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)<br>George Mason University (MS) | branch = {{flag|United States Army}} | rank = Captain | battles = Iraq War<br>War in Afghanistan }}

'''Patrick Penn''' is an American politician who served as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 85th district from 2021 through 2025. Currently, Penn is the undersecretary of the Food and Nutrition Service.

== Early life and education == Penn was raised in the foster care system. After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Army. During his tenure, Penn earned a Bachelor of Science 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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Patrick Penn|url=https://www.newpolitics.org/patrick-penn|access-date=2021-05-02|website=New Politics|language=en-US}}</ref>

While in the United States Army, Penn was a captain and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quraishi |first=Hafsa N. |date=5 August 2020 |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 |language=en}}</ref>

== Career == Once Penn had retired from the U.S. Army,{{When|date=November 2025}} he worked for Textron Aviation.<ref name=":0" />

=== Kansas House of Representatives === In 2020, Penn sought election to the Kansas House of Representatives. In August, he defeated incumbent Michael Capps, and was elected in the general election in November. He assumed office on January 11, 2021. New Politics describes him as a Christian conservative.<ref name=":0" />

=== Food and Nutrition Service === Penn resigned from the Kansas House of Representatives in June 2025 and was subsequently appointed as deputy undersecretary for the Food and Nutrition Service by president Donald Trump.<ref>{{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}}</ref> United States Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins stated that Penn's "personally invested in ensuring farmers and rural America prosper."<ref>{{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}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Penn, Patrick}} Category:Living people 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