Among those selected by Leadership Kentucky for the BRIGHT Kentucky Class of 2022 is Jamie Gilliam, supervisor of Operation UNITE’s KY HELP Statewide Call Center.

UNITE has been involved with the BRIGHT Leadership initiative since its inception in 2019.

BRIGHT Kentucky engages bright, entrepreneurial minds from various occupational sectors to offer non-partisan, ethical leadership training, expanded networks, and mentors designed especially for residents of the 54 Kentucky counties of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The program is made possible by a $500,000 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant and private funding from Whitaker Bank Foundation, AEP Foundation/Kentucky Power, and other generous donors.

BRIGHT Kentucky is made up of five, three-day sessions where the primary goal is to help participants fully understand the local economic context and to build robust skill sets in communication, collaboration, consensus building, visioning, and community engagement. The program, which runs July through November, will take participants across Eastern Kentucky: Ashland in July, Cumberland County in August, Pineville/Bell County in September, Pikeville in October, and Berea and Frankfort in November. The program start date is July 13.

This year’s class includes 43 participants from 22 different ARC counties representing a variety of public and private sectors. Leadership Kentucky congratulates the following members:

  • Christie Abrams – Wolf County – Wolfe County Tourism Commission
  • Collin Alexander – Rowan County – AppHarvest
  • Jeremiah Banks – Laurel County – First Baptist Church of Corbin
  • Matthew Bertram – Wayne County – Conley Bottom Resort
  • Cynthia Bohon – Johnson County – Goodwill Industries of Kentucky
  • Rebecca Bray – Jackson County – RRJ Solutions
  • Dustin Burchett – Greenup County – City of Raceland
  • Annie Carter – Pike County – Pikeville Medical Center, Inc.
  • R.J. Conroy – Laurel County – University of the Cumberlands
  • Kari Cornett – Johnson County – Teach for America
  • Jacqueline Corum – Madison County – Brushy Fork Leadership Institute
  • Breonna Douglas – Perry County – Abbvie
  • Claudette Enriquez – Perry County – WYMT
  • Jessica Fyfe – Garrard County – Whitaker Bank
  • Sydney Holcombe – Whitley County – The Holler Creative, LLC.
  • Tiffany Hollon  – Breathitt County – Bluegrass Care Navigators
  • Evelyn Hudson – Breathitt County – Hazard Community & Technical College
  • Sam Keathley – Powell County – Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS)
  • Vanessa Keeton – Lawrence County – Addiction Recovery Care
  • Josh Kesler – Floyd County – Appalachian Wireless Arena
  • Adam Larkin – Laurel County – Gitt Apparel
  • Ashley Lopez – Lincoln County – Isaiah House Treatment Center
  • Jamie Maynard-Gilliam – Lawrence County – Operation UNITE
  • Sabrina McWhorter – Carter County – SOAR Shaping Our Appalachian Region
  • Jeremy Meece – Casey County – Tarter Farm & Ranch Equipment
  • Kaitlyn Miller – Perry County – Berea College Partners for Education
  • Dr. Bruce E. Mitchell II – Madison County – Eastern Kentucky University
  • Shelby Morrison – Boyd County – Greg Gibson Insurance & Financial Services
  • Tori Mouser – Whitley County – City of Corbin
  • Brianna Muncy – Lawrence County – Addiction Recovery Care
  • Scott Murphy – Lawrence County – Ramey-Estep Homes
  • Katlyn Nutter – Madison County – Barnes & Noble Education
  • Rikiyah Pryor – Pulaski County – Citizens Bank
  • Alison Pyles – Pulaski County – City of Burnside
  • Cole Raines – Harlan County – One Harlan County
  • TJ Rayhill – Casey County – Liberty Project
  • DJ Rymer – Boyd County – City of Ashland
  • Lerah Scott – Boyd County – Kentucky Power
  • Shadow Skaggs – Carter County – FirstLight Home Care of Eastern Kentucky
  • Andrew Steele – Boyd County – Boyd County Tourism & Convention Bureau
  • Megan Stepp – Perry County – Kentucky River Area Development District
  • Lucas Stuart – Greenup County – Camp Investments, LLC
  • Aaron Sturgill – Whitley  County – Home Helpers Home Care

About Leadership Kentucky

Leadership Kentucky, created in 1984 as a non-profit educational organization, brings together a selected group of people who possess a broad variety of leadership abilities, career accomplishments, and volunteer activities to gain insight into complex issues facing the state. Our goal is to prepare our participants to take an active role in advancing the state for the common good. By fostering understanding of how the state’s issues are interconnected, and by forging new relationships among community and regional leaders, Leadership Kentucky graduates bring a fresh and informed perspective to their communities and companies, serving as important participants in the unified effort to shape Kentucky’s future.