Fifty-four women leaders selected for the Alice Houston Women’s Leadership Program

Fifty-four women leaders selected for the Alice Houston Women’s Leadership Program, the Leadership Louisville Center’s program for women leaders – Members named of the 2025 Elevate Women’s Leadership Council.

Fifty-four women leaders have been selected for the third cohort of the Leadership Louisville Center’s Alice Houston Women’s Leadership Program, presented by HJI Supply Chain Solutions. This half-year cohort experience was established in 2023 to help mid-level women leaders master the dual role of leading others and managing up. The curriculum – designed by women and taught by women – is centered around the Center’s Women’s Elevated Leadership Learning (WELL) Model. This model ensures participants come away Well-Grounded, Well-Voiced, Well-Connected, Well-Accomplished, and Well-Fueled. The Leadership Louisville Center is also proud to partner with Farm Credit Mid-America and Humana Inc. to present the program’s exclusive WELL curriculum. The program is named for esteemed female executive and community trustee, Alice Houston, co-founder/owner and former CEO of HJI Supply Chain Solutions.

Also being announced are the new members of the 2025 Elevate: A Women’s Leadership Council, a strategic advisory council of top-level women leaders who are guiding the Leadership Louisville Center as it continues to invest in women’s advancement. The participants of the Alice Houston Women’s Leadership Program will benefit from mentorship with these influential women leaders during the six-month program.

“We know that there is still work to be done in bridging the gender gap, but we believe that it starts with providing women with skills, confidence, and connections so they can be promoted into positions of power,” said Cynthia Knapek, president and CEO of Leadership Louisville Center. “After two successful classes, we’re excited to continue growing the Alice Houston Women’s Leadership Program to fifty-four talented women leaders from our community, furthering their strengths and abilities alongside a blend of diverse peers.”

Members of the 2025 Alice Houston Women’s Leadership Program are (click here to learn more):

• DeAndra Adams, Program Manager, Student Services, Blueprint502 (formerly YouthBuild Louisville)
• Laurie Baird, Partner, Cerity Partners
• Tricia Brackett, Head of Operations Food and Agribusiness, Farm Credit Mid-America
• Jennifer Bretnitz, VP, Senior Relationship Strategist, PNC Bank
• Kimberlee M. Butler, Senior Executive Assistant III, Baptist Health
• Erin Carter, IT Project Manager, Steris
• Michelle Champagne, Senior Manager, People & Culture (United States), SGS & Co.
• Melissa Cobb, Business Development, Signarama Downtown
• Brandie Coleman, Manager of Human Resources and Administration, Louisville Metro Government – Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods
• Laura Combs, Project Delivery Specialist, Deloitte
• Juanita La’Shay Cooper, Campus Director, Jefferson Community and Technical College
• Jacquelyn Jackson Craig, Vice President Child and Family Services, Seven Counties Services
• Brianna Crawford, Business Process Analyst, United Healthcare
• Shelby Fill, Senior Director, &well
• Leah Fulner, Director of Development, Shively Area Ministries
• Charna E Gaither, APRN, Owner/APRN, Sapphire Family Healthcare
• Sarah Gibson, Manager, Labor Relations, PPL Corporation
• Patti Grice Smith, Director, Stars Improvement, Humana Inc.
• Tiffany Harris, Chief Operating Officer, Maryhurst, Inc.
• Amelia Hensley, Engineering Director, Cooking Systems, GE Appliances, a Haier company
• Beckie Hoffman, Owner, Bluegrass Academy Child Care
• Mackenzie Hundley, Senior Director of Benefits and Compensation, Churchill Downs Incorporated
• Megan Frances Imel, Agency Owner, Megan Imel State Farm Agency
• Kristy Joyce Inmon, Director of Business Development, Miranda Construction, LLC
• Kandice Jackson, Manager of Marketing and Communications, South and Southeast Regions, Western Governors University
• Alicia Johnson, Senior Brand Manager, Brown-Forman Corporation
• Sara Kmack, Director, Customer Experience, Atria Senior Living
• Nichole Leachman, Director of Center for Housing & Financial Empowerment, Louisville Urban League
• Allison Ledford, System Director, Prevention & Wellness, Norton Healthcare
• Allyson Miller, Acquisition Integration Advisor, Humana Inc.
• Sydney Miller, Director of Community Based Services, Home of the Innocents
• Alice Morris, Employee Benefits Service Team Lead, Houchens Insurance Group
• Erin Mullins, Vice President, Human Resources, Louisville City FC | Racing Louisville FC
• Amy Nace-DeGonda, Program Director, Bakhita Empowerment Initiative, Catholic Charities of Louisville, Inc.
• Shenika Ofor, Communications Strategist and former Director of Communications, The Lewis Prize for Music
• Dorothy Owens, Director of Human Resources, American Printing House for the Blind
• Ashley M. Parrott, Vice President of Fund Development, Muhammad Ali Center
• Jenny Patterson, Chief Strategy Officer, Dean Dorton
• Laura Proctor, SVP, Director of Talent, Doe-Anderson
• Michelle Rodgers, Executive Administrator, Louisville Metro Government
• Yasira Ruiz, Senior People Operations, HJI Supply Chain Solutions
• Jacqueline Rust-Schmidt, Director of Plant Operations, Zeochem
• Crystal Ann Lauhon Sasse, CEO/Partner, Rooftech LLC
• Meagan Shaver, Regional Digital Sales Strategist, WDRB-TV
• Najeebah Shine, Chief Operating Officer, Park DuValle Community Health Center
• Scarlett Shine, Assistant Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager, Fifth Third Bank
• Megan Short, Assistant News Director, WHAS 11
• Abra Sickles, Director, Community Partnerships, Norton Healthcare
• Stephanie L. Smith, Blake Elementary School, Principal, Jefferson County Public Schools
• Megan Theisen, Director of Alumni Relations, Sacred Heart Schools
• Audra Upshaw, Sr Director VOA Community Clark & Floyd, Volunteers of America Mid-States
• Amanda Villaveces, Executive Director, Mental Health Louisville
• Becca Waits, AVP, HRIS & People Analytics, Trilogy Health Services LLC
• Milenia Ramirez-Waltrip, Executive Director, LUCE Latinos Unidos en el Camino a la Excelencia

ELEVATE: A WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

As the Leadership Louisville Center continues to invest in women’s issues through programming, in 2023 it launched a council comprised of top women leaders to provide counsel and support the up-and-coming participants in the Alice Houston Women’s Leadership Program. Elevate: A Women’s Leadership Council will unite and engage some of the city’s most generous and influential women to ensure that the generations following them are nurtured, inspired, and positioned for utmost success. Elevate membership will continually revolve, with new and renewing members each year. Their role will be to serve as a compass for the Center, providing meaningful impact for programming already in place and sparking new ideas and innovative recommendations for the future. Their participation supports scholarship funds that allow more women to participate in Leadership Louisville Center advancement opportunities.

2025 Members of Elevate: A Women’s Leadership Council:

• Christy Ames, EVP, General Counsel, Republic Bank & Trust Company
• Whitney Austin, Executive Director, Whitney/Strong
• Kim Baker, President & CEO, The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts
• Jill Joseph Bell, Retired Healthcare Executive
• Christen Boone, Managing Director, Institutional Asset Management for KY and TN, PNC Bank
• Kimberly Bunton, President, TKT & Associates Inc.
• Ashley Butler, Director, Lift A Life Foundation, Inc.
• Tiffany Cardwell, CEO, Cardwell Group Inc.
• Dr Debra Clary, Speaker and Author
• Toni Clem, Executive Coach, TLC Coaching
• Beth Clingaman, Vice President, Trilogy Health Services LLC
• Dr. Karen Cost, Chief of Immunology, CPA/Norton Healthcare
• Lisa DeJaco Crutcher, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of Louisville
• Kim Dickey, Vice President Human Resources – Gaming Operations, Churchill Downs Incorporated
• Ellen Donnarumma, President & CEO, Dismas Charities Inc
• Amber Duke, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union
• Cynthia Fanning, Vice President, GE Appliances, a Haier company
• Paula Garner, President and CEO, Maryhurst, Inc.
• Sharnika Glenn, Human Resources Manager, UPS Airlines
• Elaine Gravatte, Owner, The Leader’s Dance LLC
• Alisa Gray, President/CEO, Kentucky Humane Society
• Elisabeth Gray, Managing Partner, Gray Ice Higdon, PLLC
• Jennifer Green, Chief Legal Officer, Digital & Technology, Yum! Brands, Inc.
• Jessica Green, Judge, Jefferson District Court
• Kim Halbauer, Regional President – Kentucky, Fifth Third Bank
• Jennifer Hancock, President & CEO, Volunteers of America Mid-States
• Maggie Harlow, CEO, Signarama Downtown
• Schuyler Heuser, Director, Physician Relations, Norton Healthcare
• Emma Horn, Executive Director, KFC Foundation
• Keturah Jenkins, Associate Vice President – Clinical Shared Services, Humana Inc.
• Jackie Keating, Chief Development Officer, Dare to Care Food Bank
• Christine Koenig, Director, DMLO CPAs
• Carly Launius, Global Community Relations Manager, Brown-Forman Corporation
• Gretchen Leiterman, Chief Operating Officer, Baptist Health
• Annie Likins, Chief People Officer, Bamboo Health
• Jessica Loseke, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Midwest Barrel Co
• Tonya Lucas, Chief Financial Officer, Plumbers Supply Co
• Elizabeth Martin, President & CEO, The Center for Women and Families
• Martha Mather, Senior Consultant, Sheppard Pratt
• Tammy McClanahan, System VP, Hospital Based Clinics, Norton Healthcare
• Katherine McKune, General Counsel & VP of Enterprise Risk, Park Community Credit Union
• Tess McNair, Executive Director, C.E. and S. Foundation, Inc.
• Renee Murphy, Senior VP & Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Norton Healthcare
• Dayna Neumann, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, United Direct Solutions
• Tawanda Owsley, VP of Development, Hosparus Health
• Judie Parks, Principal Broker/ Owner, Director of Relocation and Business Development, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Parks & Weisberg Realtors
• Becky Phillips, Retired Partner, Not-For-Profit Services Team Leader
• Von Purdy, VP Advancement & Community Engagement, Simmons College of Kentucky
• Tracy Redmon, Financial Advisor, Limestone Wealth Advisors
• Mason Rummel, President & CEO, James Graham Brown Foundation
• Evon Smith, President/CEO, OneWest Corporation
• Devann Steele, Associate Vice President, Compensation, Humana Inc.
• Pattie Dale Tye, COO, Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC
• Heather Vidourek, Chief Administrative Officer, Farm Credit Mid-America
• Michelle Wells, Retired VP Finance & Information Technology
• Mary Gwen Wheeler, Chrysalis Ventures
• Chris Whelan, Vice President, Communications and Corporate Responsibility, LG&E and KU Energy
• Jill Wilcox, Market Executive, JPMorgan Chase
• Marita Willis, President, Community Ventures Corporation
• Nicole Yates, AVP, Growth & Community Engagement, Passport Health Plan by Molina Healthcare

About the Leadership Louisville Center

The Leadership Louisville Center is the region’s most valuable resource for leadership development and civic engagement. With a purpose to inspire and equip leaders to be better and do better, it has graduated over 15,000 through its programs since 1979. The Center is recognized as a national best practice and is known for its dynamic programming and strong community connections. Programming includes five social impact leadership programs (Leadership Louisville, Focus Louisville, Ignite Louisville, Bingham Fellows, and Encore Louisville), the Alice Houston Women’s Leadership Program, leadership skills training courses presented through partner brand LeadingBetter™, and events designed to connect leaders and motivate positive change.

Want to learn more?

Contact Sara Bowman, sbowman@leadershiplouisville.org