2017 Leadership Greater Topeka Class Announced
Leadership Greater Topeka, a program of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce since 1984, identifies outstanding potential leaders from various components of the community and teaches participants how to lead in a community setting. There are over 1,000 alumni of the program, 70% of who still live and contribute to the Shawnee County community.
Class members will attend a retreat and eight day-long sessions between January 12 and May 5 to learn about challenges facing the City of Topeka and Shawnee County and how they, as individuals, can work to influence community issues and problems.
The curriculum for the programs utilizes a combination of speakers, lessons, activities, small group discussions, community projects and tours. The class works to identify adaptive ways of addressing community issues and situations.
The 2017 class was chosen from more than 150 nominees representing a variety of backgrounds and a cross section of the community.
Members of the 2017 class are:
Jared Beam, Director of New Business Development, Brier Payne Meade Insurance Dawn Bicknell-Reiser, Senior Auditor, Capitol Federal Savings Kayla Bitler, General Manager/Director of Operations, Holiday Inn Express and Mirza Beg Hotels Lisa Brown, Associate Attorney, Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds & Palmer Matthew Bult, Manager, Distributions Automation/Technologies, Westar Energy Ben Broxterman, Supervisor, Child Life Services, Stormont Vail Health Amy Chandler, Assistant Vice President, Director of Internal Controls, Security Benefit Aubrey Coufal, Vice President of Operations, Topeka Housing Authority (THA) Joel Cromwell, United States Probation Officer, United States Probation Office-District of Kansas Amy Crouch, Vice President, Director of Financial Reporting, Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka Dan Decker, Assistant Director of Employment Services, State of Kansas Department for Children and Families Michelle De La Isla, Diversity and Inclusion Representative, Westar Energy Matt Deutsch, Director, Berberich Trahan & Co. Angela Duncan, Director, Student One Stop, Washburn University Pam Evans, Director of Marketing & Development, Family Service & Guidance Center Michael Gleason, Director, Leadership Institute, Washburn University Damon Gomez, Senior Group Manager, Bartlett & West, Inc. Holly Graves, Director, Internal Sales and Customer Service, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Megan Green, Accountant III, SE2, LLC Al Hammons, Jr., Vice President of Communications & Information Systems, United Way of Greater Topeka Lisa Jones, Director of Strategic Communications, Kansas Health Institute Kari Kearney, Business Banking Relationship Manager, US Bank Linda Kehres, Executive Director, Let’s Help, Inc. Joanna Lassley, Business Manager, Kansas Starbase Nickie Lee, Budget & Performance Manager, City of Topeka Scott McWilliams, Superintendent of Schools, Auburn-Washburn School District #437 Jeremiah Metsinger, Senior Pastor, South Knollwood Baptist Church Jeff Morris, Vice President, Project Manager, J.F. McGivern, Inc. John Ostenson, Lieutenant, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Mitchell Paige, Public Education Officer, City of Topeka Fire Department Robert Simmons, Police Officer/Sergeant, City of Topeka/Topeka Police Department Robbie Smith, Business Consultant, Blue Valley Telecommunications DBA Network Plus Jamie Stafford, Risk Manager, Key Staffing Joe Terick, Salesman, Propane Central Alice Weingartner, Regional Operations Director, GraceMed Health Clinic Kari Zimmerman, Volunteer Director, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
