Home » New class selected for 2020-21 Leadership Lexington

New class selected for 2020-21 Leadership Lexington

Leadership Lexington
(Photo courtesy of Mark Mahan, Mahan Multimedia)

LEXINGTON, Ky. — For more than 40 years, Commerce Lexington Inc.’s Leadership Lexington program has been cultivating Lexington leaders, producing more than 1,600 graduates from this highly informative, educational and results-oriented leadership development program. Participants of the program have impacted our city in areas such as public art, childhood literacy, nutrition, healthy living, mentoring, financial literacy and more.

The Leadership Lexington Steering Committee is proud to announce the new class of Leadership Lexington for 2020-21, which includes individuals with varied backgrounds from a variety of segments of the Lexington community. The program provides people the opportunity to better understand our city and to prepare for the challenges it faces by meeting with and learning from today’s leaders.  Leadership Lexington is an educational opportunity that broadens perspectives and allows participants to gain increased understanding of community dynamics and public issues.


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Commerce Lexington Inc.’s Director of Leadership Development, Amy Stout, said, “Operating a leadership development program in the era of COVID-19 has resulted in important changes to protect the safety and well-being of those in the program, including a reduction of the class size to 25 participants to allow for plenty of social distancing capability and guidance prior to each day session for protocols based on Kentucky’s ‘Healthy at Work,’ CDC and Lexington Health Department recommendations. Despite the challenges COVID-19 presents, the Steering Committee is committed to fulfilling the mission of the program and delivering an exceptional learning experience for the participants whether through safe in-person activities or within a virtual capacity.”

The 2020-21 program presented by McBrayer PLLC will kick off with an orientation session at Boone Tavern Aug. 20-21. Then, beginning in September and through June, the class will meet in different locations around the area each month with a major program topic covered by knowledgeable speakers and panels, tours, group activities, demonstrations, and class discussions. Sessions will cover topics, such as media, government, education, public safety, economic development, arts, equine, diversity, health and human services, and leadership development.  Find out more on-line at www.leadershiplexington.com.

2020-21 Leadership Lexington class members:

Leidy Borges-Gonzalez, Community Action Council

Alice Bowen, Lexmark International, Inc.

Cynae Carter, Community Action Council

Lindsey Cheatham, Kismet Marketing

Trisha Clement-Montgomery, University of Kentucky

Sarah Deye, Keeneland Association

Megan George, Stites & Harbison, PLLC

Timothy Johnson, United Way of the Bluegrass

Kendriana Price, UK CAFÉ Office of Diversity

Clayton Roberts, Lexington Police Department

Andrea Schroeder, LG&E and KU Energy LLC

Brittany Scordo, Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office

Judy Simpson, Blue & Co.

Leslie Smart, CHI Saint Joseph Health Foundations

Maxwell D. Smith, Ward, Hocker & Thornton, PLLC

Paige Halpin Smith, Lexington Public Library

Erin Soard, Traditional Bank

Veda Stewart, Fayette County Public Schools

Tamika Tompoulidis, University of Kentucky

Chad Traylor, Lexington Fire Department

Shawn Umbrell, University of Kentucky

Eliza van Dissel, AU Associates

Michael Vatti, Lexmark International, Inc.

Kyle Virgin, McBrayer PLLC

Melody Westerfield, Fayette County Public Schools