FRANKFORT, Ky. — Leadership Kentucky has announced the members of the BRIGHT Kentucky Class of 2020.
BRIGHT Kentucky, which began in 2019, engages bright, entrepreneurial minds from various occupational sectors to offer non-partisan, ethical leadership training, expanded networks and mentors designed especially for residents of the 54 Kentucky counties of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The program is made possible by a $500,000 ARC grant and private funding from the Whitaker Foundation, SOAR, and others.
BRIGHT Kentucky is made up of five, three-day sessions where the major focal point is to help participants fully understand the local economic context and to build robust skill sets in communication, collaboration, consensus building, visioning and community engagement. The program, which runs July through November, will take participants across Eastern Kentucky: Somerset in July, Ashland in August, Berea/Frankfort in September, Pikeville in October, and Hazard in November. The program began last week in Somerset where the class heard from business leaders, visited Lake Cumberland, and networked with other participants.
This year’s class includes 41 participants from 30 different ARC counties representing a variety of public and private sectors. Leadership Kentucky congratulates the following members:
Sarah Adkins – Whitley County – University of the Cumberlands- Frank Baker – Leslie County – Hyden Citizens Bank
- Chelsea Ballard – Hart County – American Cave Conservation Association
- Adam Bowling – Bell County – Self-Employed – Small Business Owner
- Ben Carr – Montgomery County – Kentucky 4-H Foundation
- Crystal Cox – Pulaski County – United Way of South Central Kentucky
- Tyler Curran – Nicholas County – Kentucky Army National Guard
- Gene Detherage Jr. – Rowan County – The Fletcher Group
- Aaron Dockery – Pulaski County – City of Somerset
- Hanna Gabbard – Johnson County – Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR)
- Courtney Gillette – Boyd County – Boyd County Tourism and Convention Bureau
- Laura Gregory – Wolfe County – Kentucky Waterways Alliance
- Sara Hacker – Rowan County – Morehead State University
- Megan Haile – Monroe County – TJ Samson Community Hospital
- Jennifer Hall – Knott County – Alice Lloyd College
- Jenni Hampton – Pike County – Kentucky Career Center
- Tena Hunley – Magoffin County – McDonald’s Of East Kentucky
- Summer Jackson – Whitley County – University of the Cumberlands
- Mindy R. Johnson – Edmonson County – Western Kentucky University
- Kayla Jude – Martin County – Kentucky Career Center
- Patrick Lager – Montgomery County – Whitaker Bank Corp.
- Zach Lawrence – Perry County – Hazard-Perry County Economic Development Alliance
- Zachary Leftwich – Green County – Green County Board of Education
- Josh Little – Pike County – Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
- Caitlin Mason – Laurel County – Cumberland Valley Area Development District
- Aaron Montgomery – Greenup County – Addiction Recovery Care & Rise Above
- Courtney Oliver – Laurel County – Reppin2Recovery INC
- Andrew Owens – Bath County – Michael R. Gray Funeral Home, Owingsville
- Justin Pruitt – Boyd County – Boyd County Fiscal Court
- Jessica Ritchie – Breathitt County – Juniper Health, Inc.
- Jacob Roan – Bell County – City of Pineville
- Jonathan Shell – Garrard County – State Solutions LLC
- Dustin Stephens – McCreary County – East Ky Power Cooperative
- Jacob Taylor – Rockcastle County – Rockcastle Regional Hospital and Respiratory Care Center
- Erica Trammell – Harlan County – Appalachian Challenge Academy
- Gavin Tussey – Boyd County – Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 248
- JoAnn Vanzant – Lee County – Operation UNITE
- Tyler Ward – Letcher County – Jacobs+Ward
- A.J. Wilson – Hart County – Hart County Fiscal Court
- Elijah Wilson – Cumberland County – University of Kentucky
- Jennifer Wilson – Johnson County – Kentucky Cancer Program
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