Kansas Emerging Leaders (KEL) was created by Leadership Kansas for young people from age 22-32 based on feedback from alumni. The KEL program will be hybrid with four in-person stops across the state and four virtual sessions, including leadership skills training through our partnership with the Kansas Leadership Center.
Kansas Emerging Leaders
Unleashing the potential
Kansas Emerging Leaders (KEL) was created by Leadership Kansas for young people from age 22-32 based on feedback from alumni. The KEL program will be hybrid with four in-person stops across the state and four virtual sessions, including leadership skills training through our partnership with the Kansas Leadership Center.Each class will be limited to 20 participants. They will be co-mentored with the LK Class of the same year, and will be automatically nominated for LK after completion of the program. But not immediately. These young leaders will be required to take five years to hone their skills, get more involved in their communities, and make themselves competitive before being considered for the Leadership Kansas program.
The KEL program will have aspects of LK, but will not be the exact same experiences or have the same speakers as to not water down their future LK experience if they choose to pursue it later.
2021 Program Dates
Orientation – May 25: Noon to 2PM – Virtual – KEL 101
Session 1 – June 10-11: Noon to Noon – Southwest – Garden City
Session 2 – July 8: Noon to 4PM – Virtual – Flint Hills & Native Sons and Daughters
Session 3 – August 13: 8AM to 8PM – Kansas City Metro
Session 4 – September 10: Noon to 4PM – Virtual – South Central
Session 5 – October 8: 8AM to 4PM – Government – Topeka
Session 6 – November 12: Noon to 4PM – Virtual – Northwest and Southeast Kansas
Session 7 – December 3: 8PM to 8PM – North Central & Graduation – McPherson, Lindsborg, Salina
Download the schedule here.
Nomination Process
Nomination forms are sent to local and statewide groups, associations, Chamber members, elected officials and individuals. Persons not receiving nomination information are encouraged to submit the online nomination form to self-nominate or nominate other qualified persons.
Nominations for the 2021 Class have now closed. You can click here to nominated a young leader for the 2022 KEL program.
Kansas Emerging Leaders Board of Advisors:
- Jenifer Sanderson, KEL Board of Advisors Chair
- Paige Reese, Chair of KEL Nominating Committee
- Vishal Adma, Representative of Asian American Chamber of Commerce
- Christal Watson – Exec Dir of KCK Schools Fnd, Past Chair Heritage Black Chamber of Comm.
- Carlos Gomez, Representative of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Jackson Granstaff, Lockton Industries
- Diana Greenberg, Enduralock – LK’s youngest ever participant
- Annika Wooten, Miss Kansas 2020-2021
- Patrick Crossland, Crossland Construction
- Ron Thornburgh, NIC
- Stan Rasmussen, US Army/Chair of LK Board of Advisors
- Ed O’Malley, Kansas Leadership Center
- Alan Cobb, Kansas Chamber
Thank you to our KEL Sponsors
