How Dr. Kari Chesney is turning her passion into purpose

Dr. Kari Chesney didn't originally set out to become a politician. She grew up in Illinois, about 30 minutes from Chicago, and lived the life of many children from working class parents. Budgets were tight, and her parents drove home the importance of doing well in school so that she would have more scholarship opportunities in college. They struggled, but Chesney was able to attend the college of her choice, and make a move from her home state to Missouri, where she has lived ever since.

A gifted veterinarian and research scientist at the University of Missouri, Chesney has mainly pursued an interest in comparative medicine research. She graduated in 2015 and continued her veterinary education at Mizzou with a dual laboratory animal residency, and is scheduled to defend her PhD position October 2nd, 2020.

During her time as a vet student, she also developed an interest in public policy and government issues. She received certification in Science and Public Policy through the Truman School of Public Affairs, and also attended the Winter 2013 International Veterinary Students’ Association meeting in Ankara, Turkey to meet other students interested in veterinary advocacy and governmental relations.

This interest in policy developed into an interest in working with the community. During her PhD and Residency, she began doing just that, serving on multiple commissions in an effort to help the people of Missouri get their needs met.

Her experience in veterinary science lead her to a role as an advocate in Science and Medicine, but she quickly discovered that getting government officials to listen was hard, even from an advocates perspective. Without the huge cash insensitive provided by coastal investors and others who didn't have an interest in the lives of the people in the state itself, she found it hard to get the needs of the people met.

Today, Dr. Kari Chesney is setting out to change all that by running for representative of the 50th House District. As a representative, Kari hopes to fight for the concerns of the people in Jefferson City, in the state she has spent most of her adult life in.

She hopes to become an avenue for the people of Missouri to get their concerns heard by the government directly, rather than glossed over in favor of out-of-state people with money to back up their thoughts. Among these concerns she hopes to support family farms, invest in education, affordable health care, and defending workers rights. She also hopes to protect 2nd amendment rights while making necessary changes for the safety of the people.

These are all things she knows the people of Missouri are concerned about, and she is dedicated to helping bring positive change to the state.

As of now, she is focused on a grassroots campaign, as well as finding ways to do so safely in the middle of a pandemic through social media advertisement and organic growth provided by her supporters who share her work.