Sister Cities Office in LExington
Kay Sargent, Executive Director
As Executive Director of the Lexington Sister Cities Commission for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Kay is responsible for maintaining all local Sister Cities Programs and Exchanges. She assists the government in proper reception of foreign visitors and dignitaries, and assists the government and its agencies in tourism and travel promotions on the international and national levels. Kay is a former member of the Sister Cities International Board of Directors, and currently serves on the Honorary Board; the Finance, Fund Development and Membership Task Force Committees, and is the Kentucky State Representative for the organization. Kay is active in many civic and community affairs, and serves on committees and boards with various local and state organizations, including the Japan America Society of Kentucky, United Nations Association of Kentucky, and Global Lex.
Commission Members
Tom Appel
Tom is the manager of distribution operations at Kentucky Utilities in Lexington, KY. He has worked at Kentucky Utilities in various roles since 1994 in Harlan and in the Ohio Valley District.
Tom received his B.A. in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky. He was a national merit scholar and UK Presidential Scholar, as well as being part of Eta Kappa Nu, a National Electrical Engineering Honor Society. Tom completed his Masters of Business Administration from Midway College in 2014.
Outside of work, Tom served on the board of directors for the Kentucky Ballet Theatre, and is part of the Leadership Central Kentucky (Chamber of Commerce), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
Tom lives in Lexington. He and his wife Sheila and have three daughters.
Tom was reappointed to the Commission in January of 2020.
Hannah LeGris
Hannah LeGris was elected as Lexington's Third District Urban County Council representative in November, 2020. In addition to her service on Council, Hannah works as a career counselor and educator at the University of Kentucky where she helps undergraduate students explore career options and learn to engage meaningfully with their communities.
She holds a B.A. in English from the College of Wooster and an M.A. in English from The University of Kentucky. She moved to Lexington at the beginning of her career to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA in youth literacy programming. Hannah has over a decade of experience in the non-profit, private, and educational sectors. She currently serves on several nonprofit boards, including the International Book Project and CivicLex.
In her personal life, Hannah is invested in the literary and creative arts. She is an avid pedestrian and bicycle commuter and likes experiencing the city at a human pace. Hannah lives in the Mentelle Park neighborhood where she enjoys talking with her neighbors, frequenting local businesses, and spending time with her partner Andrew.
Hannah joined the Commission in January of 2021.
Heather Lyons
Heather Lyons is the Director of Arts and Cultural Affairs in the Office of the Mayor for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. Heather was the executive director of Lexington's Living Arts and Science Center for fourteen years. Before working at the Living Arts and Science Center, Heather was an individual artist program director at Kentucky Arts Council.
Heather earned her degree at Western Kentucky University after graduating from Lafayette High School. Heather, her husband, and daughter are very involved in the arts community in Lexington.
She was appointed to the Commission in January of 2019.
Dr. Melody Ryan
Dr. Ryan’s practice site is the Neurology Ambulatory Care Clinic at the Lexington Veteran Affairs Medical Center. She teaches neurology and international topics. She also precepts Pharm.D. students, pharmacy practice residents and psychiatry specialty residents in the neurology ambulatory care and neurology in-patient services. Dr. Ryan is the director of international professional student education for the College of Pharmacy.
Assistant Provost for Global Health Initiatives
Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Science
Vice Chair, Pharmacy Practice and Science
Director, International Professional Student Education
Melody was appointed to the Commission in January 2022
Mary Quinn Ramer
Mary Quinn Ramer is the President of VisitLEX (formerly the Lexington Convention and Visitor’s Bureau). Prior to her position as president, she was the Vice President of Marketing from August 2007-December 2014.
Mary Quinn is a graduate of Centre College in Danville, KY. She received her BA in history and French and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
In 2006, Mary Quinn received the Kentucky Travel Industry Association’s Rookie of the Year award.
Since she began at VisitLEX in 2007, Mary Quinn has led the Bureau through a complete rebranding effort with an internationally acclaimed design firm. She also developed and managed all Bureau initiatives during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, including the oversight of 15 satellite visitor centers and media services/relations at the Games media village. Mary Quinn was part of opening a new visitor center in the heart of downtown Lexington. She also garnered “Best of Show” at the Kentucky Travel Industry Association’s Traverse Awards for the Beyond Grits initiative and was selected for the 2015 Breeder’s Cup Host Committee.
Mary Quinn has served on several community organizations, including the Kentucky Travel Industry Association, Equestrian Events International, Keeneland Concours d’Elegance, Centre College Alumni Board, Community Arts Center in Danville, Kentucky, and the Bluegrass Hospitality Association.
Mary Quinn was reappointed to the Commission in January of 2020.
Glen Krebs
Glen Krebs is a member of the Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP Labor & Employment Service Team. He concentrates his practice in international and immigration law. He has appeared on behalf of clients at U.S. embassies in Ghana, China, Japan, Russia, Canada, and Bulgaria and represented clients from more than 65 different countries. He has assisted more than 40 Japanese companies in establishing their presence in the United States.
Mr. Krebs received his BA from Brigham Young University and his J.D. at the California Western School of Law. He had been a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association for over 15 years. His other memberships include: the State Bar of California and the Fayette County and Kentucky Bar Associations.
Glen is fluent in Japanese, and is Chairman of the Japan/American Society of Kentucky and Treasurer for the National Association of Japan American Societies. Additionally, he is also chair of the Kentucky World Trade Center; and, he is a member of the Executive Board of Bluegrass Council of Boy Scouts. He is also First Chairman of the Friends of the Arts School, Inc., a group supporting the School for the Creative and Performing Arts.
Glen is currently listed in the Woodward/White's The Best Lawyers in America for his work in immigration law. Glen and his wife Donnia live in Lexington and they have 7 children.
Glen was appointed to the Commission in August of 2020.
Dr. Sue Roberts
Dr. Sue Roberts is the Associate Provost for Internationalization at the University of Kentucky where she is also a Professor of Geography. From 2008-2012, she was Chair of the Department of Geography at the University of Kentucky and in 2015-2016 she directed the International Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Sue’s BA is from the University of Leicester (in Britain) and her MA and PhD are from The Maxwell School at Syracuse University.
She has been a faculty member at the University of Kentucky since 1991 and has taught many hundreds of undergraduates, and supervised numerous graduate students. Sue also participated in a professor exchange with Lexington Sister Cities and County Kildare, Ireland.
Sue has spent periods of time living and working in England, Australia and Finland. She was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship allowing her to spend 2012-2013 at the University of Turku, Finland.
Sue was reappointed to the Commission in January 2022