Meet the 2019-2020 Class of Leadership St. Louis

Becky RasmussenNews

FOCUS St. Louis has selected 59 outstanding individuals from the private, public and nonprofit sectors for the 44th Leadership St. Louis (LSL) class. These participants join a prestigious group of more than 2,000 leaders who have graduated from the LSL program since its inception in 1976.

Leadership St. Louis is a highly respected program for established and emerging leaders who have demonstrated a deep commitment to improving the St. Louis region. The 9-month curriculum explores such issues as economic development, racial equity, education, poverty and social services, arts and culture, and the criminal justice system. Participants visit key sites in the bi-state region, engage in face-to-face dialogue with regional decision makers and gain a deeper understanding of leadership approaches that produce results.

“We are excited to welcome this talented and diverse group of participants into our next class of Leadership St. Louis.” said Yemi Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D., President & CEO of FOCUS St. Louis and Director of the Leadership St. Louis program. “Over the next year, they will gain a better understanding of St. Louis’ civic landscape by exploring the issues, institutions and systems shaping it.”

Leadership St. Louis is one of six leadership programs offered by FOCUS St. Louis to achieve its mission of educating and connecting leaders to work cooperatively for a thriving St. Louis region. Find your FOCUS program today.

2019-20 Leadership St. Louis Class

Diego Abente
Vice President of Economic Development
International Institute of St. Louis

Katie Adastra
Executive Director – Growth + Strategy
North Highland

Barb Anderson-Kerlin
Principal / Sr. Project Manager
HOK

Laura Arnold
Councilmember
City of Webster Groves

Nicholas Ayling
Investor
Azuka Capital Investments

Dana Ballinger
Director – Case Management/Population Health
BJC/Christian Hospital

Lashanda R. Barnes
Vice President, Business Control
Citi

Mike Booker
Corporate Talent Development Manager
Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

Billy Brennan
Director of Public Relations and Government Affairs
Saint Louis Zoo

Derrick Brooks
Senior Vice President, Consumer Business Digital Strategy Leader
Commerce Bank

Sandy Brooks
Executive Director
St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce

Amita D. Chinnadurai
Vice President, Risk Management & Business Controls
Wells Fargo Advisors

Justen Coleman
Senior Manager of Business Development
Centene Corporation

Ronald R. Coleman
Neighborhood Improvement Specialist
City of St. Louis

Lucrecia “Lucky” Cordoń-Springer
Controller
Twain Financial Partners

Bill Davis
Director, Energy Solutions
Ameren Missouri

Donna L. Davis
Chief, Strategy and Policy Analysis (TCJ6)
U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

Amber Donnelly
Vice President of Early Childhood & Parenting Initiatives
ARCHS

Julie Desloge Dubray
Co-owner
Goodnight St. Louis/Skip to My Lou, LLC

Jessica Erfling
CEO
Covenant House Missouri

Julie Fickas
Interim Campus President and Chief Academic Officer
St. Louis Community College-Forest Park

Shawntelle L. Fisher
Founder/CEO
The SoulFisher Ministries

Major Alison Freiman
Operations Flight Commander
Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

Kim Gamel
Owner
Contained Beauty

Zellipah Githui
Entrepreneur

Sam Gladney
Attorney
Gladney Law Group, LLC

Lynn Grimshaw Maitz
Organizational Development/Human Resources
Saint Louis University

Jacob R. Gutshall
Director
Walker Scottish Rite Clinic at Maryville University

Lena Haas
General Partner
Edward Jones

Darren Hillis
Director of Pharmacy
SSM Health DePaul Ministry

Jackie Janus
Senior Vice President and Partner
FleishmanHillard

Janelle Jenkins
COO
KIPP St. Louis Public Schools

Tiffany Lacy Clark
VP of Clinical Operations
Places for People, Inc.

Chris Langhorne
Director, Strategic Planning-Global Strategic Business Unit
Nestle Purina PetCare

Mark Lawson
Director of Treasury Management
Enterprise Bank & Trust

Yvette LeGear Hartsfield
Managing Director of Development
Missouri Historical Society

Lisa Liebschutz
Director, Marketing & Communications
Stern Brothers

Carson Maricle
Officer
Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.

Gayle L. Mercier
Vice Chair Real Estate Practice Group
Thompson Coburn LLP

Xanthe Meyer
Parkway Spark! Program Director
Parkway School District

Anthony Meyers
Pastor – Community Development
The Crossing

Jenna Mihm
Vice President and Associate General Counsel
Ascension

Dr. Miranda Ming
Associate Principal
Jennings High School

Dr. Kim Morton
Director, TRiO: Student Support Services/Manager of Operations
Washington University in St. Louis

Jessica Niehaus
Technical Project Manager
Mission Matters Group

Peter Palermo
Executive Director
The Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries

Jason Dale Pierce
Architectural Discipline Director
JACOBS

Julie Pole
Executive Director
Food Outreach

Kianna Reed
Chief of Staff
Object Computing (OCI)

Matt Schindler
Executive Director
Gateway Greening

Christopher J. Schmidt
Partner
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

Yusef Scoggin
Director – Office of Family & Community Services
Saint Louis County Department of Human Services

Tasha Scott-Wagoner
Sr. Diversity Advisor
Express Scripts

Jason Shinn
CIO
Enterprise Bank & Trust

Kama Tate Gregory
Chief Development Officer
Marygrove

Vish Tripathi
Client Engagement Director
Daugherty Business Solutions

Diana Wittig
Principal
Edward Jones

Jim Wright
Director of Public Works
City of St. Charles