Leadership Kentucky Announces Elevate 2021 Class

 FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 24, 2021) – Leadership Kentucky is proud to announce the members of the Elevate Kentucky Class of 2021. Elevate Kentucky began in 2017 and has since provided young professionals with an in-depth personal and professional development program while fostering a better understanding of challenges facing our Commonwealth.

 The class participates in three sessions, taking place April through June, in Owensboro, Central Kentucky, and London. Class members will hear from thought-provoking Kentucky leaders, learn about issues and opportunities facing our state and gain insights about personal leadership abilities. Class members will also engage in panel discussions, participate in experiential learning opportunities, gain increased leadership skills, and receive both regional and statewide perspectives while traveling across Kentucky.

 “The most meaningful and lasting aspect of Elevate were the relationships I have formed with young professionals throughout the Commonwealth. In the digital age, we’re commonly asked to replace in-person experiences for remote communication, but nothing can ever replace an interpersonal connection. This program provided connection across geographical and economic sectors,” stated Sarah Schmitt, ELEVATE Class of 2017.

 Participants of the ELEVATE Kentucky program return to their companies with increased skills, knowledge, perspective, and a new statewide professional network. Millennial leaders are better prepared to be catalysts in their companies and communities to elevate Kentucky.

This year’s class includes 26 participants from across the state representing a variety of public and private sectors:

• Ben Apro – Lexington, KY - Perfection Group
• Kyle Brabender - Erlanger, KY - St. Elizabeth Healthcare
• Cara Brooks - Union, KY - Duke Energy
• Kaycee Bunch – Alvaton, KY - Barren River Area Development District (BRADD)
• Kyle Bunnell - Lexington, KY - Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
• Stephen Clatos – Frankfort, KY - CHI Saint Joseph Health Foundations
• Sawyer Coffey - Frankfort, KY - Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Don Combs – Pikeville, KY - Pikeville Medical Center
• Blake Edge - Owensboro, KY - Green River Area Development District
• Luke Ervin – Louisville, KY - Stites & Harbison, PLLC
• Erica Gabbard - Louisville, KY - University of Louisville, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Elizabeth Griffith – Owensboro, KY - Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation
• Melanie Hartzel - Foster, KY - Northern Kentucky University
• Amanda Mackin - Hopkinsville, KY - Planters Bank, Inc.
• Ian McHone - Lexington, KY - Joseph & Joseph + Bravura Architects
• Sarah Melson - Bowling Green, KY - Logan Aluminum
• Jaime Nebbitt - Versailles, KY - Kentucky Community & Technical College System
• Blake Perkins - Lakeside Park, KY - BB&T
• Aaron Poynter - Russell Springs, KY - South Central Kentucky Workforce Development Board and Cumberlands Workforce Development Board
• Clay Ratliff – Morehead, KY - Trace Creek Construction
• Kyle Spring - Lexington, KY - Beam Suntory
• April Stanley – Nicholasville, KY - Kentucky Community and Technical College System
• Nathan Vinson - Bowling Green, KY - English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP
• Will Weber – Newport, KY – Southbank Partners
• Jessica Wimsatt - Taylor Mill, KY - O'Hara, Taylor, Sloan & Cassidy
• Kyle Withers – Lexington, KY - Churchill McGee

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About Leadership Kentucky

Leadership Kentucky, created in 1984 as a non-profit educational organization, brings together a selected group of people that possess a broad variety of leadership abilities, career accomplishments, and volunteer activities to gain insight into complex issues facing the state. The Leadership Kentucky Foundation offers four unique programs: Leadership Kentucky, Elevate Kentucky (for young professionals), BRIGHT Kentucky (for Eastern Kentuckians) 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 or email lky@leadershipky.org