FOCUS St. Louis has selected 59 outstanding individuals from the private, public and nonprofit sectors for the 49th Leadership St. Louis (LSL) class. These participants join a prestigious group of more than 2,700 leaders who have graduated from the LSL program since its inception in 1976.
Leadership St. Louis is a highly respected program for experienced leaders who have demonstrated a deep commitment to improving the St. Louis region. The immersive nine-month curriculum explores issues such as economic development, racial equity, education, criminal justice, health care, local government and more. Leadership St. Louis is designed to challenge participants’ thinking, expose them to new ideas and perspectives, and promote discussion, reflection and action. Many graduates describe the experience as “transformative,” arming them with the tools, resources and connections to lead more effectively in their personal, professional and civic roles.
“The need for collaborative leadership has never been greater in our region,” says Yemi Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D., President & CEO of FOCUS St. Louis and Director of the Leadership St. Louis program. “We’re excited to bring together this diverse group of leaders to gain a deeper understanding of St. Louis’ civic landscape by exploring the institutions and systems shaping it and leverage their collective strength and passion to address critical issues facing our region.”
Leadership St. Louis is part of the continuum of leadership programs offered by FOCUS St. Louis.
2024-25 Leadership St. Louis Class
Abdul-Kaba Abdullah
Executive Director
Park Central Development Corporation
Michael Adams
Vice President & Chief Actuary
Protective Asset Protection
Maurice Allen
Regional Community Development Relationship Manager
Midland States Bank
Lindsey Alt
Director, Leadership Development and the Institute for Leadership Excellence
Washington University in St. Louis
Jason Archer
Vice President, Business Development
St. Louis Economic Development Partnership
Sean Armstrong
Dean School of Continuing & Professional Studies
Washington University in St. Louis
Kathryn P. Banks
Associate Dean of Experiential Learning
Saint Louis University School of Law
BreAnne Maynard Best
Manager, Outreach and Engagement
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Candace Bingham
Director of Purchasing and Supplier Diversity
Saint Louis Zoo
Matt Burkemper
Director of Finance & Corporate Development
Commerce Bancshares, Inc.
Dr. Kristine Lee Callis-Duehl
Executive Director of Education
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Anne Marie Carroll
Director of Development
Veterans Community Project, St. Louis
Vanessa Cooksey
President & CEO
Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis
Adrienne Dawson
Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, NA & LATAM
MilliporeSigma
Natasha Dunwoody
Studio Lead | Project Architect
Jacobs
Jennifer Engeling
Principal
Edward Jones
Lathon C. Ferguson
Area Executive Director, Missouri
ALSAC / St. Jude
Latosha Fowlkes, LCSW
President & CEO
The Core Collective at Saint Vincent
Ta’Lisha Franklin
Center Director
Cornerstone Center for Early Learning
Dr. Marissa Hardwrict
Education Specialist / Training Navigator
Washington University in St. Louis
Reggie Hill
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Career Advancement
University of Missouri- St. Louis
Dr. Yu-Ting Hsu
Principal Scientist
MilliporeSigma
Cindy Hults
Senior Scrum Master
Edward Jones
Zasmine Johnson
Director Of Programs
Girls Inc. of St. Louis
Marius Johnson-Malone
Senior Director of Projects and Partnerships
Center for Civic Research and Innovation
Scott Kinley Jones II
Development Officer
Lift for Life Academy
Usha Kesavan
Growth Officer
MLO Law, LLC
Fatima Khan
Partner
Thompson Coburn LLP
Ashwini Kherdekar
LCSW, Owner
Paisley Advising and Consulting
Senior Advisor
Youth In Need
Emily Koenig
Executive Director
St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund
Monique Levy
Founder
Levy Consulting Co.
Dierre Littleton
Vice President of Equity
KIPP St. Louis Public Schools
Michelle McClay
Vice President, Chief Strategic Integration Officer
Ascension
Kathleen Navin
Senior Business Economist
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Joseph Neely
Partner
Behr, McCarter, Neely & Gabris, PC
Erika Nilles-Plumlee
Vice President, Human Resources
StoneBridge Senior Living
Crystal Officer
CEO
Beverly Farm Foundation
Angela Pancella
Mission Formation Coordinator
Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Province of Mid-North America
Patricia Parchmon
SVP/COO
St. Louis Community Credit Union
Colleen Polak
CEO
HOME WORKS!
Rachel Pourchot
Associate Director
BJC Behavioral Health
Rachel Powers
Partner, Communications and Coalitions
The Opportunity Trust
David Pradhan
Director Business Development
The Haskell Company
Sierhah Price
Principal
Marian Middle School
Dan Richter
Director of Volunteer Engagement & Service Learning
LifeWise StL
Alex Roberts
Senior Vice President
FleishmanHillard
Christopher Ryan
Director
STL.org & Once Films
Tayesha Schuldt
VP Associate Experience & Engagement
Enterprise Bank & Trust
Wes Seaton
President of Operations
KIPP St. Louis Public School
Adrienne Sharp
Managing Director of Communications
Missouri Historical Society
Tamara Sheffield
SVP- Finance and Administrative Services
Forest Park Forever
Arinola Solanke
Founder / CEO
MyEventsCoordinator Party Rentals
Laura Stallings
Director of Education
International Institute of St. Louis
Geoffrey Vaughn
Senior Associate | Architect
Mackey Mitchell Architects
Jeff Wade
Executive Director
Asian American Chamber of Commerce St. Louis
Scott Weindel
Principal
Edward Jones
Roy Whitley
Chief Operating Officer
Rx Outreach
Patrick Wilkins
Senior Operations Manager (STL5 Site Lead)
Amazon
Chelsey Winsor
Senior Audit Manager
Armanino, LLP