Leadership Greater Topeka Nominations Welcome Now for 2013 Class

Nominations and application deadlines for the 2012 Leadership Greater Topeka program are now past. 

Any individual may nominate themselves for the program, or another individual who might benefit from the program—just use our nomination form. Nominations for the 2013 Leadership Greater Topeka class will be accepted anytime.  Letters requesting nominations for the 2013 class will be mailed in early September 2012 to Chamber members, community civic groups, churches, media outlets, LGT alumni and elected officials throughout Shawnee County.

For additional information email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call her at 785.234.2644.

Leadership Greater Topeka brings together a broad cross section of both acknowledged and aspiring leaders from every corner of the community for an annual community leadership training course.

For the Greater Topeka area to grow and prosper, we need leaders from all backgrounds and vocations, who will wrestle with the challenges facing our community. The goals are to challenge and motivate traditional and non-traditional leaders by teaching 21st century leadership capacities through information, dialogue and hands-on experience so they are better prepared to strengthen and transform our community.

In place since 1984, Leadership Greater Topeka has more than 800 alumni with nearly 70% still living and active in the Topeka area. Leadership Greater Topeka alumni are challenged to apply their talents throughout the community in volunteer, appointed and elected positions.

Nominations and applications for the program are accepted each fall with the new class announced prior to year end. The course is offered beginning in late January and runs until mid-May with a two-day retreat and seven daylong sessions, primarily on Fridays.

The sessions cover key community concerns in the areas of quality of life, government, crime, business and economic development, community services, education, health care and the media. Woven throughout the program are concepts of:

• 21st Century Leadership Skills: learning styles, change, collaboration, consensus, facilitation, visioning and steps to a learning community.
• Community Trusteeship: working for the common good of the whole community.
• Servant Leadership: the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead... to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are served.

Important Dates for 2012 Leadership Greater Topeka Program

Nomination Deadline: Friday, September 30, 2011
Application Deadline: 3:00 p.m., Friday, October 7, 2011
Conversations with Alumni (scheduled individually): October 31-November 1, 2011
Selection Announcement: Friday, December 9, 2011

The locations will be announced in early 2012. 
Participant Orientation: Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Two-Day Retreat: Thursday, February 9, 2012, 10 a.m.-9:00 p.m.;
                               Friday, February 10, 2010, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 
Session #1: Friday, February 17, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 
Session #2: Friday, March 2, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 
Session #3: Friday, March 16, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Session #4: Friday, March 30, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Session #5: Friday, April 13, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Session #6: Friday, April 20, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Session #7: Friday, May 4, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Graduation/Alumni Luncheon: Friday, May 11, 2012, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

2012 Leadership Greater Topeka Class

Thirty-eight individuals from Topeka and Shawnee County will participate in the 2012 Leadership Greater Topeka program. Leadership Greater Topeka, a program of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce since 1984, identifies outstanding potential leaders from various components of the community. There are more than 830 alumni of the program.

Members of the 2012 class are:

Kevin Beck, Vice President & Project Manager, Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineers, P.A.

Kurt Bossert, CFO, Brookfield Plaza LLC

Kurtisha Brister, Student, Highland Park High School

Blake Bryant, Senior Fellow, Washburn University Leadership Institute

Blessitt "Shawn" Bryant, Social Interaction & New Media Technology Specialist, State of Kansas - Kansas African American Affairs Commission

Mary Christopher, Associate Attorney, Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds & Palmer, LLP

Erika Cozadd, Section Manager III, Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Theresa Dodson, Director, HR Operations, Westar Energy

Brie Engelken, Account Manager, jones huyett Partners

Jeremy Goodwin, Chief Meteorologist, WIBW Channels

Bryan Hall, Helpdesk Supervisor, Stormont-Vail HealthCare, Inc.

Stephanie Hall, Red Carpet/Talking Books Manager, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

Kathleen Hein, Business Development Manager, Premier Employment Solutions

Greg Herrs, se2 Controller, se2/Security Benefit

Joseph Hodgson, Health and Wellness Director, YMCA of Topeka

Christopher "Scott" Hughes, Vice President, Silver Lake Bank

Brendan Jensen, Lead System Engineer, LAMP Development, LLC

Adam Kinsinger, Student, Topeka West High School

Jennifer Kirmse, Vice President Business Development, Educational Credit Union

Michael Kolbek, Criminal Investigations Division Commander, Shawnee County Sheriff's Office

Richard Liedtke, Executive Director, Enrollment Management, Washburn University

Nancy McKenzie, Associate Product Manager, Prescription Diet Marketing, Hill's Pet Nutrition

Collins "Troy" Mitchell, Vice President Business Development, Fidelity State Bank & Trust, Co.

Ryan "Mo" Mohwinkle, Agent, State Farm Insurance

Nathan Morris, Vice President, Midwest Coating, Inc.

Gina Nellis, Owner, UPS Stores of Topeka;

Jami Nichols, Corporate Development Manager, Valeo Behavioral Health Care

Erin Nolte, Manager of Underwritten Business Claims and Data Capture, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas

Emmanuel Opoku, Student, Highland Park High School

Christopher Palmer, Commercial Real Estate Agent/Business Broker, KS Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc.

Capri Sales, Student, Topeka High School

Kathleen Smith, Executive Director, ARTSConnect Topeka

Jennifer Sourk, Attorney, Kansas Insurance Department

Julie Swift, Owner/Periodontist, Topeka Periodontics, PA

Cassandra Taylor, Project Manager & Designer, Architect One

Scott Uhl, Senior Project Manager/Vice President, Bartlett & West

Donna Verdejo, Kansas District Manager, Vice President, U.S. Bank, N.A.

Sandra Warren, Vice President Operations, Easter Seals Capper Foundation

2013 Leadership Greater Topeka Nomination Form

I, or our organization, would like to nominate the following individual to participate in this program. (It is acceptable to nominate yourself.) TO ENSURE THE NOMINEE RECEIVES HIS/HER APPLICATION, COMPLETE ALL INFORMATION BELOW. Nominee Information Title * --Select One-- Mr. Ms. Mrs. Dr. Name * Firm or Organization (if applicable) High School Student * Yes No Address 1 * Address 2 City * State * Zip * Email address * Phone * I, or we, understand that an application and informational literature will be sent to the above individual for review and consideration. Nominator Information Same as Nominee Name Firm, Agency or Organization Address 1 Address 2 City State Zip Email address * Phone Type the characters you see in the picture below