PITTSBURG, Kan. — City Prosecutor Kaylyn Hite was recently awarded the 2026 Volunteer of the Year award at the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce banquet on May 7.

When Hite is not in court for the city or running her own practice, Hite Law LLC, she is helping organizations in Pittsburg.

As a Chamber Ambassador, Hite assists with different Chamber functions including the annual banquet, membership drive and other events. Hite is also the treasurer on the Chamber’s board.

Hite is also the secretary for Pittsburg Area Young Professionals, a group that regularly volunteers in the community. She is also a member of the Sunrise Rotary and is in an alumni group of the Tri Sigma sorority.

“I really like being around people, helping people, and even just being a part of the chamber,” Hite said. “Not everybody needs an attorney, but just to be a friend for somebody, or  just a stranger who will listen, maybe someone's just having a bad day, or maybe someone has a question about something that's not law related, but maybe that I went through, and I can point them to somebody, so I like to be a resource. So, I think if I'm just involved in a bunch of things, then I can be a resource for a lot of people, at least I'm trying.”

Although she is active in many aspects of the community, Hite said she was shocked when Membership & Special Events Director Daisy Flood announced Hite as the volunteer award recipient.

“I know I'm involved in a lot, but I also know how hard my friends in the Chamber work,” she said. “I feel like other people probably deserve it more than me, but I'm glad she thought I was worthy.”

Hite grew up in Cherokee and graduated from Southeast High School. She went on to obtain her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Pittsburg State University and attended law school at Washburn University.

After graduating from law school, she returned to the area and worked at Spigarelli Law Firm until 2020, when she joined Fleming Law Firm to practice a different type of law. While Spigarelli’s firm focused on personal injury or malpractice, Fleming’s firm dealt with family law, criminal cases and estate planning.

Hite said she went to law school to help families, and she felt like this transition fulfilled that desire.

“Unfortunately, someone needs a divorce, someone needs help with child custody, everyone needs a will, someone's kid gets a speeding ticket and they need help with that, and that was my whole purpose was coming back to Pittsburg to help the local community,” she said. “And I feel like I'm doing that.”

In October, she became the city prosecutor, then shortly thereafter, she and her husband became short-term rental owners as well. In March, Hite started her own practice to continue helping the community.

Hite said she is thankful that joining the Chamber allowed her opportunities to meet people she might have never crossed paths with. She said she is proud to live in Southeast Kansas and her experiences in the Chamber only amplified that feeling.

“I think it's a special place to be,” she said. “I've heard people say they've never seen businesses support each other like we do in Pittsburg, and that's incredible. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?”

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.