Board of Directors

About Brian

A Wichita native, Brian Gensch is Vice President of AGH Wealth Management and leads the firm’s private wealth management team in constructing personal investment portfolios for their clients. In addition, Brian oversees the firm’s comprehensive wealth planning services, where he works closely with families in shaping their financial goals, their value systems and their legacy. In particular Brian has experience with closely-held businesses as they transition ownership. Brian is a CFP® Professional and holds a Masters in Family Financial Planning. Brian has over a decade of investment and planning experience.

Brian is also extensively invested in his church, where he is on the Diaconate Board and multiple church committees. Brian is a musician who has been leading music at his church for almost 20 years, the latter half with his beautiful wife, Karis. Brian and Karis have three young daughters who fill their hearts with joy and keep them humble.

About Nikki

Nikki was raised in Wichita and was thrilled to return to her hometown a few years ago after traveling with her husband during his Air Force career. She has a Bachelor of Communications from Wichita State University and has worked for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and WSU as an events coordinator and marketing director. Nikki was introduced to HopeNet through the demiDocent Society and fell in love with the mission. She feels the community benefits greatly from HopeNet and its mission of coming along side those in need.

She attends Holy Cross Lutheran Church with her husband and son.

About Timothy

Dr. Timothy Shaver is a Rheumatologist Physician Partner of ARCK. Tim has practiced medicine in Wichita as a specialist in rheumatology since 1994 and attends Eastminster Presbyterian Church, where he teaches and leads music for the 5^th grade Sunday school class. Personally witnessing brokenness in his medical practice has impressed upon Tim the unmet needs in our community for the healing ministry of HopeNet, and this is among the many reasons the mission of our organization resonates with him.

About Matt

Mr. Buchanan has served as Executive Vice President for Legend Senior Living since 2017.

After earning his MBA from The University of Kansas in May 2009, he worked for his family’s business as a Certified Nurse’s Aide at one of Legend’s assisted living communities in Wichita.

Since then, he has served as a Residence Director, Regional Director of Operations, Director of Finance, and held a Nursing Home Administrator’s License.

Matt serves on a number of boards, including: Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association (Treasurer), American Seniors Housing Association, Central Christian Academy, and HopeNet.

Life at home in Wichita is never boring while raising 4 daughters with his wife, Lauren. When there is extra time, Matt enjoys being at the lake with family, working on cars, and all things aviation.

About Paul

Paul was born and raised in India, where his parents served as teachers for 36 years. He completed his pre-med degree at Bethany Nazarene College where he met his wife Carol. Following medical school he moved to Wichita for his Family Practice Residency at Wesley Hospital. Currently he is a Family Practice Physician Partner of Primary Care Associates and he has practiced family medicine in Wichita for nearly 40 years.

In 1991 he was involved in starting HopeNet with a vision to provide a comprehensive network of services to those in our community who were involved in a family crisis. For many of these families and individuals, there seemed to be no choices and no hope. Out of that sense of need, HopeNet was born to become a non-judgmental place of safety, guidance, hope and restoration.

About Polly

With a passion for people and love for the community of Wichita, Polly values the importance of building healthy relationships while serving her family, church, and community. Polly serves on the board of the Berry Foundation and was formerly a deacon at her church, Eastminster. Her favorite pastimes are with her children, their spouses, and grandchildren. She serves on the board of HopeNet because of her love for its mission and the fruit that comes from the difficult yet beautiful work done there by the staff and clients. To Polly, it is a privilege to support the work of Hope Net, seeing lives become whole and healthy spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

A Wichita native, she and her husband Walter have been married for over 40 years. They have four children and 11 grandchildren. Polly enjoys playing pickleball, traveling with her husband, singing, and gardening.

About Pastor DeShazer

Pastor Roosevelt K. DeShazer, Sr. worked in aviation for 27 years and has been a pastor for the past 11 years.

While serving in the church, Roosevelt served as the Development Director for the Youth for Christ City Life Work Program for troubled and at-risk young men. Since 2015, Pastor DeShazer has served as the Senior Pastor of the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church.

Pastor DeShazer is a graduate of The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI). He helped develop the Christian Leadership and Development Institute, a satellite of TUMI.

He and his wife Fern have 3 children and love spending time with their grandchildren. He enjoys fishing, hunting and enjoying the beauty of nature.

About Cindy

Cindy Hanning worked for over 30 years as a Speech and Language Pathologist in both public and private schools, rehabilitation hospitals and senior care facilities. She was raised in Wichita and received a Masters of Arts degree from Wichita State University in Speech and Language Pathology. She has been married to her college sweetheart Bryan for over 40 years. She loves spending time with her family, traveling with Bryan, reading and serving as the wedding coordinator for Heartland Community Church.

She appreciates how HopeNet provides access to those who lack resources, providing mental health care to those who need it most.

About Jane

Jane is a native of Wichita and a graduate of Kansas State University with a major in Elementary Education. She is married to Bob Knight, former Mayor of Wichita.

Jane has served and impacted the Wichita community in a variety of different ways. She was the Director of Americans with Disabilities of Kansas, Regional Director of Governor Bill Graves’ Regional Office, Vice President of Site-based Strategies for Kansas Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and she was a founding Board member of Wichita Habitat for Humanity. Other board service includes The Lord’s Diner, Women’s Association of Wichita Symphony and Special Arts of Kansas. Currently, Jane is serving her 14^th year as a Director on the Federal Home Loan Bank Topeka Board. Jane is passionate about HopeNet because of its opportunity to work with the many who come here feeling hopeless and lost. Transformation takes place as they develop trust and self worth. Lives are changed!

Jane and Bob have 3 daughters and 8 grandchildren.

About Keenan

Keenan Poore, LCMFT, is a marriage and family therapist at Architect Counseling Center in Wichita, Kansas. He has advanced training in mindfulness from the Center for Mind and Body Medicine and in Gottman Method Couples Therapy Levels I & II. Keenan has also been trained in ACT and EMDR. He values being able to serve his clients and walk a part of their journey together.

About Angela

Angela’s deep passion for mental health stems from growing up with her mother that suffered with schizophrenia.  Angela learned about mental illness from a very young age, and her mission is for those that are suffering to get the help they need – to live a healthy and happy life!

Having someone that we feel safe enough to talk to and be fully transparent with can bring such intense healing, this is why she feels so strongly about HopeNet!

Angela was born and raised in Wichita.  She is the proud mother of three boys, Keaton, Brecken, and Croix.  She is happily married to Don Wright.  Angela, Don, and their boys love to travel and spend time at the lake together.

Angela is a certified Health Coach, Group Fitness Instructor at the YMCA, and owner of Answer Advantage.  Angela is a firm believer in the power of prayer and positive thinking!

About Michael

Michael Shultz is a lawyer at Shultz Law Office in Wichita, Kansas. He attended Kansas State University and Washburn University School of Law. Michael has handled cases in courts throughout Kansas and the Midwest. His practice ranges from defending clients accused of the most serious charges in federal court to advising small businesses about insurance coverage disputes and everything in between. Michael is a member of the Kansas Bar Association and the Wichita Bar Association, where he serves on the Civil Practice, Criminal Practice, and Medical-Legal Committees. He is involved in the Christian Legal Society, where he volunteers his time in the Wichita Christian Legal Aid Clinic. Michael is also a member of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association and American Association for Justice and a past member of the Wesley E. Brown American Inn of Court.

When he is not practicing law, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife, Katy, and their four children.

About Matt

Matt is a Partner at FORVIS where he is a member of the Healthcare Practice, overseeing and providing audit and consulting services for hospitals, mental health and substance abuse facilities, long-term care and assisted living facilities.

Matt is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and Kansas Society of CPAs, as well as the Healthcare Financial Management Association.  Matt is a graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University (Olathe, KS) with a B.A. degree in accounting and business administration.

Matt is active in the community, recently completing a nine-year board term with Sunlight Children’s Services, with the last six as board Treasurer.  Matt is also very active in his church, where he is part of the board and its finance committee.

Matt is married to the love of his life, Lauren.  God has blessed them with four wonderful children that keep their hands full.  While not at work or spending time with family, Matt enjoys watching sports or being outside doing anything recreational.