# Beshear Announces New Appointments to Kentucky State Boards **Published:** 2026-08-28T21:16:50.000Z **Source:** [Office of the Governor](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2823) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/beshear-announces-new-appointments-to-kentucky-state-boards FRANKFORT, Ky. — [Governor Andy Beshear has made a series of appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2823), filling key positions across multiple state agencies with experienced professionals and returning members. The appointments include three members to the Parole Board who bring decades of experience in law enforcement and corrections. Shawn Helbig of Bowling Green, who has spent 24 years in law enforcement, will serve through August 3, 2028. Cyndi Heddleston of Louisville, with over 20 years in the Kentucky Department of Corrections, will serve through August 3, 2030, as will Gregory Leist of Shepherdsville, a former probation and parole officer. The Governor also appointed medical professionals and healthcare specialists to several boards. Dr. Jacqueline Sugarman of Lexington, the statewide medical director for the Children's Advocacy Centers of Kentucky and a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, was reappointed to the Kentucky Multidisciplinary Commission on Child Sexual Abuse. Additional appointments include Tim Short IV of Lexington, an automobile dealer at the Tim Short Auto Group, who was reappointed to the Motor Vehicle Commission, and Tom Eblen of Lexington, who was reappointed to the Kentucky Heritage Council. Local residents Audria Denker and Alisha Clemons were reappointed to the Kentucky Board of Nursing, with Clemons, a nurse practitioner with Foster Medical in Lexington, serving through June 30, 2030. The appointments reflect the Governor's effort to ensure Kentucky's boards and commissions are staffed with qualified leaders representing diverse expertise and geographic regions across the state. ## Sources - [Office of the Governor](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2823) - [The Lane Report article on recent leadership appointments](https://www.lanereport.com/188938/2026/08/new-leadership-appointments-to-ky-boards-and-commissions/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Office of the Governor, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2823.