Patrick Penn
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Patrick Penn
| image = Patrick Penn by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| spouse = Talia Penn
| children = 4
| state_house = Kansas
| district = 85th
| term_start = January 11, 2021
| term_end = June 13, 2025
| predecessor = Michael Capps
| successor = Steven Brunk
| party = Republican
| education = Colorado State University (BS)
George Mason University (MS)
| branch = {{flag|United States Army}}
| rank = Captain
| battles = Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
| residence = Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
}}
Patrick Penn is an American politician who served as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 85th district. Elected in November 2020, he assumed office on January 11, 2021.
Early life and education
Penn was raised in the foster care system. While in the Army, Penn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology / Criminology from Colorado State University and a Master of Science in Applied Information Technology from the Volgenau School of Engineering of George Mason University.{{Cite web|title=Patrick Penn|url=https://www.newpolitics.org/patrick-penn|access-date=2021-05-02|website=New Politics|language=en-US}}
Career
After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Army, where he was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior to entering politics, Penn worked for Textron Aviation Defense. Penn was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in November 2020 and assumed office on January 11, 2021.{{Cite web|title=Patrick Penn|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Patrick_Penn|access-date=2021-05-02|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}} Penn defeated incumbent Michael Capps in the Republican primary.{{Cite web|last=Quraishi|first=Hafsa N.|title=Penn Unseats Capps In District 85 Republican House Primary|url=https://www.kmuw.org/post/penn-unseats-capps-district-85-republican-house-primary|access-date=2021-05-02|website=www.kmuw.org|date=5 August 2020|language=en}} New Politics describes him as a Christian Conservative.
Penn announced his resignation from the Kansas House of Representatives in May 2025 and was subsequently appointed as a deputy undersecretary in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.{{Cite web|last=Kaminski|first=Anna|title=Trump appoints former Kansas legislator to USDA post|url=https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/trump-appoints-former-kansas-legislator-to-usda-post/|access-date=2025-06-16|website=www.kansasreflector.com|date=27 May 2025|language=en}} Penn will serve as the deputy undersecretary for the department’s food, nutrition and consumer services with secretary Brooke Rollins stating that Penn's "personally invested in ensuring farmers and rural America prosper."{{cite web |last1=Kaminski |first1=Anna |title=Trump appoints former Kansas legislator to USDA post |url=https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/trump-appoints-former-kansas-legislator-to-usda-post/ |website=Kansas Reflector |access-date=27 June 2025}}
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penn, Patrick}}
Category:21st-century African-American politicians
Category:African-American state legislators in Kansas
Category:Anti-pornography activists
Category:Black conservatism in the United States
Category:Colorado State University alumni
Category:George Mason University alumni
Category:Politicians from Wichita, Kansas
Category:Republican Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives
Category:United States Army officers
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century members of the Kansas Legislature
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