About Rev. Jeanie

Jeanie has lived in Shawnee with her husband Dr. Dan Murphy, for almost 19 years. She came to the Kansas City area more than 50 years ago when she enrolled as a freshman at UMKC. She is a proud self-proclaimed army brat whose family lived in eight states during her childhood. Her father entered the Army early in WWII as a private. He retired from the military shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis, as a Lt. Col. Her brother served two tours in Vietnam as a young officer. He was awarded several combat decorations, including a Purple Heart. He retired as a Lt. Colonel after 20 years of service.

She earned her BA from the UMKC Conservatory of Music. This led to a career with the Kansas City Ballet that spanned 30 years. Her work there as a dancer, costume designer, and wardrobe manager allowed her to collaborate with world-famous dancers and choreographers, including Alvin Ailey. She also offered dance outreach programs to area schools. At one point, she managed a $300,000 budget for a re-imagined Nutcracker production.
Jeanie went on to graduate from St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City with a Master of Divinity degree and became an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She served as an assistant pastor at a Korean church for two years, before earning certification from the Association of Professional Chaplains. She worked in health care ministry, eventually retiring as manager of the spiritual care department of St. Joseph Medical Center in Kansas City, MO. She continues to work in regional church governance and chairs the Professional Advisory Group for the Clinical Pastoral Education program at St Lukes Health System.

She'll bring a new perspective

Her efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity have included her work with homeless people at restart, Inc., her involvement with the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council; and her years of ministering to the aged residents, their families, and staff at an Overland Park long term care facility. Her experience with health care chaplaincy has helped her to see the world through the eyes of people from widely differing faith traditions, ethnicities, socio-economic groups, and the LGTBQ+ community. She learned to hear their most urgent issues and continues to advocate for their interests.

Her life in the arts has shown her the importance of values beyond the basics of dollars and cents. She understands the value of beauty, of community, and of imagination to see beyond next quarter's budget.

Jeanie has worked in management, so she understands the importance of fiscal responsibility. This includes her time as chair of the personnel and business affairs committees for bi-state church governance, as well as serving on, and chairing the board for a camp and conference center during a capital campaign. She understands that a community needs much more than fiscal restraint to thrive and prosper.