Tabor alumnae to serve on reform board

Tabor alumnae Sylvia Penner last week was named one of two appointees to Governor Laura Kelly’s Criminal Justice Reform Commission.

She will fill the position of the criminal defense attorney appointment.

Penner studied biology at Tabor College, before moving to the University of Kansas School of Law for her juris doctorate.

She also taught at Tabor’s Wichita location, Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, and most recently served as an attorney at the firm Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson and Kitch, LLC.

Penner serves in several leadership positions, including the American Bar Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Wichita Women Attorneys Association.

The Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission was created as part of HB 2290, which passed during the 2019 legislative session. The governor appoints one criminal defense attorney or public defender, one member of the faith-based community, and one facilitator to provide administrative assistance to develop a project plan and assist the Commission in its duties.