Home » 62 leaders selected for the Leadership Louisville Class of 2023

62 leaders selected for the Leadership Louisville Class of 2023

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Leadership Louisville Center has selected the Leadership Louisville Class of 2023 — the 44th class of the Center’s signature program for established community leaders.

Since 1979, Leadership Louisville has ensured that the community’s most influential and esteemed leaders are knowledgeable about issues, well-networked, and passionate about the success of the region.  These talented leaders will spend ten months immersed in an active learning experience, diving into our community’s history, assets and challenges, emerging ready to create positive change alongside a network of fellow influencers and decision-makers.

Armed with new knowledge, connections, and perspectives, Leadership Louisville graduates are prepared to take their places as effective community leaders. See a list of over 40 years of Leadership Louisville graduates.

The 2023 Class includes leaders from the highest levels of organizations of all kinds, from all sectors. It also includes the first recipient of the Charles F. Herd Scholarship, recently created in memory of Charles F. Herd, a dedicated community leader and one of the founders of the Leadership Louisville Center. Lieutenant Colonel (Promotable) Kirk Duncan, Special Forces Branch Chief of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, is the first recipient of the scholarship, designated for an outstanding public servant who demonstrates service to God, service to the country through honorable military service, and a desire to enhance the regional community.

The Leadership Louisville program is planned to begin in July 2022 and run through May 2023.

The sixty-two members of the Leadership Louisville Class of 2023 are: 

Shane Allgeier, Chief Operating Officer, HJI Supply Chain Solutions

Whitney Austin, Executive Director, Whitney/Strong

Kayla Batts, Director, Compensation and Workforce Analytics, Baptist Health

Brandon Bell, CEO, Bell Restaurant Group

Shaun Bishop, Senior Director Human Resources, Derby City Gaming

Maurice Brown, Vice President of Human Resources, American Printing House for the Blind

Bob Bumann, Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer, First Savings Bank

BJ Bunton, Executive Administrator, Jefferson County Public Schools

Kristen Byrd, Regional President, PNC Bank

Brittany Capito, Vice President, Chief of Staff, Heaven Hill Brands

Cynthia Clemons, Vice President, Finance & Administration, University of Louisville & Vice Dean for Finance, School of Medicine, HSC

Michelle Coomes, Senior Director, HR Operations, GE Appliances, a Haier company

Diane Courington, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Bellarmine University

Joanie Duckworth, Director, FORVIS

LTC/P Kirk Duncan, Special Forces Branch Chief, U.S. Army Human Resources Command

Emilie Dyer, Executive Director, Americana Community Center

Marc Ellis, Assistant Director, Procurement Diversity and Inclusion Program, University of Louisville

Rev. Dr. Trey Flowers, Senior Minister, Beargrass Christian Church

Clif Freeman, Managing Partner, Vaco

Katie Fussenegger, Vice President, Kentucky Derby Museum

Vanessa Garrett, System Vice President Compliance & Audit, Norton Healthcare

Karri Gerdemann, Executive Director, Pillar (formerly Apple Patch)

Kimberly Halbauer, Regional President – Kentucky, Fifth Third Bank

Vitale Buford Hardin, CEO, The Hardin Group

Melissa Hayden, Psy.D., Senior VP Behavioral Health, Home of the Innocents

Jennifer Hayes, Vice President of Operations, Boys & Girls Club of Kentuckiana

Lauren Hays, Chief Executive Officer, Day Spring

Caroline Roberts Heine, Chief Advancement Officer, Spalding University

Lauren Hitron, Director of the Jean Frazier Leadership Institute, Sacred Heart Schools

Ann Marie Holas-Dryps, System VP, Heart and Vascular, Norton Healthcare

Jenny Howard, Public Relations Supervisor, Bandy Carroll Hellige

Dodie Howlett, Vice President of Marketing & Creative Strategy, Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc.

Kristy Inmon, Business Development Director, Miranda Construction, LLC

Swannie Jett, DrPH, CEO, Park DuValle Community Health Center

Jenny Johnston, Vice President, PRG Commercial Property Advisors

Mina Kim, Vice President, Region Managing Director, Brown-Forman Corporation

Aleshea Martin, Director, Clinical Program Strategies, Humana Inc.

Ra’Shann Martin, Executive Director, St. John Center

Clint Mattingly, Project Manager, Calhoun Construction Services Inc.

Peter McCormick, President, McCormick Construction & Development, Inc.

Melanie McCoy, Member/Attorney, Frost Brown Todd LLC

Amy Meredith, Executive Director, Uniting Parnters (UP) for Women and Children

Jess Metzmeier, Ph.D., Government, Community & Strategic Partnership Officer, Bellarmine University

Chuck Millhollan, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer, Farm Credit Mid-America | Rural 1st

Max Monahan, Director of Home Repair, New Directions Housing Corporation

Matthew Palmer-Ball, Partner, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP

Lisa Powell, Chief Program Officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana

Patricia Purcell, M.D., GLMS President-Elect, Greater Louisville Medical Society

Javan Reed, Ph.D. (c), Vice President of Academic Affairs, Simmons College of Kentucky

Jodell Ford Renn, Director of Internal Audit, Jefferson County Public Schools

Eric Scott, Managing Director – Tax Services, EY

Karen Shadle, Director of Worship, Archdiocese of Louisville

Tom Sims, Senior Vice President, CBRE

Christopher Sizemore, Regional Vice President of Operations, Baptist Health

Ashley Smith, Director of Development, Waterfront Park

Monica Stewart, Director of Operations, AMPED Louisville

Emily Tarquin, Artistic Producer & Employee Advocate, Actors Theatre of Louisville

Kellie Stallard Watson, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Louisville MSD

Amy Weisenbarger, Marketing Director, Humana Inc.

Brandi Sweeney West, VP, Consumer Innovation, AdventHealth

Curt White, Director of Admissions, Saint Xavier High School

Kimberly Williams, Director of Sales, WHAS 11

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