Kansas Chamber Announces 2019 Leadership Kansas Class
"The Kansas Chamber is excited to welcome the newest Leadership Kansas class. As one of the oldest and most prestigious statewide leadership programs in the country, Leadership Kansas has a long history of fostering greater awareness and understanding of statewide economic, business and political issues. The program helps develop our state leaders to make Kansas a stronger and more vibrant business engine." said Kansas Chamber President & CEO Alan Cobb.
This year, Leadership Kansas received more than 600 nominations for the program. After a thorough and thoughtful application and selection process, the selection committee chose 40 individuals for the 2019 class. The committee and the Leadership Kansas Board of Trustees make every effort to ensure the class reflects the state in regards to geographic, ethnic, occupational, and gender diversity.
The 2019 program begins in late April with an orientation session in Lawrence and ends with graduation after the completion of the Topeka session in October. The host cities for this year's program are Garden City, KC Metro, Goodland/Colby, Pittsburg, South Central Kansas and Manhattan/Topeka.
Throughout the six-month program, the class interacts with a variety of experts and community leaders through three-day educational training sessions in different communities across the state. The diverse discussion topics include business, education, agriculture, public policy, societal health, economic development and government.
"Participants in the Leadership Kansas program contribute their unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to the LK program, and gain a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet the business and government leaders of Kansas, who help them be better leaders in their businesses and communities," said Mark Werner, LK Board of Trustees Chairman (Class of 1991)
Leadership Kansas has more than 1,400 alumni. John Federico (Class of '97) serves as the Executive Director of the Leadership Kansas Program.
2019 Leadership Kansas Class:
Wayne Burke
Spring Hill USD 230
Superintendent
DeAngela Burns-Wallace
University of Kansas
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies
Jean Clifford
Kansas State Board of Education
District 5 Representative
Joe Dellasega
U.S. Awards
President
Dondi Dix
Dairy Farmers of America
VP of HR, Talent & Organizational Development
Nathan Ebert
BG Products, Inc.
Chief Business & Strategy Officer
Mickey Edwards
Kansas CASA Association
State Director
Justin Elkouri
Murfin, Inc.
Business Development & Legal Advisor
Jeff Elliott
T-Mobile USA
Site Director
Blake Flanders
Kansas Board of Regents
President & CEO
Matt Godinez
Chanute Regional Development Authority
Executive Director
Chris Hearne
Textron Aviation
VP - Product Support
Pam Henderson
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran
District Director
Chris Hill
Kansas Air National Refueling Wing
Comptroller Flight Commander
Joe Kiefer
Cox Business
Director of Sales
Scott Kimzey
McCownGordon Construction
Director of Estimating
Andrea Krauss
John O. Farmer, Inc.
Controller / Secretary / Treasurer
Zak Kuhlmann
University of Kansas Medicine - Wichita
Physician / Residency Program Director
Laura Maag Lutz
Westar Energy
Government Affairs Manager
Malissa Martin
Communities in Schools of Mid-America, Inc.
President & CEO
Allie Medina
City of Garden City
Human Resources Director
Stacy Mill
Spirit Aerosystems, Inc.
CISO, VP of Global Compliance
Mike Miller
Advisors Excel / Go Modern
COO / CEO
Amber Nickel
Pawsh Wash & Pet Health Market
Co-owner
Tracy O’Rourke
Stormont Vail Health
SVP & Chief Strategy Officer
Robert Owens
CrossFirst Bank
Managing Director - KC Commercial Bank
Fred Patton
Patton Law Office / State of Kansas
Attorney / State Representative
Cheryl Rios
Judicial Branch, 3rd Judicial District
Judge
Josh Roe
Kansas Corn
VP of Market Development
Dustin Roths
Diamond R Jewelry LLC / Ellis County Commission
Owner - CEO / Commissioner
Tony Schleich
Lawrence Paper Company
President
Jason Showalter
Northwest Kansas Technical College
Dean of Student Advancement
Amanda Stanley
League of Kansas Municipalities
General Counsel
Kelly Turssell
Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, McEntire & Jarboe, LLC
Of Counsel Attorney
Mick Urban
Kansas Gas Service
Government Affairs Director
Etta Walker
Etta L. Walker, Attorney at Law
Attorney / Owner
Peggy Ward
J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc,
President & CEO
Jacob Wayman
Wayman Consulting Group, LLC
Business Strategist / Founder
Katie Whisman
Kansas Bureau of Investigation
Executive Director
Brenden Wirth
Kansas Farm Bureau
District Administrator
