KDADS Announces New Long-Term Services and Supports Commissioner

TOPEKA - Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced today that Seth Kilber has been appointed Commissioner of Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), effective September 27, 2026. Kilber succeeds Michele Heydon, who will remain with the agency in an advisory role until her retirement on November 20, 2026, to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Kilber currently serves as Assistant LTSS Commissioner and has been on the KDADS leadership team since 2022. He brings more than a decade of experience advancing Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) at the local and state levels, including policy development, waiver administration, quality assurance, program integrity, and stakeholder engagement.

"Seth has already demonstrated the judgment, operational skill, and commitment this role requires," said KDADS Secretary Laura Howard. "He knows Kansas's HCBS system from the ground up and has been a steady partner in aligning our programs with federal requirements while keeping people who use services at the center of our work. I am confident he will lead the commission with respect for the individuals and families we serve."

Before joining KDADS, Kilber worked at the Johnson County Community Developmental Disability Organization in Lenexa, first as a Quality Assurance Analyst and later as an Eligibility Determination Specialist. In those roles, he conducted provider compliance reviews, led quality improvement initiatives, determined eligibility for intellectual/developmental disabilities, administered functional assessments for HCBS waiver access, and provided options counseling and technical assistance to individuals, families, and providers.

Kilber joined KDADS in 2022 as Policy and Program Oversight Director for LTSS and was named Assistant Commissioner in 2023. In those roles, he has provided executive oversight of HCBS quality assurance, program integrity, and strategic initiatives; advised on agency-wide HCBS policy and interagency coordination; supervised division directors and project staff; and represented the agency in legislative hearings, bill analysis, and testimony.

Kilber holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from MidAmerica Nazarene University. He is a graduate of the Leadership Institute of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities, the Next Gen HCBS Leadership program through ADvancing States, and the Emerging Leaders Academy at the University of Kansas Public Management Center.

"I am honored to serve Kansans who rely on long-term services and supports, and I am grateful for Michele's leadership and mentorship during this transition," said LTSS Assistant Commissioner Kilber. "Our responsibility is to keep people in their homes and communities whenever possible, to partner closely with families, providers, and sister agencies, and to continue strengthening a system that is person-centered, compliant, and sustainable. At the end of the day, our work is to ensure the right people receive the right services and supports in the right way."

Heydon was appointed LTSS Commissioner on February 10, 2023, after joining KDADS in 2017 as Brain Injury and Technology Assisted Waiver Program Manager and serving as HCBS Director beginning in November 2018. She has an extensive 30-year background in HCBS, serving people with disabilities.

"Michele has devoted more than three decades to serving Kansans with disabilities, and the LTSS Commission is stronger because of her leadership," said KDADS Secretary Laura Howard. "She has guided the commission through significant program and policy changes with professionalism, institutional knowledge, and a clear focus on access to home- and community-based services. We are grateful that she will remain with us through November to support a smooth transition, and we thank her for her service to Kansas."

The LTSS Commission administers Kansas's system of community-based supports for older adults and people with disabilities, including HCBS waivers delivered through KanCare, and coordinates with managed care organizations, partner agencies, and community stakeholders.

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