Leadership Kentucky Announces 2018 Class

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 7, 2018) – Leadership Kentucky, one of the oldest and most prestigious statewide leadership development programs in the United States, is proud to announce the members of the Leadership Kentucky Class of 2018.

Leadership Kentucky, a non-profit educational organization, brings together a select group of people who possess a broad variety of leadership abilities, career accomplishments, and volunteer activities, to gain insight into complex issues facing the state.

The program is made up of seven two-day sessions where participants gather to learn gain insight on the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its challenges and opportunities. Throughout the sessions, class members will meet with many of Kentucky’s current leaders and explore the state’s opportunities and resources.

The June through December program will bring the class across the state: Berea in June, Louisville in July, Paducah/Eddyville in August, Bowling Green/Fort Campbell in September, Pikeville in October, Frankfort/Lexington in November, and Northern Kentucky in December. The sessions will cover topics ranging from business and economic development, arts and tourism, natural resources and the environment, education and healthcare, agriculture, and government.

This year’s class includes 55 participants from across the state representing a variety of public and private sectors. Leadership Kentucky congratulates the below members:

• Jamie Ennis Bloyd – Fayette County – American Childhood Cancer Organization
• Tony Bonner – Fayette County – Dinsmore
• Joel Brashear – Leslie County – Hyden Citizens Bank
• Ron Bridges – Jefferson County – AARP Kentucky
• Anne Brooks – Jefferson County – PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Mike Buckentin – Logan County – Logan Aluminum
• Craig Carlson – Kenton County – BB&T
• Christopher Carney – Fayette County – University of Kentucky
• Nikki Carver – Jefferson County – Mercer Human Resources
• Jacqueline Coleman – Nelson County – Nelson County High School
• Keisha Deonarine – Oldham County – Passport Foundation
• Janna Estep Jordan – Madison County – Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky
• Shelley Fehrenbach – Fayette County – US Bank
• Sonja Feist-Price – Fayette County – University of Kentucky
• Sherri Forester – Edmonson County – Southcentral KY Community & Technical College
• Grant Gabbard – Madison County – The Allen Company, Inc.
• Jordan Gibson – Pike County – Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Bob Heil – Campbell County – KLH Engineers
• Erica Horn – Fayette County – Dean Dorton
• Melynda Jamison – Boyle County – Lexington Fayette Urban County Government
• Jason Jenkins – Christian County – Planters Bank Inc.
• Brian Jones – Grant County – C.K. Ash & Assoc. Inc.
• Patrick Keal – Boone County – Duke Energy
• Michael Keck – Pulaski County – Five Talents Financial Group
• Jennifer Kirchner – Boyle County – Danville Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Tonya Klinglesmith – Larue County – Monument Chemical
• Kevin Kyde – Fayette County – Anthem, Inc
• Muhammed Lasege – Jefferson County – Brown-Forman Corporation
• Craig Liechty – Grant County – Heritage Bank, Inc.
• Martha Mather – Jefferson County – Our Lady of Peace
• Kevin Middleton – Jefferson County – United Way of Kentucky, Inc.
• Robyn Miller – Fayette County – Kentucky League of Cities
• Scott Miller – Fayette County – Sturgill Turner Barker and Moloney, PLLC
• Shannon Montgomery – Jefferson County – LG&E and KU Energy
• Hilary Morgan – Franklin County – Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Jennifer NeSmith – Montgomery County – KY Health Center Network
• Matt Niehaus – Fayette County – McCarthy Strategic Solutions
• Christy Nuetzman – Clinton County – University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
• Carter Offutt – Bourbon County – Perfection Group, Inc.
• Rich Ornstein – Franklin County – Kentucky Association of Counties, Inc.
• Lorna Patches – Scott County – University of Kentucky
• Gaines Penn – Warren County – English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley
• Jason Rainey – Franklin County – Commonwealth of Kentucky, Cabinet for Economic Development
• Lori Ritchey-Baldwin – Kenton County – St. Elizabeth Healthcare
• London Roth – Jefferson County – Humana
• April Smith – Fayette County – Lexington Habitat for Humanity
• Liz Snodgrass – Livingston County – Livingston Hospital and Healthcare Services, Inc.
• Les Stapleton – Floyd County – City of Prestonsburg
• Tim Stark – Calloway County – The Murray Bank
• Les Thomas – Jefferson County – Brown-Forman Corporation
• Evelyn Thrasher – Warren County – Western Kentucky University
• Dawn Walker – Boone County – Republic Bank
• Burton Webb – Pike County – University of Pikeville
• Karen Wheeler – Franklin County – Beam Suntory
• Kent Wicker – Shelby County – Dressman Benzinger LaVelle psc

Nominations and applications for the Leadership Kentucky Class of 2019 will be available online at leadershipky.org in October. The Leadership Kentucky Foundation offers three unique programs: Leadership Kentucky, Elevate Kentucky (for young professionals), and New Executives to Kentucky, (for senior-level executives who have lived in the state for less than two years). For more information, please visit leadershipky.org.

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About Leadership Kentucky

Leadership Kentucky, created in 1984 as a non-profit educational organization, brings together a select group of people who possess a broad variety of leadership abilities, career accomplishments, and volunteer activities to gain insight into complex issues facing the state. Our goal is to prepare our participants to take an active role in advancing the state for the common good. By fostering understanding of how the state’s issues are interconnected, and by forging new relationships among community and regional leaders, Leadership Kentucky graduates bring a fresh and informed perspective to their communities and companies, serving as important participants in the unified effort to shape Kentucky’s future.