When Denise Gilligan decided to run for Emporia City Commission, her motivation came from a deep desire to see her community thrive through balance, collaboration, and practical problem-solving.

“I think you have to look at the health and lifestyle of Emporia as a whole,” Gilligan said. “You’ve got to have a healthy community, but you also have to have strong infrastructure. If your infrastructure fails, everything else struggles. It’s like spinning plates — you have to keep them all moving at the same time.”

Gilligan, who serves as Director of Information Resources and Assessment at Flint Hills Technical College, said her background in data analysis and strategic planning has taught her to make decisions based on evidence, not assumptions.

“My job is to look at data and ask, ‘Why aren’

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