Governor Kelly Announces Ryan Wright-Spain as Kansas Department of Revenue Acting Secretary

Governor Laura Kelly on Monday announced Ryan Wright-Spain as Acting Secretary of the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) effective immediately. This announcement follows the retirement of Secretary Mark Burghart, who served as Secretary since March 26, 2019.

“I want to once again thank Secretary Burghart for his dedicated leadership over the last seven years. He has re-invigorated the Kansas Department of Revenue, and is leaving the state in much better fiscal and operational shape due to his service,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I am confident Ryan Wright-Spain, in his role as Acting Secretary, will be a steady hand at KDOR and will ensure a well-functioning, sound organization for the next administration.”

Ryan currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Governor Kelly, a role he assumed in July 2024. As COO, Ryan works extensively with each of Governor Kelly’s cabinet agencies, including KDOR. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Kelly since March 2019 and Acting Secretary for the Kansas Department of Labor from June 2020 to January 2021, where he was charged with stabilizing the agency’s antiquated unemployment system at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryan brings decades of experience in non-profit leadership, and he has worked in and around government at both the state and federal levels. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Kansas State University.

“I want to thank Governor Kelly for entrusting me with the responsibility of shepherding the agency and further contributing to Secretary Burghart’s legacy as we reach the final months of the administration,” Ryan Wright-Spain said. “Because of his leadership and forward thinking and the hardworking women and men who work at KDOR, we will be able to continue to provide high-quality customer service and good stewardship of taxpayer funds.”