Topeka City Council

Biography

Karen Hiller is our City Councilwoman from District 1. Within that district, she represents Downtown , 10 active neighborhood associations close to downtown, our riverfront heritage industrial district, various retail corridors, over 30 churches, 7 schools and, within that, a wide range of aging but historic buildings and infrastructure – a city within our city.

Karen has served since 2009 and is known as a very hard worker and the person who is “always there” on the Council. She has been a leader on such issues as Downtown Revitalization, having master plans for our street and utility programs, plans to relocate the Polk-Quincy Viaduct, revamping our animal control codes, development of a master bikeways plan, advocacy towards our city becoming debt-free, recruiting diverse and “new blood” to over 60 city board and commission positions, as well as countless district and constituent issues regarding code compliance, brick streets, fireworks policy and the like.

Prior to her service on the Council, Karen retired in 2007 as Executive Director of Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc., a mulit-service nonprofit based in Topeka, after almost 34 years of agency growth, program excellence, service and leadership. She has been a community leader on such projects as the Washburn-Lane Parkway and the establishment of the Aaron Douglas Mural and Aaron Douglas Art Fair for diverse and emerging artists. She is a graduate of the Leadership Topeka Class of 2004. Her current personal projects are working with a grassroots group called Brown v. Board Sumner Legacy Trust to help tell the story of the times and people involved in the landmark 1954 US Supreme Court decision Brown v. Topeka Board of Education and its very active subgroup Topeka United: A Movement which is working on a communitywide initiative to advance the vision of Brown v. Board through celebrating our diversity and advancing to the extent possible inclusion, equity, opportunity and welcome for all in our City.

Other than community service, she loves to spend time with family and friends, is often seen biking or walking to events, loves to cook and spend time at home, and is often out and about at arts, music and theater events. She has three grown sons, all Topeka High graduates, of whom she is very proud, now two daughters-in-laws and four grandchildren, all of whose company she very much enjoys.

Biography

Christina was born and raised in both Topeka’s Oakland neighborhood and a farm outside of Grantville. She grew up in a large family unit that stressed volunteerism, political involvement, and civil rights. She graduated from Hayden High School and has a B.A. from Washburn University in History with a minor in Political Science. Christina obtained her degree as a non-traditional student and in the early 1990’s she traveled to El Salvador and conducted oral history projects on the post-civil war lives of combatants.

Christina has volunteered for decades in Topeka’s Mexican American community including interviews of community elders, chaired her daughter’s Fiesta Mexicana Royalty Contest, chaired publicity on the Fiesta Mexicana planning committee and expanded arts and culture for children during Fiesta. She was a member/officer of MANA de Topeka in the early 1990’s. Valdivia-Alcala has served on the Shawnee County Civil Service Board, the Advisory Board for the Center of Latin American & Caribbean Studies at the University of Kansas and the Shawnee County Historical Society.

In 2012, Valdivia-Alcala founded the Tonantzin Society, grassroots all volunteer community organization. The Society has been responsible for numerous primary and secondary educational projects. Additionally, the organization has hosted community events in Topeka and across the state. The Society preserves and educates on Chicana/Indigenous/ Latinx art and culture with additional emphasis on social and environmental justice. One of the Society’s major programs (with Kansas public school educators, KSBE, KSDE and legislators) is Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Program for Kansas Public Schools (7-12). She currently serves as Tonantzin Society Director.

Christina lives in the Oakland community and is married, with one daughter and two grandchildren.

Biography

Sylvia E. Ortiz was born and raised in Topeka Kansas and serves on the Topeka City Council Representing District 3. A product of Topeka Public Schools, Sylvia E. Ortiz graduated from Topeka High School and Kaw Area Technical School, now known as WTI (Washburn Institute of Technology), receiving a degree in Secretarial Office Education. She also attended Allen Community College in Burlingame, KS.

She is a mother to three young adult children and granny to five grandchildren. Sylvia served as East Topeka South's Neighborhood Improvement Association President for over 10 years before she ran and was voted into the Topeka City Council Office for District Three in 2005. Sylvia is very proud of being a major stake holder in creating the first spray park in the Samuel Jackson’s Park, located in East Topeka. She is the longest serving Council member and loves to help people. Ms. Ortiz decided her true calling was working with people to serve their communities and neighbors. She loves to help the Youth and has put on several events for them in East Topeka.

Ms. Ortiz will continue her efforts to support and inspire young people during her time as a City Council member.

Biography

District 4 representative David Banks is a retired Topeka Fire Department. Community education was among the roles he served over this career. He first came to Topeka from Chicago, on an athletic scholarship to Washburn. He said he fell in love with the city and stayed. As council member, he said he wants to give a voice to the southeast Topeka area. He lists safety and addressing the homelessness issue among his priorities.

Biography

Biography

Marcus was born and raised in Topeka, KS. He attended elementary school in the Topeka Public USD 501 school district before going to the Shawnee Heights USD 450 school district for middle & high school. After high school, Marcus played football at Washburn University, and received his bachelor’s degree in legal studies. From there, he worked customer service jobs at Topeka Country Club and some labor intensive concrete work at Conroy Contractors Inc.

His career path started as the Diversion Coordinator at Shawnee County District Attorney's Office, before becoming a Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of Topeka, after a couple of years, he returned to the Shawnee County District Attorney's office and took on a new role, as Director of Community Engagement. His most recent position was as the Executive Director at First Tee - Greater Topeka, which is a youth development non-profit organization. Although working with community businesses, partners and public service entities to positively impact the lives of young people in Topeka is his passion, accountability & the public trust in government are more important.

Marcus is a member of Omni Circle and the Stormont Vail Patient & Family Partnership Council. He also serves as the President of the Police Athletic League and is a Board Member of the Topeka Area Sports Commission. Recently, Marcus coached high school boys basketball for Tonganoxie High School & Shawnee Heights High School, and is currently a coach for the Missouri Phenom girls AAU program, a Nike sponsored organization that if focused on getting young girls college scholarships in basketball. In 2022, Marcus was a Topeka 20 Under 40 honoree and 2022 Greater Topeka Partnership Leadership graduate.

He is blessed to be married to his beautiful wife Kaitlin Alegria, and has two children, Destiny (17) and Marcus Jr. (9). He and his wife are also licensed foster parents through KVC.

Biography

Spencer is a native Topekan who grew up in District 8. His professional career is dedicated to developing business and non-profits. As owner of Capitol Connection, Spencer serves as Executive Director of the Kansas Pest Control Association and represents several other associations. He helps businesses, non-profits, education institutions, cities and counties.

He is an alum and former State Chair of Leadership Kansas. He attended McEachron Elementary, French Middle School and Topeka West High School in USD 501. He holds a B.A. in English and B.S. in Journalism from the University of Kansas and earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Baker University. Spencer has also served as an adjunct professor at Washburn University.

Spencer was Editor-in-Chief of the University Daily Kansan, spent five years as a sports reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal and was an editor, reporter and columnist for the Austin American Statesman, Rocky Mount Telegram and Emporia Gazette. He is also author of the book, “Historic Shawnee County: A History of Topeka and Shawnee County.”

Spencer is an active member of St. David’s Episcopal Church and has been a member of the Vestry and is a founding member of the “Breakfast Crew” which cooks and serves breakfast each Sunday morning. He is two-term President of Topeka West Rotary and served as a member of the Stormont Vail Health Events Center Advisory Board and Topeka Performing Arts Centers Board of Trustees.

Spencer lives with his wife Barbara, son Connor, several cats, a few fish and one yard full of rabbits who enjoy eating their garden. Spencer also enjoys disc golf and has participated in the Sunflower State Games multiple times.