August 2023
In this issue...
Ø Advance Kansas Class XV Graduates
Ø Advance Kansas - Creating Space for Courageous Conversations
Ø Advance Kansas Class XVI Nominations
Ø Advance Kansas Sponsors
Upcoming Events
Ø Advance Kansas - Creating Space for Courageous Conversations, Friday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m. - noon, Kanza Room, Butler Community College, Andover
Advance Kansas Class XV Graduates Welcomed Into Alumni Network, Advancers
The 15th Advance Kansas class culminated on Friday, May 26th. Fortythree new graduates are now part of the alumni network known as Advancers.
Advance Kansas Class XV graduates are:
• Richard Alvarez, Butler Community College
• Natasha Bagheri, INTRUST Bank, N.A.
• Brianna Blackford, Credit Union of America
• Alexandra Carlson, Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas
• Jason Conrad, City of Rose Hill
• Noah Coonce, Emprise Bank
• Sonia Cox, Murphy Tractor & Equipment Co.
• Shelley Downs, Meritrust Credit Union
• Nicole El-Chami, Credit Union of America
• Valarie Florio, Integra Technologies
• John Ford, GLMV Architecture
• Kindra Goertzen, United Way of the Plains
• Alex Gonzales, T-Mobile
• Ben Graber, City of Andover
• Conner Hampton, FlagshipKansas.Tech
• Valerie Haring, Butler Community College
• Shelley Herrington, Sedgwick County Developmental Disability Organization
• James Holland, Evergy
• Lindsi Hoy, Emprise Bank
• Gladys Jones, Evergy
• Courtney Lawrence, T-Mobile
• MyLoc Le, Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
• Kenya McConico, Pando Initiative
• Dakota Orozco, Envision, Inc.
• Karey Padding, The Treehouse
• PJ Phachantry, Meritrust Credit Union
• Angie Plummer, Textron Aviation
• Sayra Porras, IMA Financial Group Inc.
• Jason Rose, Martin, Pringle, Oliver, Wallace and Bauer, LLP
• Shae Ross, Kansas Department for Children and Families
• Beth Schafers, Family Promise of Greater Wichita
• Sarah Sell, McConnell Air Force Base
• Jonathan Standridge, WSU Tech
• Weyde Strother, T-Mobile
• Brenda Torres, USD 259 Wichita
• Jennifer Vogt, Air National Guard
AdvancersKS is a newsletter for Advance Kansas alumni.
• To be removed from this newsletter list, please contact advanceks@ butlercc.edu.
• To submit news and events, please email advanceks@butlercc.edu.
• To update your contact information, please click here
• Melanie McLemore, Butler Community College
• Chelsea Moeder, USD 259 Wichita
• Julian Montes, Kansas Leadership Center
• Ashwini Mysur, Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
Stay Connected!
• Courtney Wages, Envision, Inc.
• Aaron Walker, Kansas Humane Society
• Heather Ward, Butler Community College
• Shelly Westfall, Legacy Ministries
Connect with us on social media. Like us on Facebook and join our LinkedIn group!
If you have changed jobs, prefer a different email address, moved, or have other changes in your life, please take a moment to enter those changes by clicking here. Keeping your record up-to-date is important so that we may keep you informed of events and activities for Advancers and Advance Kansas.
Advance Kansas - Creating Space for Courageous Conversations
The next iteration of the Advance Kansas Creating Space for Courageous Conversations will be led by Advance Kansas graduates Danielle Johnson and Alicia Sanchez. To be a part of the session, one must have participated in a previous Advance Kansas class.
The workforce continues to grow and change. Today, industries have up to five generations, various cultures, languages, gender identities, and varying facets of diversity represented. This workshop engages attendees to an introduction on creating a culture that creates spaces of safety, authenticity, and accountability. Participants will begin to understand the importance of embracing strategies on creating safe spaces for courageous conversations.
The workshop will take place at Butler of Andover in the Kanza Room on Friday, October 20. There will be a social time from 8:30 to 9 a.m., followed by the workshop from 9 a.m. to noon. The cost of the workshop is $50 and the class size is limited. To register to attend, please click here. After clicking “Check Out” you will go to a page that asks you to log in. Please scroll down and click “Continue as Guest.”
Advance Kansas 2.0 is sponsored by Martin Pringle Attorneys at Law.
Please contact Trisha at twalls@butlercc.edu or 316.323.6355 if you have any questions.
Nominate a Leader for the Sixteenth Advance Kansas Class
Now is the time to nominate a leader for Advance Kansas XVI, beginning January 26. Your nominee could be your supervisor, a co-worker, someone you volunteer with or go to church with, or even a family member. Advance Kansas is looking for participants with an interest in advancing DEI efforts. Submit a nominee by clicking here. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 16. We encourage you to visit with your nominee(s) about Advance Kansas and why you are recommending them for the opportunity. The Advance Kansas virtual briefing will take place on November 1. While the briefing will be virtual, class will be in-person.
Advance Kansas Social
2024 Advance Kansas Class XVI Dates
Friday, January 26
Friday, February 23
Friday, March 22
Friday, April 26
Friday, May 17
An Advance Kansas Social took place on August 23rd from 4 to 6 p.m. at Chicken N Pickle in Wichita. More than 45 Advancers from a variety of past Advance Kansas session attended. The social was sponsored by Credit Union of America. More photos from the event can be seen on our Facebook page.
Advance Kansas Class XV (2023) had the largest number of attendees. Back row: Alexandra Carlson, Brenda Torres, Kindra Goertzen, Karey Padding. Front row: Chelsea Moeder, Valerie Florio, James Holland.
Advance Kansas Sponsors Integral to Program’s Successes
Please join us in thanking our sponsors for making Advance Kansas possible and affordable.
Left: Credit Union of America was well represented at the event. L to R: Amanda Gish, Class XII; Tim Dunham, Class XIII; Gina Evans, Class XIV; and Bradley Dyer, Jr., Class XI.
Bradley Dyer, Jr., Class XI, spoke on behalf of Credit Union of America and as a member of the Advance Kansas Advisory Committee.