The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce recently announced its Leadership Owensboro Class of 2025.
The program, now in its 43rd year, provides participants the opportunity to enhance leadership skills and develop professionally through civic engagement and collaborative leadership.
Cultivating Leaders
Leadership Owensboro is a talent development program focused on educating, engaging and empowering individuals through objectives such as:
- Improving the quality of life in the Greater Owensboro region by developing leaders.
- Identifying key individuals with demonstrated leadership qualities and concern for Owensboro’s future.
- Providing participants with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the Greater Owensboro community’s opportunities, needs, challenges and resources.
- Exposing participants to a wide variety of current local leaders and notable persons through various types of networking opportunities.
- Encouraging independent thinking, fresh perspectives and approaches.
- Empowering participants with relevant community issue knowledge and future possibilities for their engagement in leadership roles.
The Leadership Owensboro class meets monthly September through June with full day sessions on topics which include Economy and Innovation, Education, Healthcare, Local Government, Justice, Philanthropy, Arts and Culture, and Human Needs and Services.
Class members are immersed in community activities and exercises that provide a new and sometimes transformed point of view of Greater Owensboro.
“Leadership Owensboro continues its tradition as the Chamber’s proven talent development program” said Candance Castlen Brake, Chamber President and CEO. “The program continues to cultivate leaders and expose them to challenges and opportunities in our community. Each class inspires us with their drive and commitment to make Owensboro a better place.”
“The sessions offer unique perspectives of the inner workings of our community while encouraging diversity of thought, leadership development, and community engagement,” said Ashtin Warren, Chamber of Commerce Director of Talent Programs. “Leadership Owensboro allows class members to learn from each other, gain knowledge about relevant community issues, and even form lifelong friendships and connections.”
Class participants and their professional affiliation include:
- Stephanie Bertram — The BHG Realty
- Derek Blair — Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.
- Katie Case — Owensboro Health Regional Hospital
- Kevin Clark — Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.
- Captain Shannon Coomes — Daviess County Detention Center
- Brittany Cottoner — EM Ford
- Brittany Crabtree — Owensboro Municipal Utilities
- Blake Edge — Green River Area District Development
- Maddie Edwards — Daviess County Public Schools
- Lori Etheridge — Brescia University
- Donna Galloway — German American Bank
- Christa Gibson — Big Rivers Electric Corp.
- Kathy Griffin — Owensboro Health Healthpark
- Dr. Ryan Hall — Owensboro Community & Technical College
- Captain Duane Harper — Daviess County Sheriff’s Department
- Stephanie Higdon — Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.
- Iain Howard — Commonwealth Concrete Coatings, LLC
- Karyleen Irizarry — RiverValley Behavioral Health
- Gabby Jackson — Wendell Foster
- Gerrimy Keiffer — RiverValley Behavioral Health
- Lieutenant Jason Lee — Owensboro Police Department
- Harley Metcalf — Carpenters Union, Local 224
- Gil Mischel — Owensboro Health
- Chris Murphy — Fastek Services, LLC
- Christie Netherton — RiverValley Behavioral Health
- Charlotte Newton — Houchens Insurance Group
- Kendrea Nichols — Owensboro Riverport Authority
- Aaron Payne — Baird
- Rachel Ramsey — Owensboro Health Regional Hospital
- Captain/Deputy Fire Marshal Brian Roberts — Owensboro Fire Department
- Jana Russelburg — Big Rivers Electric Corp.
- Alicia Storm — Owensboro Public Schools
- Dustin Warren — Warren Farms
- Rhonda Welch — Daviess County Public Schools
- Megan Wiggins — UniFirst
For more information about Leadership Owensboro, visit chamber.owensboro.com/leadership-owensboro.
