Planned Parenthood Great Plains Announces New Leadership Roles

Contact: Mandy Culbertson, [email protected]

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Jay Barth, Chair of the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP), announced today that the organization has added Kourtney Vincent-Woodbury as the Vice President of People, Culture, and Equity, and Heather Rahhal Palacios as the Vice President of Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships. Barth also announced that Emily Wales has officially taken the helm as the Interim President and CEO following the departure of former President and CEO Brandon Hill, PhD. 

“It’s exciting to announce new leadership at PPGP. Emily, Kourtney, and Heather are tireless advocates for reproductive rights and access to quality, affordable health care,” said Barth. “We look forward to working with these three to build on Planned Parenthood Great Plains’ legacy as a trusted health care provider, informed educator, and passionate advocate within the communities we serve.”

Vincent-Woodbury joins PPGP as its first-ever Vice President of People, Culture, and Equity. In this role, she will help lead and support employee engagement and professional development efforts, as well as help create a work environment of equity and inclusion. Her work experience has focused on the nonprofit sector, and she joins PPGP from Communities In Schools Mid-America, where she served as Director of External Relations and Equity. 

“I’m thrilled to step into this new role for PPGP because I greatly believe in the power of creating a culture that focuses on using an equity lens,” said Vincent-Woodbury. “There are so many inequalities and injustices around people being able to control their own bodies, so I’m honored to join this fight with PPGP staff, donors, and supporters. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but it’s all work worth doing.” 

Palacios also joins PPGP in a new role as Vice President of Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships, a newly restructured department. She will help ensure that PPGP’s work within the communities it serves is coordinated with partner organizations and supporters to provide the best service and experience for PPGP’s patients and fellow organizations. Palacios has served the Tulsa community throughout her professional career and joins PPGP from the Coretz Family Foundation in Tulsa, where she served as the foundation’s Executive Director and was a frequent collaborator with PPGP. 

“The work of PPGP has been so important to me – both as a supporter, and as a patient. I’m stepping into this role to build stronger alliances with our many stakeholders across this four-state affiliate,” said Palacios. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the deep disparities that exist in access to quality health care, especially for the most vulnerable among us. I am honored to join this team of fierce advocates, so deeply committed to providing the most equitable care.”

Helping guide Vincent-Woodbury and Palacios in their new roles is Interim President and CEO, Wales. Wales previously served as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for the organization and will preside as Interim President and CEO as the Board conducts its search over the next year. 

“Since joining Planned Parenthood Great Plains, I have been inspired by our patients, staff, and supporters. In this interim role, I am honored to continue this fight with them, and for them,” said Wales. “I look forward to working closely with Kourtney, Heather, and the rest of the PPGP team as we head into this next chapter to ensure every patient has access to essential health care.”

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Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP) has been a leading provider of sexual and reproductive health care for nearly 85 years, serving women, men, and families in communities across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Each year, PPGP provides quality health care delivered with compassion and integrity to more than 30,000 people in 10 health centers. PPGP believes that every person deserves to have access to the resources, information, and equitable access they need to make decisions about their health and lives.