FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2025
Regents appoint Blake Benson Chair and Diana Mendoza Vice Chair for upcoming fiscal year
(Topeka, Kan.) – The Kansas Board of Regents voted this week to name Regent Blake Benson as chair and Regent Diana Mendoza as vice chair for Fiscal Year 2026.
Regents Benson and Mendoza were both appointed to the Board in 2022. Regent Benson has served as chair of the Board Fiscal Affairs and Audit Standing Committee for the past two years. Regent Mendoza currently serves as chair of the Board Academic Affairs Standing Committee.
“I’m honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as Board chair during the upcoming year,” said Regent Benson. “Higher education is a powerful tool capable of transforming individual lives and uplifting entire communities. I look forward to working with my fellow Regents, our Kansas colleges and universities and our external stakeholders to continue to leverage the system’s strengths for the benefit of all Kansans.”
Regent Benson is president of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce. He holds a B.S. in Journalism from Arkansas State University and an MBA from Pittsburg State University. Now in his 28th year of chamber and economic development work, Benson is a Certified Chamber Executive and a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management. He previously served as marketing director for the Rogers, Arkansas, chamber and as vice president for the Fort Smith, Arkansas, chamber.
A past president of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce Executives Association, Benson is a graduate of Leadership Kansas and has served as board president for Mercy Hospital-Pittsburg, the Pittsburg Rotary Club, Pittsburg Family YMCA and Mt. Carmel Foundation.
“Guided by the Board’s strategic plan, Kansas colleges and universities are making significant strides in areas such as affordability and student success,” said Regent Mendoza. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as vice chair, and I am committed to supporting the continued efforts of our higher education system to benefit Kansas families and strengthen our state’s economy.
Regent Mendoza is the Executive Director of ESOL & Diversity at Dodge City Public Schools – USD 443. She attended Kansas State University where she earned a B.S. in Elementary Education and a M.S. in Educational Leadership. She has continued her education at Kansas State University where she is currently seeking an Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction.
Regent Mendoza began her career with USD 443 over twenty years ago. In her current role she works with teachers and instructional leaders to develop best practices for working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students, leads efforts in support of migratory youth, and is an advocate for the diverse population of students and families in her community as well as across the State of Kansas.
For more information, please contact Matt Keith at (785) 430-4237 or
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About the Kansas Board of Regents
The nine-member Kansas Board of Regents is the governing board of the state’s six universities and the statewide coordinating board for the state’s 32 public higher education institutions (six state universities, one municipal university, nineteen community colleges, and six technical colleges). In addition, the Board administers the state’s student financial aid, adult education, high school equivalency, and career and technical education programs. Private proprietary schools and out-of-state institutions are authorized by the Kansas Board of Regents to operate in Kansas.