Who we are
Kris G. Munsch
Kris was born and raised in Ness City, KS, a small western Kansas town of about 2000 people. Kris attended Fort Hays State University after high school only to leave a year later to pursue other ventures. His adventures in the oilfield were one of his life-long learning experiences that set his work ethic into full motion. Following many adventures working for others, Kris set out on his own journey as a entrepreneur in Hays, KS. He started several businesses from the ground up, including a bar and grill, laundromat, steak house, home inspection business, home renovation and construction business, two retail liquor stores, rental properties, and property management; let’s just say he loves a challenge.
Kris went back to FHSU in 1999 so he could complete his teaching degree, graduating in May of 2002. He went right back to being an entrepreneur after receiving his degree and gained the reputation in the Hays business world as "the doer." In August of 2005, Kris married his current wife, Gena, and welcomed a new stepson named Jacob into his life. On December 23rd of 2005, tragedy struck his family when is son Blake was killed in a car accident; this horrific incident stopped him in his tracks and threatened to overtake his life. The future went from sunshine to darkness and he needed to find purpose. After selling off his businesses, he stumbled around trying to find something that would restart his life.
Kris accepted a teaching job at Bonner Springs High School, just west of Kansas City. Prepared to teach and completing his masters in school administration through the online program offered by FHSU, Kris believes that the field of education is where his hard work feels most rewarding. Kris is currently a high school woods teacher, working on many projects and has taken this book up as a mission of healing.
Currently he is pursuing a doctorate at the Unversity of Kansas in Education Leadership.
kris@thebirdhouseproject.com
Jeff Fouquet
Jeff was born in western Kansas and has bounced around the state for most of his life. In 1998, he enrolled at Fort Hays State University, setting his sights on a career as a writer and educator. During his time at FHSU, he pursued many professional affiliations, becoming president of the English Club, president of the Rho Psi Chapter of the English Honorary Society, Opinions Page Editor for the campus newspaper and Editor in Chief of the literary and artistic journal Lines.
After graduating from FHSU in 2002, Jeff married his beautiful love Shanon (who is also the amazingly talented artist who designs the book covers) and has been living blissfully in Topeka, KS, ever since. Right after graduating, he entered the graduate program at the University of Kansas, where he completed his Master’s Degree studying rhetoric, pedagogy and literary theory. While there, he obtained a graduate teaching position and started his teaching career. Since that beginning at the university level, he has taught courses in a GED/Adult Education program, six years as an adjunct instructor at the community college level, and as a teacher of American Literature at Bonner Springs High School.
While Kris is the business mind of this operation, Jeff is the – well, we don’t know yet, but it works surprisingly well. Jeff has been a life-long wanderer, making his way as a welder, pig farmer, full-contact fighter and everything in between. He’s also an educational activist, published poet, compelling public speaker and member of the board for the spiritual fellowship he calls home. He takes that whole “book-by-its-cover” saying very seriously.
He is thrilled to be working with Kris on The Birdhouse Project.
