July 21, 2025

Leadership Kentucky Announces BRIGHT Kentucky Class of 2025

News Summary

Leadership Kentucky has unveiled the members of the BRIGHT Kentucky Class of 2025, aiming to support emerging leaders aged 21 to 40 in the Appalachian region. The program promotes innovation, collaboration, and community development through five intensive sessions held across Eastern Kentucky. As the initiative begins, the region is facing significant weather challenges, including tornado warnings and severe flood advisories, highlighting the resilience needed in leadership roles during adversity.

Lexington, Kentucky – Leadership Kentucky has revealed the members of the BRIGHT Kentucky Class of 2025, a program designed to support emerging leaders aged 21 to 40 in the Appalachian region. The initiative aims to foster innovation, collaboration, and development among participants, reflecting the foundational vision and values of leaders in Appalachia.

With the program’s inception in 2019, BRIGHT Kentucky is supported through a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) alongside private donations from the Whitaker Foundation and the AEP Foundation/Kentucky Power. This comprehensive program includes five sessions lasting three days each, scheduled from July to November. The sessions will take place in various Eastern Kentucky locations, including Hazard, Somerset/Monticello, Frankfort/Berea, London/Corbin, and Ashland/Morehead.

The first session of the BRIGHT Kentucky Class of 2025 kicked off on July 9, focusing on the participants’ leadership styles and how to maximize their effectiveness. This year, the class consists of 38 participants representing 21 ARC counties, bringing together individuals from a wide range of public and private sectors. The program aims to equip participants with essential skills such as communication, collaboration, consensus building, visioning, and community engagement.

Severe Weather Alerts Impacting the Region

As Leadership Kentucky announced the new class, the region is concurrently facing significant challenges due to severe weather conditions. A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Northern Kentucky, effective until 8:30 p.m. This alert affects several counties, including Kenton and Campbell. In addition to the tornado warning, officials have issued flood advisories and severe thunderstorm warnings due to the ongoing weather events.

Forecasts indicate a substantial chance of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall, which may lead to flooding in low-lying areas. These adverse weather conditions have already resulted in power outages affecting over 1,500 residents in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Weather experts are monitoring the situation closely, with indications of additional rainfall expected across the area.

Background on BRIGHT Kentucky

The BRIGHT Kentucky program seeks to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the Appalachian region, addressing critical community challenges through education and collaboration. Since its launch in 2019, BRIGHT Kentucky has made strides in promoting leadership skills and networking opportunities among its participants, who are tasked with driving positive change in their communities.

Through sessions that emphasize various leadership competencies, BRIGHT Kentucky encourages a diverse group of leaders to work together toward common goals. The program focuses on enhancing participants’ ability to engage with their communities and develop actionable projects that can have lasting benefits.

As the region faces severe weather alerts, the impact on the BRIGHT Kentucky Class of 2025 serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience required in leadership roles and the importance of community support during challenging times. Participants will not only gain valuable leadership training but will also learn strategies for navigating crises that can arise in their leadership journeys.