Dianne Ensminger

Ballard Community Services is a non profit human service agency that provides an affordable, high quality early education program and essential basic life assistance to families and individuals in need.

Ballard has been in operation for the past 45 years and has completed three mergers since 2003. Ballard Community Services provides more than one million services in Douglas County, Kansas each year and operates four locations. These are, the Ballard Center, Penn House, Brookcreek Learning Center - Mount Hope site and a site at Lawrence High School.

Ballard is led by Dianne Ensminger. Dianne has been the President and CEO of Ballard Community Services since 1999. A native of Tarkio, Missouri, Dianne received her degree in Non-Profit Administration as well as her MBA from Rockhurst University in Kansas City. Prior to her move to Kansas, Dianne had worked directing non-profit organizations in Missouri. Dianne is also active in several local organizations, and has served as a consultant to other non-profit groups in the area. Dianne is an avid sports fan (especially Big XII college football) and roots for all teams in the area.

Dianne is joined by, John Masterson, Director of Education.

John is the newest member of the Ballard Team and was brought in as the Director of our Early Education program in March of this year. John received his Bachelors in Education and his
Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Kansas. John has spent most of his professional life in the education field, and felt the position with Ballard Community Services would be a great opportunity to affect the lives of many in the community. Aside from spending time with his wife and two daughters, John enjoys being yelled at by thousands during the Fall as a football official for the Big XII conference.

and,

Seth Peterson
Acting Business Manager

Seth joined Ballard Community Services in the late spring of 2008. In his time with the organization he has worked as an assistant to Dianne, worked with the Human Service programs, has served as the Administrative Manager and currently also fills the roll of acting Business Manager. Seth was born and raised in Manhattan, KS and attended KSU where he studied philosophy. Before joining the Ballard team he worked with of a variety of non-profit organizations in the Lawrence community.

and,

Jessica Haremza
Early Education Director of Curriculum & Training

Jessica is the Early Education Director of Curriculum and Training for all three of our education facilities. She has been with Ballard Community Services for almost two years. Jessica has worked in early education for the past nine years and has experience teaching in the classroom, working with families, training staff, and working in administration. Jessica has a five-year-old daughter, Teisha, who has just started kindergarten after being a student in our Early Education
Program.