Interview of Sheila Frahm, September 17, 2004

During a 2004 interview former Lt. Governor and US Senator Sheila Frahm describes to Dr. Bob Beatty her recollections of serving as Lieutenant Governor with Governor Bill Graves. Frahm explores the collaborative partnership she had with Graves, recalling the process of creating an executive team and the patience required to work with a slow-moving legislature. She recalled Graves’ personal leadership style, noting that a successful governor must balance approachability and willingness to collaborate with the more solitary responsibility of making independent decisions for the state’s benefit. Frahm compared the leadership styles of other former governors whom she had observed. The interview paints a picture of the political culture of Kansas during the late 20th Century and the personal sacrifices inherent in a live of public service.

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Dr. Bob Beatty of Washburn University generously granted the Kansas Oral History Project (KOHP) permission to house this transcript of his oral history interview of Sheila Frahm. The KOHP Board is grateful to Dr. Beatty for making this transcript available.

A 2020 interview of Sheila Frahm is included in the KOHP Women, Then and Now Project collection on this site.

Agriculture; Compromise; Culture of Kansas Government; Culture of the Legislature; Education policy; Governor; Governor's leadership; Health policy; Judicial selection; Leadership style; Legislature, interactions with governor; Lieutenant Governor; Local control; Political appointments; Political culture; Gubernatorial Appointments

Sheila Frahm is a nearly lifelong resident of Colby, Thomas County, Kansas, where she lived during her years of service in the State Legislature. Frahm graduated from Colby Community High School in 1963 and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Fort Hays State University in 1967. She also attended the University of Texas at Austin. Frahm chaired the Colby Public School's Board of Education and the Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center Board of Education. Frahm was appointed to the Kansas State Board of Education in 1985, was elected to the Board in 1986, and served as Vice Chair in 1987. Frahm was elected to the Kansas Senate in 1988. serving from the 1989 session through the 1994 session. She was the Majority Leader (Republican) in 1993 and 1994. Frahm was elected Lieutenant Governor of Kansas in 1994 on the ticket with Bill Graves. In the Graves administration Frahm served as Secretary of Administration beginning in 1995. On June 11, 1996, she was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of U.S. Senator Bob Dole. She served in the U.S. Senate from June 11, 1996 to November 5, 1996. After returning to Kansas, she served as Executive Director of the Kansas Association of Community Colleges for twelve years.

March 22, 1945

Republican

Member, Kansas State Board of Education 1985-1988
Vice-Chair, Kansas State Board of Education 1987-1987
Chair/Vice-Chair (rotating), Committee on Administrative Rules and Regulations (joint) 1989-1992
Member, Senate Agriculture 1989-1994
Member, Senate Assessment and Taxation 1989-1992
Member, Senate Local Government 1989-1994
Member, Senate Energy and Natural Resources 1989-1992
State Senator, Kansas Senate 1989-1994
Vice-Chair, Senate Education 1989-1994
Majority Leader, Kansas Senate 1993-1994
Lieutenant Governor, State of Kansas 1995-1996
Secretary, Department of Administration (DofA) 1995-1996

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