FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear has made the following appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions:
Appointed John Michael Van Meter as the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 6th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky.
- John Michael Van Meter has been appointed to fill the vacancy left by Bruce Kuegel, who resigned. He will serve according to the provisions of Section 152 of the Kentucky Constitution, which sets forth the manner for filling, by general election, the office he holds through this current appointment.
Reappointed Rodney Casada, Mark Workman and Kellie Wilson as members of the Board of Directors of the Employers’ Mutual Insurance Authority.
- Rodney Casada of Somerset is a former chiropractor. He has been reappointed for a term that will end on Dec. 31, 2027.
- Mark Workman of Paducah is the owner of Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing Inc. He has been reappointed for a term that will end on Dec. 31, 2027.
- Kellie Wilson of Harlan is an attorney. She has been reappointed for a term that will end on Dec. 31, 2027.
Reappointed Dr. Thomas Abell and has appointed Derrick Helm as members of the Kentucky Lottery Corporation Board of Directors.
- Dr. Thomas Abell of Lexington is an ophthalmologist. He is reappointed to a term that will expire on Nov. 28, 2027.
- Derrick Helm of Jamestown is an attorney. He is replacing Mark Sommer of Louisville, whose term has expired, and will serve until Nov. 28, 2027.
Appointed Jason Slone, Brian Biddle and Maggie Denham as members of the Maysville Community & Technical College Board of Directors.
- Jason Slone of Morehead is a member of the Morehead-Rowan County Chamber of Commerce. He replaces Peter Feil of Cold Spring, whose term has expired, and will serve until Jan. 1, 2030.
- Brian Biddle of Maysville is a veterinarian and owner of Town and County Veterinary Hospital & Pet Resort. He replaces Monica Hill of Flemingsburg, whose term has expired, and will serve until Jan. 1, 2030.
- Maggie Denham of Maysville is a Title X coordinator at Lewis County Primary Care. She replaces David Rhodes of Mt. Sterling, whose term has expired, and will serve until Jan. 1, 2030.
Appointed Dr. Kayla LaRosa and Tracy Peck as members of the Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund Board.
- Dr. Kayla LaRosa of Mt. Washington is employed by Norton Healthcare in Louisville, where she works as a pediatric psychologist. She replaces Dr. Sunnye Mayes, formerly of Louisville, who has resigned, and shall serve for the remainder of the term expiring June 1, 2024.
- Tracy Peck of Lexington is a technology support professional at the University of Kentucky and will be representing the interests of the Kentucky Chapters of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She replaces Bradley Nunn of Louisville whose term has expired. Peck will serve for a term expiring Jan. 4, 2028.
Appointed Jeffrey Taylor as a member of the State Labor Relations Board.
- Jeffrey Taylor of Fisherville is a real estate professional with Dream JP Pirtle Realty and is also a firefighter with Louisville Fire and Rescue. Taylor replaces John Sheller of Prospect, whose term has expired. He will serve for a term expiring Jan. 3, 2028.
Appointed William “Bill” Jones, Kevin Kauffeld, Kristena Lea and George Wilson as members of the Judicial Nominating Commission for the 2nd Judicial Circuit and District of Kentucky.
- Bill Jones of Paducah is a board member and audit committee member of Independence Bank. He replaces Ronald Curtis Goode of Paducah, whose term has expired, and will serve until Jan. 1, 2026.
- Kevin Kauffeld of Paducah is the president of Independence Bank in McCracken County. He replaces Beth Louise Hunt of Paducah, whose term has expired, and will serve until Jan. 1, 2026.
- Kristena Lea of Paducah is a family nurse practitioner at Baptist Health Urgent Care. She replaces Dennis Jackson of Paducah, whose term has expired, and will serve until Jan. 1, 2028.
- George Wilson of Paducah is the founder of the George Wilson S.A.F.E.T.Y. Foundation. He replaces Kristin Reese Williams, whose term has expired, and will serve until Jan. 1, 2028.
Reappointed Dawn Michelle Sexton as a member of the Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Grant Steering Committee.
- Dawn Michelle Sexton of Burgin is a teacher at Burgin Independent Schools. She will serve for a term expiring Sept. 26, 2026.
Appointed John Perkins as a member of the Somerset Community College Nomination Commission.
- John Perkins of Somerset is the public relations director at Johnny B’s BBQ and Grill LLC. He replaces Emily Irked Coffey of Somerset, whose term has expired, and will serve for a term expiring Dec. 29, 2027.
Reappointed William Jacob Roberts and has appointed Robert Kyle May as members of the Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors.
- William Jacob Roberts of Manchester is an attorney and will be serving as a member of the Board as the citizen-at-large. He will serve until Sept. 23, 2027.
- Robert Kyle May of Lexington is the owner of Open Door Counseling. He replaces Amanda Lynn Grigsby of Grayson, whose term has expired, and will serve until Dec. 29, 2027.
Appointed Leo Miller and Andy Belcher as members of the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Kentucky.
- Leo Miller of Harlan is the executive director of SEKRI Inc. He replaces Todd Earwood of Prospect, whose term has expired, and will serve for a term expiring Jan. 1, 2026.
- Andy Belcher of Madisonville is an educational administrator at the Hopkins County Board of Education. He replaces Erika Lasher Calihan of Lexington, whose term has expired, and will serve until Jan. 1, 2026.
Appointed Michael Newell Pugh as a member of the Kentucky State Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
- Michael Newell Pugh is a chiropractor in Lexington. He is replacing James England of Robards, whose term has expired, and will serve until Dec. 29, 2026.
Reappointed J. Michael McNutt and Colleen Bray as members of the Animal Control Advisory Board.
- J. Michael McNutt of Louisville is the kennel manager at the Kentucky Humane Society. As a representative of the Kentucky Animal Control Association, McNutt will serve until Feb. 26, 2025.
- Colleen Bray of Burlington is the animal services director at the Boone County Fiscal Court. As a representative of the Kentucky Animal Control Association, Mrs. Bray will serve until Feb. 26, 2027.
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