The 25th class of Leadership Northwest Missouri includes, from left to right: first row – Mike Hill, Jennie Thomson, Brooke Anderson, and Kaley Coulter; second row – Shelbie Alexander, Ashley Pittman, and LaTonya Williams; third row – Heather Hays, Morgan Jones, and Madalyn (Walker) Kapp; fourth row – Kim Surprise, Heather Miller-Ansley, Sharon Paxson, and Brittney Siddens; fifth row – Brooke Johnson, Stephanie True, and Lori Generaux; sixth row – Shadow Evans and Shane Anderson; and seventh row – Bubba Miller and Cheyenne Graff. (Submitted photo)

 

Twenty-one women and men make up the 2025 class of Leadership Northwest Missouri, an annual series of sessions that bring together existing and emerging leaders from throughout a 19-county region to discover and sharpen their leadership skills, explore regional issues, and build a network of contacts throughout northwest Missouri.

The 2025 class began with a two-day retreat, January 22 and 23, at Conception Abbey. The participants will gather monthly for day-long sessions in varied locations throughout the region. The series concludes with a July 11 graduation celebration in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Members of the 2025 class and the 14 counties they represent are: Andrew County – Madalyn (Walker) Kapp; Atchison County – Jennie Thomson and Stephanie True; Buchanan County – Shadow Evans, Lori Generaux, Bubba Miller, and LaTonya Williams; Carroll County – Shelbie Alexander and Ashley Pittman; Clinton County – Heather Miller-Ansley; Daviess and DeKalb Counties – Brooke Johnson; Gentry County – Brittney Siddens; Harrison County – Mike Hill; Holt County – Brooke Anderson and Shane Anderson; Linn County – Cheyenne Graff; Livingston County – Morgan Jones; Nodaway County – Kaley Coulter, Heather Hays, and Kim Surprise; and Worth County – Sharon Paxson.

Leadership Northwest Missouri has become the catalyst for identifying, training, and connecting the leaders of our region and is a pathway for effective leadership for generations to come. There is a deliberate focus on fostering a sense of ownership for the region – that we have interdependent roles and we depend on each other for the progress and success of northwest Missouri.