Zonta Lifetime Achievement Award: Kathryn Swan

Our Lifetime Achievement honoree, Kathryn Swan, is employed by the State of Missouri as a Commissioner on the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission (the “Commission”), appointed by Missouri Governor Michael L. Parson in July 2022. She is the former President of JCS Wireless, a small wireless telecommunications company founded by her father, Charles W. (Sonny) Johnson. In addition, she has been employed in a variety of nursing positions at Saint Francis Healthcare System and Southeast Missouri State University.

In a recent meeting of the Cape Girardeau County Republican Women’s Club, Swan discussed the serious issues decided by the Commission. “We’re making decisions that impact people’s lives and their livelihood, and sometimes there are medical issues, too,” she explained. But Swan’s impact on Missouri citizens goes well beyond her current position. One might say that public service is just part of her DNA.

Swan has served in multiple elected positions: Missouri State Representative – District 147, Cape Girardeau City Council, Cape Girardeau Board of Education, and Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee. Having received numerous awards and recognitions for her work, Swan is most proud of her legislative work to remove barriers and increase access to healthcare, education and workforce training.

During her time in the Missouri House (2013-2021), she served as Chair of the Workforce Development Committee, Chair of the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, and member of the Joint Committee on Education, Budget Committee, Professional Registration and Licensure, Higher Education Committee and Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services. She was successful in passing more than 30 pieces of legislation focused on education, healthcare, and workforce development which she says were intended to “put people first.”

Currently, Swan serves as a board member of the Missouri Family and Community Trust, Saint Francis Healthcare System, and Southeast Missouri Food Bank. She served over nine years on the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education, initially appointed by Governor Bob Holden and reappointed by Governors Matt Blunt and Jay Nixon, serving two terms as board chair. Additional previous state board service includes the Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Missouri METS Coalition (Math, Engineering, Technology, & Science), Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA), the State P-20 Council, Missouri Congressional Awards Council, and the Missouri Senate Reapportionment Commission.

She is the former board chair of the Great Lakes MSS (Motorola) Association and the Missouri NFIB Leadership Council, former board vice-chair of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce and Saint Francis Medical Center Foundation, former board secretary of Sigma Theta Tau, former vice-chair of Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee, former board member of SEMO Pachyderm Club, former District Governor of Zonta International – District 7, and former commissioner of Cape Girardeau Planning & Zoning Commission.

Swan has been actively involved with numerous local community service groups for many years, Swan was instrumental in the formation of the Cape College Center, a regional collaborative educational initiative to increase access to college-level coursework. She was also actively involved in creating the GRACES Women’s Leadership Team of the United Way and development of the Leadership Cape program.

Swan earned an A.A. in Nursing and B.S.N. from Southeast Missouri State University. She attends St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, where she serves as a church musician. She and her husband of 52 years, Reg, have two children and two grandchildren.