Adres Mata - Kansas in Action

Ask A Kansan
Feb 14
1 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hfhyyv6kuY

Andres Mata is the CEO and founder of the Kansas Civic Network, a Kansas-based civic engagement organization focused on helping communities connect, collaborate, and participate in public life. A 2017 graduate of Salina South High School and a 2021 graduate of Bethany College, Andres has been involved in community leadership from a young age—leading a successful Haiti fundraising effort at age 11, serving on the Salina Human Relations Commission after an appointment by Mayor Norm Jennings at 13, and later serving on the Salina City Planning Commission (2015–2017) after an appointment by Mayor Jon Blanchard.

While at Bethany College, Andres received the 2019–2020 Student Leader Community Award for research on food insecurity that helped spark community conversations and contributed to the creation of the Dala Pantry in Lindsborg. From 2017 to 2021, he gained additional experience in policy and advocacy through lobbying work in Washington, D.C. Through the Kansas Civic Network, Andres has worked to build “an equitable, respectful, and dynamic environment” for dialogue and civic involvement—an effort he’s shared has expanded to seven Kansas counties over the past five years.