Gov. Greitens appoints numerous Springfield women to political positions

Furthering efforts to put women in positions of political power, Gov. Eric Greitens on Friday announced a slew of appointments for Springfield women.

The move is part of a push by the Republican governor and the state's first lady, Sheena Chestnut Greitens, to empower women in the public sphere across Missouri. In October, according to a Friday afternoon news release, the governor's office appointed 25 women in 25 days in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Women's Foundation.

The new appointees "will join a majority-female cabinet in making a difference on important issues ranging from child abuse and foster care to homeland security and workforce development," said Sheena Greitens, an assistant political science professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia. "We look forward to the contributions that each of these women will make to the State of Missouri."

Amy Layman was named to the Children's Trust Fund Board, which works to prevent child abuse. Layman is a member of the Child Advocacy Center's board of directors and is married to Jeff Layman, Greitens' former state finance chairman and now a fundraising official with the Missouri Republican Party.

Jody Austin, a probation officer with the Springfield Municipal Court, was picked for the Missouri Juvenile Justice Advisory Group, which aims to help young people who run afoul of the law. She is married to Rep. Kevin Austin, R-Springfield.

Mary Bozarth and Kristen Tuohy were among the women picked for the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board, which hears appeals from people the state Children's Division has accused of mistreating children.

Bozarth, a Springfield attorney, works as in-house counsel for Little Sunshine's Playhouse and as an adjunct professor of criminology at Missouri State University. She has worked as an assistant attorney general in the Missouri attorney general's consumer protection division and is a member of Rosie, a local businesswomen's advocacy group.

Tuohy works as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Christian County and has previously worked as a public defender and assistant prosecutor elsewhere in southwest Missouri, including in Greene County. Like Bozarth, she also has spent time working as an assistant attorney general.

Betsy Miller, who runs the 2B Organized space planning firm, was appointed to the Missouri Women's Council, which aims to help women on economic and employment issues. Miller is the founder and president of the Springfield Police Foundation and has worked at numerous local nonprofits.

Amy Dent has been appointed as Christian County auditor, as the News-Leader reported last week.