Wichita’s largest abortion clinic, Trust Women Wichita, has stopped providing abortions indefinitely after significant leadership changes. The board of directors fired the co-executive directors, Schaunta James-Boyd and Rebecca Tong, and replaced them with interim CEO Shukeyla Harrison and board president Sapphire Garcia-Lies, who have been with the organization for less than a year. This decision led to a wave of resignations and firings, including the medical director and other key staff members. The clinic, which had been serving about 100 patients a week, many from states with strict abortion bans, now leaves these patients seeking care in Kansas City, Colorado, or New Mexico, adding several hours of travel and other potential challenges.
The board of directors said the leadership changes were necessary but did not provide specific reasons, citing privacy concerns. Former employees have expressed feelings of betrayal and frustration, noting that the leadership changes were abrupt and poorly communicated. They reported that they were informed of the changes through emails sent over a weekend and were required to sign nondisclosure agreements with a $5,000 penalty for violations.
Rewire News Group reported that 10 of the clinic’s 16 physicians resigned in protest. Harrison, who is a doctoral student in leadership studies, did not comment on the situation. Garcia-Lies, the founder of the Wichita Birth Justice Society, also did not disclose how many physicians had left but mentioned that the board plans to add two abortion doctors soon. She emphasized that the pause in abortion services was a proactive measure to ensure the clinic meets optimal standards of care, not just the legal minimum.
Julie Burkhart, the founder of Trust Women and now president of Wellspring Health Access in Wyoming, expressed deep concern and heartbreak over the clinic’s closure.
She highlighted the clinic’s critical role in providing abortion services in south-central Kansas, especially given the current climate of restricted abortion rights. Burkhart stressed the importance of maintaining access to these services for women from Kansas and surrounding states.
Trust Women opened in 2013 in the former clinic of George Tiller, a Wichita abortion doctor who was assassinated in 2009. The clinic has been a strong advocate for abortion rights and played a significant role in defeating a state-level referendum on abortion in Kansas after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022. The clinic site has long been a focal point for reproductive rights battles, including protests by anti-abortion groups.
Former employees felt the board’s actions undermined their work and the clinic’s mission. They described the leadership changes as a hostile takeover and criticized the lack of transparency and communication. Despite these criticisms, Garcia-Lies stated that the board is committed to resuming abortions as soon as possible and is conducting a national search for a new medical director and permanent CEO. She assured that the clinic would continue to provide high-quality care and that the pause in services was to ensure the best possible leadership and clinical standards. The timeline for resuming abortions remains uncertain, but Garcia-Lies emphasized the importance of finding the right person for the medical director role to lead the clinic forward.
