

Last Updated: 07 Oct, 2026 | Views: 9
Age: 66
Profession: Politician
Other Profession(s): Surgeon
Higher Education: Georgetown University (BS),Clare Hall, Cambridge (MA),University of Kansas (MD)
About (Profile/Biography):
Jeff Colyer is an American Republican politician, physician, and former governor of Kansas. Born on June 3, 1960, in Hays, Kansas, he is a fifth-generation Kansan who built a career combining medicine, public service, and international humanitarian work. Colyer earned degrees from Georgetown University, Cambridge University, and the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Before becoming governor, he served in the Kansas House, Kansas Senate, and as lieutenant governor. He became Kansas’ 47th governor on January 31, 2018, after Sam Brownback resigned to become a U.S. ambassador. Colyer served until January 14, 2019, and later remained active in Kansas politics.
Early Life And Education of Jeff Colyer
• Jeff Colyer was born in Hays, Kansas, on June 3, 1960, and grew up in a fifth-generation Kansas family with deep local roots.
• He earned an economics degree from Georgetown in 1981 and a master’s in international relations from Cambridge University in 1982.
• Colyer completed his medical degree at the University of Kansas in 1986 before pursuing specialist training in craniofacial and plastic surgery.
Medical And Humanitarian Career of Jeff Colyer
• Jeff became a craniofacial and plastic surgeon, opening medical practices in Johnson County and Kansas City, Missouri, in 1994.
• He volunteered in dangerous regions including Rwanda, Afghanistan, Iraq, the Balkans, Libya, and Africa while providing medical treatment.
• During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Colyer served with International Medical Corps and was the only surgeon working in southern Rwanda.
Political Career of Jeff Colyer
• Jeff entered the Kansas House in 2006, moved to the State Senate in 2008, and became lieutenant governor alongside Sam Brownback in 2011.
• Colyer became Kansas’ 47th governor on January 31, 2018, after Brownback resigned to become ambassador for religious freedom.
• He served as governor until January 14, 2019, after losing the 2018 Republican primary for a full term to Kris Kobach.
Major Controversy Around Jeff Colyer
• Colyer faced criticism over KanCare, the Kansas Medicaid program he helped shape, with opponents citing administrative and billing problems.
• During his 2018 campaign, Democrats sought to connect Jeff with Sam Brownback’s tax and economic policies, despite his effort to establish a distinct record.
• His 2018 primary loss to Kris Kobach followed a closely watched Republican contest over Kansas’ future political direction.
Awards And Recognitions Received by Jeff Colyer
• Jeff’s humanitarian medical service earned attention from Kansas lawmakers, who publicly recognized his work helping patients in difficult regions.
• The Kansas House highlighted Colyer’s service to disabled children and refugees through medical missions in Rwanda, Sudan, Syria, and elsewhere.
• His career has been recognized for combining medicine, international humanitarian work, and public service in Kansas and abroad.
Lesser Known Facts About Jeff Colyer
• Jeff served as a White House Fellow for international affairs during the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.
• Colyer’s wife, Ruth, worked in cancer and genetic-therapy research and accompanied him during humanitarian medical work in Rwanda.
• Before politics, Jeff developed specialist medical practices while maintaining international volunteer work in challenging humanitarian environments.
Wait!
Here're some popular profiles for you.
