C. Roberson, a lifelong Wyandotte County resident, brings more than three decades of leadership experience across nonprofit, business, and faith-based sectors. He is Lead Pastor of Kairos Life Church, Co-Founder and Executive Director of KC United! Youth/Family Education & Sports Initiative, and CEO of DESTINY! Consulting B.H.C., which focuses on leadership development. Roberson earned his degree in Urban Pastoral Theology from Calvary University. He serves as a faculty chair at the Kansas Leadership Center. He is also a certified John Maxwell Leadership Coach. His service includes participation on the Kansas Governor’s Criminal Justice Reform Committee. He is involved on numerous community and school boards. He shows leadership in programs serving youth and families. He was named a Kansas Health Champion in 2019 and more recently recognized as a KC Changemaker by PBS/Flatland.
About the Appointment Process
The Ad Hoc Ethics Commission Appointment Panel makes appointments to the commission. The panel includes Wyandotte County District Court Chief Judge Robert P. Burns, District Attorney Mark A. Dupree Sr., and Legislative Auditor Reed Partridge. Misty Brown, the Unified Government’s Ethics Administrator, provides staff support for the commission.
