LEES SUMMIT, MO, June 17, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Malinda Ann Barnett has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Marked by close to 30 years of leadership experience in social services and a remarkable personal journey, Ms. Barnett currently serves as the executive director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas, a role she has held since 2025. Her appointment to this position represents the pinnacle of her career to date, fulfilling a long-held ambition to lead an organization dedicated to advancing the rights and independence of individuals with disabilities. In her capacity, she is responsible for guiding statewide initiatives, advocating for policy reform and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to improve independent living outcomes across the State of Kansas.

Prior to reaching her role with the Statewide Independent Living Council, Ms. Barnett excelled as the community outreach manager at Eitas (Developmental Disability Services of Jackson County) in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2024 to 2025 — the culmination of over 15 years with the organization. She also served there as a community outreach supervisor from 2018 to 2024, during which she established and expanded connections with individuals with disabilities, their families and the community.

Under Ms. Barnett's direction, the community outreach department grew to seven positions and was specifically designed to serve individuals with significant developmental disabilities who did not qualify for Medicaid, thereby addressing a critical service gap. Her efforts led to the department achieving formal accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and earned her the Outstanding Achievement and New Community Services Award in 2018.

From 2015 to 2018, Ms. Barnett held the position of intake and information supervisor at Eitas, overseeing intake processes and ensuring that individuals with developmental disabilities received timely access to essential services. She also spent four years as an intake and information specialist, providing direct support and guidance to clients who were navigating complex service systems before ascending to become team lead.

Before she joined Eitas, Ms. Barnett excelled as a first steps intake coordinator at Community Support Services of Missouri in Independence from 2006 to 2009, facilitating early intervention services for young children with developmental delays. As a special education paraeducator in the Turner School District in Kansas City, Kansas, from 2005 to 2006, she empowered and guided students with diverse learning needs toward success in classroom settings.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Barnett held the role of service coordinator II at the Kansas City Regional Office of the Department of Mental Health in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2004 to 2005, during which she coordinated care plans for individuals with disabilities. She was an independent living specialist at Coalition for Independence in Kansas City from 2002 to 2004 and research assistant at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development —recognized as a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities — from 2001 to 2002.

Ms. Barnett's foundational experience came at Boone County Family Resources in Columbia, Missouri, where she served as a supported living assistant from 2000 to 2001, administrative assistant for training and quality assurance from 1999 to 2000 and teacher counselor II from 1997 to 1999. In addition, she held positions as an enclave supervisor and employment consultant at Advent Enterprises in 1997.

Hailing from an equally accomplished academic background, Ms. Barnett earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri in 2001, gaining advanced knowledge in social work practice and policy analysis that has been pivotal throughout her career. She also obtained a Bachelor of Social Work with minors in psychology and sociology from Columbia College in 1997. Dedicated to the ideals of continuous learning, she completed the Dare to Lead certification based on Brené Brown's leadership curriculum in 2020.

Reflecting on her storied journey to date, Ms. Barnett attributes her enduring success to the unwavering support she has received from key individuals throughout her life — most notably her parents — whose advocacy on her behalf shaped both her personal resilience and professional mission. Born in 1975 with spina bifida, her early experiences in navigating educational barriers inspired her lifelong dedication to empowering others who face similar challenges. Her parents' determination ensured that she was fully integrated into mainstream educational settings despite initial resistance from local schools, a formative influence that guided her decision to pursue social work over psychology due to its comprehensive approach toward individual well-being.

Throughout her career, Ms. Barnett has maintained active involvement with civic organizations that align with disability advocacy and community service. She remains a member of Spina Bifida Kansas City after previously serving on its board, including a term as treasurer. As vice president of Southern Africa Volunteer Enterprise Inc., a family-run nonprofit founded by her grandfather, she collaborates with her relatives to direct resources toward causes that support people with disabilities; this includes consistent financial backing for Spina Bifida Kansas City and annual funding for Camp MITIOG (Made in the Image of God), where she also served as a board member.

Ms. Barnett's commitment extends further through her volunteer service as a Lady Shriner with Ladies of the Oriental Shrine of North America since 2017 — a role that was inspired by her personal experience in receiving leg braces from Shriners Hospital during her adolescence.

In honor of her exemplary leadership, advocacy and civic endeavors, Ms. Barnett has been recognized through numerous accolades over the years. She was presented with an award from University of Kansas Medical Center acknowledging her departmental contributions toward disability research and was previously selected for inclusion in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Outside of her professional and community pursuits, Ms. Barnett is happily married and cherishes time spent with her family, including two miniature dachshunds and two Siamese cats who share their home harmoniously. The youngest sibling among three children, she is also a proud aunt dedicated to supporting her nieces and nephews in pursuing their own dreams.

Determined to further her impact in the coming years, Ms. Barnett aims to leverage her leadership role at Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas by advocating for positive system change that will result in substantive improvements for all Kansans with disabilities — continuing a longstanding legacy rooted in personal experience, compassion and unwavering activism.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. The suite of Marquis® publications, including Who's Who in America® and Who's Who in the World®, remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the globe. Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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