The board of directors for the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program has announced the members of the 2020-21 class. Members were introduced to one another during a ZOOM conference meeting August 27.
In the class introduction, Executive Director Jack Lindquist said, “The Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program is based in the north central Flint Hills and Kaw Valley. Over the past several years the area was the fastest growing region of our state. Given our current state-of-affairs during the COVID-19 Pandemic, we have never had more opportunity or greater need for well informed, collaborative, decisive leadership.
Each participant will learn more about the region and will meet the present and future leaders of surrounding communities. The 2020-21 Class members live within or work at Fort Riley, Geary, Riley and Pottawatomie Counties. They are:
Hope Barber -Manhattan, Management Program Analyst, USAG; Zach Bayless - Manhattan, Recreation Supervisor for Arts & Humanities, City of Manhattan Parks & Recreation; Tara Claussen - Manhattan, CEO / Director, Konza United Way; Kevin Dickerson - Riley, Facilities Director, Corvias Property Management; Paul Eichem - Wamego, Sales Coordinator, Purple Wave Auction; Aubrey Evans - Dwight, District Manager, Riley County Conservation District; Florence Ewing - Junction City, Leasing Consultant, Corvias; Fanny Fang - Manhattan, Owner/Partner, Asian Market LLC; Ben Fisher - Manhattan, Air Traffic Controller, DPTMS Air Traffic Control at USAG Fort Riley; Pamela Green Nealey - Manhattan, Director of Operations, Boys and Girls Club of Manhattan; Aaron Harrop - Manhattan, ASAP Program Manager, US Army DHR, Fort Riley; Julia Henning – Manhattan,
Medical Marketing and Outreach Specialist, HR Div., Irwin Arm Community Hospital, Fort Riley; Sarah Keatley -Wamego, Alumni Events and Affairs Coordinator, KSU College of Veterinary Medicine; Larry Maxwell – Manhattan; Assistant Inventory Coordinator, Corvias; Tammy Melton - Junction City, City Clerk, Junction City; Jeff Miller - Manhattan, Restaurant General Manager, McAlister's Deli; Tim Morgan - Chapman, Lead Physical Security Specialist, Directorate of Emergency Services, Fort Riley; Dawn Munger - Manhattan, Museum Curator of Collections, Riley County Historical Museum; Michael Solida- Wamego, Customer Solutions Manager, EVERGY; Mariah Wheaton - Junction City, Guest Experience Director, Rock Spring 4-H Center; Levi Whitebread - Junction City, Sergeant, Junction City/GE Co. Drug Operations Group, JC Police Department; Sharonté E. Williams – Junction City, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
Sessions for the selected class members are held throughout the region with Orientation beginning in Junction City in 3 weeks. The sessions follow every 3 weeks with graduation in February.
Manhattan Fire Department Deputy Chief and Board Chair Ryan Almes added, “The 2020-21 class experience will be different given the current pandemic restrictions. We will incorporate all recommendations from our Health Departments and follow their protocols. " Almes noted that sessions will be modified to meet safely practices. To help with distancing the class count has been ‘right sized’ to 22, a 27% reduction in the class size adopted over the past several years.