Successful leaders understand how to leverage the talent and creativity of diverse individuals & teams to optimize performance and outcomes.
Advance Kansas brings together leaders from all sectors of society to create new relationships; establish new networks; and acquire leadership skills to build more engaged, mission-focused, high performing teams.
The leaders invited to participate in Advance Kansas represent a dynamic group of people who are engaged in the community and committed to building high performing organizations. In Advance Kansas they learn about the power of diverse teams and how to use collective objectives to facilitate engagement and achieve better results.
A Unique Learning Environment
Although numerous leadership programs bring together leaders from various sectors of society, Advance Kansas is unique in its focus on utilizing these multifaceted viewpoints and experiences for collective learning around a specific objective: how to heighten individual engagement and team performance for better organizational outcomes.
A Message from Advance Kansas facilitator, Juan Johnson
For more than 15 years it has been my honor and privilege to serve as designer and facilitator of Advance Kansas. This innovative leadership program recognizes and demonstrates how diverse perspectives drive greater group performance and organizational results. While compliance with laws and organizational values is a top priority for all leaders, Advance Kansas offers frameworks, models and tools to help leaders accelerate performance. In addition, this program addresses realtime complex and sensitive issues that organizational leaders are grappling with in the current environment. Multiple stakeholders, including employees, are increasingly pressing their organizations to engage in issues that are important to them but external to the workplace. Leaders must develop the skills to respond effectively to these new expectations. Advance Kansas offers a forum for building these critical leadership skills.
Juan Johnson
President, Diversity Leadership in Action™ Diversityleadershipinaction.com
Juan Johnson is president of the Atlanta-based consulting firm, Diversity Leadership in Action™. Juan started this venture in 2006, following an extraordinary 21-year career with The Coca-Cola Company. While at Coke, Juan held a number of key management positions in highly visible areas. Highlights of his tenure include being elected a full Corporate Vice President by Coke’s Board of Directors at the age of 35, making him one of the youngest board-elected Vice Presidents in the company’s history; and serving as the Company’s first Vice-President for Diversity Strategies, reporting directly to the CEO.
Juan’s business-focused approach to diversity is rooted in his accounting and finance background. He achieved CPA and CMA certifications; holds an MBA degree from Atlanta University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southern University. Juan is a Senior Fellow of The Richard W. Riley Institute at Furman University, where he also serves as the designer and facilitator of South Carolina’s statewide Diversity Leaders Initiative.
To learn more about Juan, visit his website, diversityleadershipinaction.com.
Advance Kansas Objectives
• Develop leadership skills to build more engaged, mission-focused, high performing teams.
• Facilitate the development and strengthening of productive relationships among participants and graduates.
• Create a network of leaders committed to building high performing organizations in Kansas.
Topics
• Defining Diversity
• Exploring the Complexity of Diversity
• The Case for Inclusion
• Dialogue Across Differences
• Personal Stories of Impact and Inspiration
• Diversity Blind Spots
• Tools and Frameworks for Leaders
• Four Generations at Work
• iGen (Generation Z) Trends
• New Workplace Challenges
Deliverables
• An additional lens through which organizations can evaluate strategies and processes.
• Tools for examining work group dynamics and making effective decisions.
• An opportunity to build new and deeper relationships across multiple diversity dimensions.
A Powerful Network Committed to Progress
Each year, a class of leaders from all sectors of the community is selected to take part in the Advance Kansas initiative. Advance Kansas graduates become Advancers, members of a powerful, cross-sector network of leaders who differ in every aspect of diversity, yet share a common commitment to progress in Kansas.
We are currently seeking applications from leaders who wish to participate in Advance Kansas, Class XVIII. Applications are due November 14, 2025.
Advance Kansas, Class XVIII (2026) Schedule
Activity Dates Time Location
Day 1 Jan. 23 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Butler Community College, Andover
Day 2 Feb. 27 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Butler Community College, Andover
Day 3 March 27 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Butler Community College, Andover
Day 4 April 17 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Butler Community College, Andover
Day 5 May 8 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Butler Community College, Andover
Advance Kansas Voices
“I have experienced my workplace differently. I have more patience and creativity.”
Application & Selection Process
Step One: Review the schedule and clear your calendar to ensure you are available to fully participate in the program.
Step Two: Email advanceks@butlercc.edu to request a link to an online application form and complete the form by Nov. 14, 2025. If you are unable to apply online, request a paper application via email.
Step Three: Individuals selected to participate will be notified of their acceptance in late November. At that time you will receive instructions for completing the registration process and an invoice for the registration fee.
Registration Fee
Financial and in-kind support from sponsors help keep Advance Kansas affordable for everyone. While the actual cost per person is much greater, the registration fee is $800. A limited number of partial scholarships are available to individuals requiring further financial assistance.
“Advance Kansas taught us to don’t just ‘see the shell’ and immediately start considering who people are but to think more about what’s behind the shell. Don’t be so quick to assume. Be totally open.”
As of 2025, more than 715 leaders from 177 organizations have participated in Advance Kansas
AGCO • Air National Guard • Airbus Americas • Allen, Gibbs & Houlik • American Red Cross • Andover Public Library • Apples and Arrows • Ascension Medical Group • Bank of America • BKD CPAs & Advisors • Black Hills Energy • Bombardier Learjet • Bothner and Bradley, Inc. • Boy Scouts • Boys & Girls Club of South Central Kansas • Brecko Construction Company • Building Controls and Services • Business Education Alliance • Butler Community College • Butler County • Capitol Federal Savings • Cargill • CASA of Sedgwick County • Catholic Charities • Central Plains Health Care Partnership • Central Star Credit Union • Children’s Miracle Network • Cities of Andover, Arkansas City, El Dorado, Newton, Rose Hill, Wichita • Communities in Schools MidAmerica • Complete Exteriors • CORE of Wichita • Cornejo & Sons • Cowley College • Cox Communications • Cox Machine • Credit Union of America • Cross Cultural Institute • Davis-Moore Auto Group • Decide Your Legacy • Dellrose United Methodist Church • Delta Dental of Kansas • Diggs Construction • Diversity Kansas • Dress for Success Wichita • EmberHope • Emporia State University • Empower • Emprise Bank • Envision • Equity Bank • Evergy • Exploration Place • Farmers Insurance • Fidelity Bank • First National Bank of Hutchinson • Foulston Attorneys at Law • Frederick Plumbing & Heating • Friends University • Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland • GLMV Architecture • Good Life Company • Greater Wichita YMCA • Habitat for Humanity Wichita • HealthCore Clinic • High Touch Technologies • Hinkle Law Firm • Hunter Health Clinic • Hutchinson Community College • Hutton • Hyatt Regency Wichita • IMA Financial Group • Insights Career Consulting • Inter-Faith Ministries • Intrust Bank • iSi Environmental Services • JR Custom Metal Products • Junior League of Wichita • Kansas Agri-Women • Kansas Department of Children & Families • Kansas DUI Impact Center • Kansas Gas Service • Kansas Health Foundation • Kansas Hispanic Education & Development Foundation • Kansas Leadership Center • Kansas Turnpike Authority • Kennedy & Coe • Keycentrix • KL Connections • Koch Industries • KWCH • Leslie Rudd Investment Company • Manpower • Martin Pringle Attorneys at Law • McConnell Air Force Base • McNay & Voth Coaching Services • Mending Place at South City • Meritrust Credit Union • Mid Kansas Community Action Program • MidAmerica Minority Business Development Council • MKEC Engineering • Newman University • Nonprofit Solutions • Numana • Polston Tax Resolution & Accounting • Prairie View • Progressive Missionary Baptist Church • Rainbows United • Real Men, Real Heroes • REALTORS of South Central Kansas • Rise Up For Youth • Saint Mark United Methodist Church • Scholfield Corp. • Sedgwick County • Southwestern College Professional Studies • Spirit AeroSystems • Starkey • Sunlight Children’s Advocacy and Rights Foundation • Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital • T-Mobile • TCV Publishing • TECT Aerospace • Textron Aviation • The Arnold Group • The Bill Guy • The Boeing Company • The Coleman Company • The Independent School • The Kansas African American Museum • The Knight Foundation • The Pando Initiative • The Wichita Eagle • Thomas Grey Interiors • United Methodist Open Door • United States Air Force • United Way of the Plains • University of Phoenix • US Small Business Administration • USD 259 Wichita • USD 266 Maize • Wells Fargo • Wesley Medical Center • Wheat State Distilling • Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center • Wichita Children’s Home • Wichita Collegiate School • Wichita Community Foundation • Wichita Festivals • Wichita Independent Business Association • Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce • Wichita State University • Wildcat Construction • Women’s Initiative Network • Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas • WSU Tech • Young Professionals of Wichita • Zernco
ADVANCE KANSAS brings together people who are already leaders from across the community to create and strengthen relationships and acquire skills for addressing diversity challenges and opportunities in businesses, organizations, and in the community.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about this unique and prestigious community initiative, call 316-323-6355, email advanceks@butlercc.edu, or visit www.butlercc.edu/ advance-kansas.
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