Home » Commerce Lexington names 44th Leadership Lexington class

Commerce Lexington names 44th Leadership Lexington class

Tyra Harbut, director of leadership development for Commerce Lexington, speaks during the Leadership Lexington Graduation event June 13, 2024. Photo by Mark Mahan Mahan Multimedia

LEXINGTON, Ky. — ​The Leadership Lexington Steering Committee is announcing a new class of Leadership Lexington for 2024-25 comprised of 50 individuals with varied backgrounds from a variety of segments of the Lexington community.

For more than four decades, Commerce Lexington’s Leadership Lexington program has been cultivating local leaders, producing more than 1,800 graduates from this highly informative, educational, and results-oriented leadership development program.

Participants of the program have impacted the region in areas such as public art, childhood literacy, business leadership, nutrition, healthy living, mentoring, financial literacy and more.

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.

“This group represents a broad range of industries and key sectors for our city, and we owe a sincere thank you to our Steering Committee for their hard work in selecting these outstanding individuals,” Tyra Harbut, Commerce Lexington’s director of leadership development. “I understand the significant impact each leadership class has on our community, and I am privileged to collaborate with our team at Commerce Lexington in supporting the development of these future leaders, and I can’t wait to see the incredible impact this class will make.”

2024-2025 Leadership Lexington Class:

Joe Anderson
Lieutenant – Bureau of Patrol
Lexington Police Department 

Rosie Green Ballinger
Interim Executive Director
Teach For America Appalachia

Gene Barber
Commercial Finance & Marketing Manager
R. J. Corman Railroad Group

Ryan Benjamin
Director of Campus Center and Event Services
Transylvania University

Tim Bickel
Healthcare Compliance
McGregor and Associates

Troy Black
Administrative Specialist
LFUCG

Amy Campbell
Owner
Amy Campbell Photography

Rachel Clark
Director of Employer Engagement
University of Kentucky

Ashlee Collins
Development Director
Lexington Children’s Theatre

AnnaMarie Cornett
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Lexington Public Library

Sydney DeLong
Community Relationship Manager
WLEX-TV

Brent Eisele
Attorney/Partner
Dentons

Tara Estes
Community Reentry Advocate
Mayor’s Office

Eamonn FitzGerald
Family/Community Early Childhood District Liaison
First 5 Lex /Fayette County Public Schools

Lesley Fluke
Central KY Regional President
Field & Main Bank

Melanie Franklin
Senior Manager, WW Hardware & Supplies Demand Planning and WW Annuities Financial Planning
Lexmark

Beverly Gamrat
Senior Construction Project Manager
Baptist Health System

Katie Glass
Member
Stites & Harbison, PLLC

Jonathan Hawley
Director – Retail Sales
NEOGEN

Lou Hirsch
Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky

Shermiah Holland
Owner
Peach Cobbler Factory

​Chance Hudnall
Audit Manager
Cherry Bekaert LLP

Maureen Malles
Attorney
Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney, PLLC

Josh McCurn
Director of Communications and Business Development
Haymaker Company

Rodney McFarland, Jr.
Lead Pastor
First Baptist Bracktown

Valerie Michael
Associate Attorney
McBrayer 

Angie Milton
Sr. VP Finance
Commerce Lexington

Prenell Mitchell
General Manager
Jostin Construction

Paige Montgomery
Corporate Communications Lead
Valvoline Inc.

Kay’mon Murrah
Community Arts Associate
LexArts Inc

Jeffrey Newcomb
Senior Manager, Rates and Regulatory
Kentucky American Water

Stephanie Niece
Nurse Manager of Heart Institute Short Stay and Cardiac Rehab
CHI Saint Joseph Health

Jaydan Norris
Executive Director
NAMI Kentucky

Leonel Ocasio
Program Manager, Multilingual Department
FCPS

Maria Oney
Assistant Chief
Lexington Fire Department

Kathryn Perry
Executive Director
Bluegrass Care Navigators

Steven Pickarski
Financial Services Manager
Kentucky League of Cities

Jyre Richardson
Founder/President
From Here to There

Ryessia Russell
Director of Gatton Honors Pathway Program
UK Gatton College of Business & Economics

Hannah Sawyer
Event Manager
Keeneland

Rachel Skinner
Business Outreach Coordinator
Bluegrass Greensource

Kristin Tarrence
Vice President/ Loan Officer
Traditional Bank

Adina Tatum
Executive Director
Northside Common Market

David Urekew
Plant Manager
Graham Packaging

Chris Van Brackel
Lieutenant
Lexington Division of Police

Zach White
Relationship Development Officer
Blue Grass Community Foundation

Kristopher Williams
IT Administrator
Estepp Energy

Jordan M. Wilson
Financial Advisor
Baird

Morgan Wilson
Director of Finance and Human Resources
Lexington Christian Academy

Trina Yack
Vice President/Branch Mgr./Lender
Community Trust Bank

The new class will kick off with an Orientation Retreat at Boone Tavern in Berea on August 1-2. Beginning in September and running 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 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.