Missouri’s premier leadership program announces 2025 class

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry has selected 31 leaders from across the state to participate in the Leadership Missouri program. 

Founded in 1990, Leadership Missouri identifies current and emerging leaders with a focus on enhancing their leadership skills and deepening their knowledge of the state. On May 20, the 2025 class will convene in St. Louis for the first of seven, multi-day sessions in locations across Missouri. Each session will explore unique aspects of the state’s economy, infrastructure and political system, while participants are immersed in the culture of different communities across Missouri. In addition to visiting St. Louis, the 2025 class will spend time in Springfield, Kansas City, Hannibal, Jefferson City and Cape Girardeau, before concluding in the Lake of the Ozarks region in November.

The 31 leaders selected for the program represent a broad cross section of the state’s private industries and public sector employers.

Missouri Chamber President and CEO Kara Corches congratulated this year’s class on being selected and said she looks forward to seeing their growth over the next seven months.

“Missouri needs leaders who can work across industries and regions to unite our state,” Corches said. “That is exactly what Leadership Missouri provides, and it is the reason this program has remained vital in Missouri for 35 years.” 

2025 PARTICIPANTS

• Kelly Asbury, Missouri Small Business Development Center – State Fair Community College, Sedalia
• Julie Baker, Washington University, St. Louis
• Shashi Bhusban, Yash Technologies, St. Louis
• Becca Castro, UMKC Innovation Center – KCSourceLink, Kansas City
• Dana Chamblee, Accenture, St. Louis
• Ivory Clarke, Missouri Foundation for Health, St. Louis
• Jason Cole, Apex Accelerators, UMKC, Kansas City
• Andria Detel, Evergy, Kansas City
• Andrea Follett, Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Jefferson City
• Ryan Gray, H&R Block, Kansas City
• Natalie Hampton, Missouri AfterSchool Network, Columbia
• Jared Hankinson, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jefferson City
• Meghan Henderson, Missouri Health Care Association, Jefferson City
• Logan Hobbs, Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Jefferson City
• Jenny Jacobs, State Technical College of Missouri, Linn
• Maj. Ben Jones, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Jefferson City
• Steve Kadyk, Missouri American Water, St. Louis
• Sarah Kennedy, University of Missouri Extension, St. Louis
• Sal Maniaci, Missouri Partnership, Kansas City
• Megan Murray, Southeastern Missouri Area Health Education Center, Cape Girardeau
• Leah Norment, Missouri Department of Economic Development, Jefferson City
• Abbie Ogborn, City of Wright City, Wright City
• Jared Rasmussen, Olsson, Inc., Springfield
• Brandon Renaud, Missouri Public Utility Alliance, Columbia 
• Stacey Ross, Economic Development Council of St. Charles County, St. Charles
• Brian Sadler, Silver Dollar City Parks and Resorts, Branson
• Gunnar See, Husch Blackwell Strategies, Jefferson City
• Jon Shockley, Ameren Missouri, St. Louis
• Jason Spieckerman, Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, St. Louis
• Alex Stepanek, Advantage Capital, St. Louis
• Mark Stombaugh, Missouri Development Finance Board, Jefferson City