Leadership Cincinnati Announces Class 50

CINCINNATI, OHIO (August 24, 2026) – The Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Leadership Center today announced the 60 leaders selected for the historic 50th class of Leadership Cincinnati, the Chamber’s flagship leadership development and civic engagement program, presented by Bank of America. 

For five decades, Leadership Cincinnati has connected and developed leaders with a shared commitment to the Cincinnati region. Since its founding in 1976, the program has built a network of alumni who have gone on to serve in some of the region’s most influential roles across business, government and the nonprofit sector. Class 50 marks an important milestone for a program built on the idea that strong civic leadership and meaningful connections across sectors are essential to the region’s continued growth and vitality. 

“Reaching Class 50 gives us an opportunity to celebrate the generations of leaders who have helped shape both this program and our region,” said Sean Comer, Vice President of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber Leadership Center. “But the real strength of Leadership Cincinnati has always been its focus on what comes next. This class joins a remarkable network of alumni, and over the next 10 months, we’ll challenge them to deepen their understanding of our region, build relationships across sectors and consider how they can use their leadership to help move Cincinnati forward.” 

Leadership Cincinnati is a 10-month immersive experience designed for established leaders in C-suite and senior executive positions who want to deepen their civic engagement and make a difference in their communities. Through an experience-based curriculum, participants engage directly with community leaders, elected officials and one another while examining the complex issues and opportunities shaping the Cincinnati region. The program is designed to turn that knowledge and those relationships into greater civic leadership and collaboration. 

The 60 members of Class 50 represent a cross-section of the region’s business, nonprofit, government and community leadership. They join over 5,000 Leadership Center alumni who have carried the relationships and lessons developed through the program into boardrooms, public service, community organizations and civic initiatives throughout the region. 

Leadership Cincinnati Class 50 will be formally welcomed at the annual Leadership Center Celebration on Thursday, August 27, from 5–8:30 p.m. at Mercantile Immersive. The celebration will also commemorate Leadership Cincinnati’s 50th anniversary and recognize alumni whose civic leadership continues to make a lasting impact on the region through the Nelson Schwab Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award and Civic Quotient Award. 

Leadership Cincinnati is presented by Bank of America. Taft serves as the 2026 Excellence Investor, and the Cincinnati Business Courier is the program’s media partner. 

Members of Leadership Class 50 include: 

• Todd Anderson, CFO, TriHealth 

• David Beckett, Senior Vice President, PNC Bank 

• Amy Benetti VP of Operations / Principal MSA Design 

• Sara Bolton, COO, Greater Cincinnati Foundation 

• Jackie Borchardt, Senior News Director for Content, Cincinnati Enquirer 

• Heather Bucher, Office Managing Partner, KSM CPAs & Advisors 

• Chad Burke, Principal , GBBN Architects 

• Kevin Comer, Owner, Ample 

• Doug Cushman, Partner, Global Compliance & Reporting Services , EY 

• Paul Delaney, President, AMEND Consulting 

• Rachel Doellman, Chief of Marketing & Brand Strategy, Great Parks Of Hamilton County 

• Julianne Dunn, Regional Executive, Cincinnati Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland-Cincinnati Branch 

• Max Dworin, Vice President, Cintrifuse Capital, Cintrifuse 

• Caitlin Felvus, Chief Legal Officer & EVP of Human Resources, 3CDC 

• J.R. Foster, CEO | Managing Partner ,Robert Louis Group LLC 

• John Gray, SVP, Middle Market Banking, Fifth Third Bank 

• Kate Greene, President, Urban Sites 

• Henry Hane, Executive Director, Islamic Educational Council 

• Anna Hehman, Executive Director, Cincinnati Observatory Center 

• Jesy Herron, VP of Client Partnerships, RESLV 

• Chris Hickok, Chief Information Officer, Messer Construction Company 

• Lorne Hlad, Senior Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 

• Jacob Holbrook, Commercial Regional Market President, First Financial Bank 

• Rob Hudepohl, Project Manager, Turner Construction Company 

• Zach Jacob, Chief Revenue Officer, Payload 

• Kim Jostworth, Chief Operating Officer, North American Properties 

• Anthony Kahny, President, Deer Park Roofing 

• Greg Kaskey, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl 

• Johnny Knight, SR Operations Manager, Amazon 

• Kaytlynd Lainhart, Chief Philanthropy, Partnership, and Marketing Officer, Society Of St Vincent De Paul 

• Kelly Lanser, President & CEO, Corporation for Findlay Market 

• Kai Lewars, Principal + Founder, Kaiker Development 

• David Lind, Vice President Sales North America, Modula Inc 

• Hannah Lowen, CEO, New Riff Distilling 

• Wayne McMillian, Chief Operating Officer, Design Build, Merus 

• Dr. Leah Owen, Division Director and Chief, Pediatric Opthalmology, Cincinnati Children’s 

• Kenneth Parker, Partner, Taft 

• Carrie Pastor, Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement, REDI Cincinnati 

• Kat Pepmeyer, CEO, Cincinnati ToolBank 

• Jeff Pfirrman, Partner, Bricker Graydon Wyatt LLP 

• Kyle Pohlman, Wealth Advisor, Managing Principal, Bartlett Wealth Management 

• Pamela Rader, Vice President, Human Resources, The Drees Company 

• Dr. Treva Reid, Executive Director – Holloman Center for Social Justice, Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio 

• Steve Rosfeld, President – The Christ Hospital Foundation, The Christ Hospital Health Network 

• Benny Russert, Vice President, Vitis Technologies 

• Jacob Samad, Shareholder/ Attorney, Robbins Kelly Patterson & Tucker 

• Laetitia Schuler, Major – Director Jail Services, Hamilton County Sheriff Department 

• Melissa Stimac, Vice President of Operations Cincinnati/Dayton Division, Kroger 

• Jenni Szolwinski, Director of Industry Relations, Miami University 

• Meggan Thompson, President & CEO, Dress For Success Cincinnati 

• Kiana Trabue, President, HealthPath Foundation of Ohio 

• Steve Wagner, Chief Financial Officer, Best Point Education & Behavioral Health 

• Kari Wethington, Director, Communications, Procter & Gamble 

• Jacob Widerschein, Vice President of Ticket Strategy and Operations, Cincinnati Reds 

• William (Bill) Wiswesser, SVP of Facilities; Stadium General Manager, FC Cincinnati 

• Dean Woodring, President & CEO, 4C for Children 

• Andrew Worrell, General Counsel, The Fischer Group 

• Andrea Yang, Executive Director, Greater Cincinnati Water Works 

• Jeff Yund, Chief Strategy Officer, trak group 

• Felicia Zakem, Chief Planning and Engagement Officer, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati 

To inquire about future Leadership Cincinnati classes, please contact Sean Comer scomer cincinnatichamber.com. More information about the program can be found at Leadership Cincinnati – Cincinnati Regional Chamber. 

About the Cincinnati Regional Chamber  

The Cincinnati Regional Chamber is the premier business and civic organization dedicated to growing the vibrancy and economic prosperity of the Cincinnati region. To achieve its vision that Cincinnati is a growing, thriving region where everyone belongs, the Chamber seeks to grow our economy, grow our population, and grow our cultural vibrancy — with the foundation of a strong business community — to foster a welcoming environment for all. The Chamber’s membership offerings, signature leadership programs, government and regional advocacy efforts, community events such as BLINK and Oktoberfest as well as key partnerships with organizations like Cincinnati Experience, Cincinnati Minority Business Accelerator, and the Workforce Innovation Center lead the way in making that vision a reality. For more information, visit cincinnatichamber.com.    

Media Contact: 

Amy Fitzgibbons, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Cincinnati Regional Chamber afitzgibbons@cincinnatichamber.com | 513.579.3106