Leadership Springfield Announces 2026-2027 Signature Class Participants
Leadership Springfield announces the selection of Signature Class 51 and Signature Class 52 for its 2026-2027 program year.
As Leadership Springfield’s flagship program, the Signature Class has equipped local leaders for 40 years with in-depth leadership development and community engagement opportunities. Participants take part in a robust curriculum that includes extensive personal and professional development through monthly, day-long deep-dive explorations of major industries and areas of the community through the lens of the Community Focus Project and strengths-based leadership training.
Signature Class participants are selected through an annual Board of Directors anonymous review process, and each application is evaluated using a scoring rubric. Each Leadership Springfield class is carefully selected to be inclusive of professional background, leadership experience, race, gender, and industry. Classes are representative of the community and include participants who represent large and small businesses, self-employed individuals, non-profits, and community volunteers. Participation is open to all individuals who live or work in the Springfield metropolitan area.
Carrie Richardson, Executive Director, stated, “Every year, the strength of our applicant pool reminds us how much talent exists in this community. Welcoming two new classes in our 40th anniversary year feels especially meaningful. More than 3,700 individuals have come through our programs and gone on to shape this community, and we are excited to see what this group of leaders will do with the connections and experiences ahead.”
Applications for the 2027-2028 Signature Class will open in January 2027. Those interested in applying for the Signature Class next year can complete this interest form to receive updates when the application goes live. Individuals interested in a non-competitive community leadership program can learn more about the two-day Leadership Springfield Access Class, offered several times a year to anyone in the community, at https://leadershipspringfield.org/programs/access-class/.
The class members for the fall of 2026 include:
Signature Class 51
- Alicia Allen – CoxHealth
- Brooke Ash – Community Partnership of the Ozarks
- Hunter Bartelt – Discovery Center of Springfield
- Sarah Becker – St. Louis Children’s at CoxHealth
-
Brenda Brandt – Barnabas Foundation
- Ben Buschjost – Ensight Solutions, a Division of Amprod LLC
- Jake Butcher – Pitt Technology Group
- Hayley Cobb – Leadership Springfield
- Ryan Cox – Great Southern Bank
- Jared Crawford – Phelps County Bank
- Darren Crowder – Southwest Baptist University
- Rebecca Curry – Forvis Mazars
- Anthony Davis – Springfield Police Department
- Amy Francis – Mercy
- Jake Gaugert – International Institute of Southwest Missouri
- Sarah Green – Ozarks Food Harvest
- Kevin Grundy – Springfield Police Department
- Joe Hadsall – Springfield Daily Citizen
- Kristi Harden – Amprod LLC
- Emily Harrington – CoxHealth
- Brett Hodges – Carnahan Evans PC
- Kortni Justice – Keep Supply
- Kris Keller – Multipli Credit Union
- Zane Kvasnicka – KPM CPAs & Advisors
- Catherine Luikart – Arvest Bank
- Kayla Maes – Commerce Trust
- Dr. Tom Masterson – Springfield Public Schools
- Amanda Ohlensehlen – City of Springfield
- Jacob Otto – Health Hub Clinic
- Katy Pattison – Springfield-Greene County Library
- Tracy Powell – Hotel Vandivort
-
Adam Prost – Kinetic Design + Development
-
Alex Roam – Mid Missouri Bank
- Kelli Roberts – Drury University
- Elizabeth Robertson – City Utilities of Springfield
- Sabrena Shipley – Abacus!
- Jessica Sobieralski – Springfield Police Department
-
Justin Stockam – Forvis Mazars
-
Luke Tilley – Positronic Industries
- Catherine Upp – Ozarks Tech
- Laura Vales – City of Springfield
- Alyssa Vance – OakStar Bank
- Brandon Wall – Nabholz
- Matt Williams – Simmons Bank
- Katie Young – Missouri State University
Signature Class 52
- Chris Abercrombie – Abacus!
- Jennifer Baltes – Drury University
- Tiffany Batdorf – Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
- Roman Bosovik – Amprod LLC
- Ryan Bowling – OMB Bank
- Devin Buehler – Mercy Springfield Communities
- Terry Campbell – Springfield Public Schools
- Cara Collins – Dake Wells Architecture
- Shane Cowger – Arvest Bank
- Jessie Daugherty – Missouri Foundation for Health
- Adam Edmonds – CoxHealth
- Jordan Ellis – Central Trust Company
- Kam Evans – Nabholz
- Ashley Finley – Nixa Public Schools
- Rachel Fortenberry – Fortified Elder Law
- Emily Friggle – Barnabas Foundation
- Olivia Grellner – Ozark Empire Fairgrounds & Event Center
- Lisa Ham – Community Foundation of the Ozarks
-
Sandi Haustein – Gillioz Theatre
-
Kacy Irby – CoxHealth
- Kate Knox – CoxHealth
- Gordon Lane – Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance
- Brandon Lentz – Missouri State University
-
Justin Lloyd – Springfield Police Department
-
Amy Maas – The Child Advocacy Center
- Deziree Marsh – Peaceful Stones Plaza
- Amanda Mays – Brightli
- Jeff Mueller – Toth & Associates
- Dr. Daniel Nguyen – Mercy
- Jenny Perkins – Springfield-Greene County Park Board
- Jamie Presley – City Utilities of Springfield
- Tonya Raines – Impact Hatchery
- Chad Ray – Springfield-Branson National Airport
- Emily Reese – Forvis Mazars
- Zion Riffe-Stevens – Drew Lewis Foundation
- Ericka Schmeeckle – City of Springfield
- Marah Schreiber – The Arc of the Ozarks
- Sheldon Slinkard – Wellspring School of Allied Health
- Randall Stevens – City of Springfield Public Works
- Sam Timmerman – The Melody Room
- Michelle Vega – Counseling Associates of the Four States
- Landon Vinson – Ozarks Tech
- Lindsey Wheatley – Ozarks Lyric Opera
- Connie Yen – Greene County
- Veronica Zeigler – Springfield Police Department
