Topeka ? Gov. Sam Brownback on Thursday announced the appointment of Amanda Adkins to be chair of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet.

Adkins also is currently chair of the Kansas Republican Party and served on Brownback’s staff when he was a U.S. senator.

Adkins replaces Melissa Ness, an attorney and management consultant, as chair of the Children’s Cabinet, which oversees expenditures from the state’s portion of the tobacco settlement.

Adkins also is executive and general manager of health services for Cerner Corp.