Two-day Orientation at Boone Tavern Sets the Tone for New Leadership Lexington Class

By: Heather Matics, Leadership Lexington Class of 2025 – 2026
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What do fun, artistic expression, public speaking, and unlocking your leadership style have in common? They were all part of the orientation curriculum for 53 emerging community leaders. An enthusiastic group of professionals from diverse backgrounds gathered at the historic Boone Tavern in Berea to bond through a series of ice breakers, pitch community service projects, and learn how to synthesize their contrasting leadership styles.

Photo by Mahan Multimedia

​Tyra Harbut, Director of Leadership Development for Commerce Lexington; presenting sponsor Bille Dollins, EVP/Regional President Central Kentucky, Community Trust Bank; and Miranda Scully, Executive Director of Public Engagement and District Spokesperson for Fayette County Public Schools and Chair of Leadership Lexington’s Steering Committee, welcomed the group before turning the program over to Dr. Virgil Grant, LifePlan & StratOp Guide with the Patterson Center. Grant led the group through a series of activities designed to create connections between class members. Tables explored themes, such as each person’s hopes and expectations for the program, while other activities paired people for quicker, getting-to-know-you style conversations. One of the most meaningful exercises gathered the entire group for the bullseye activity.

Billie Dollins, Community Trust Bank

The bullseye’s three sections represented the comfort, stretch, and danger zones. Participants compared their comfort level with specific activities, recognizing one person’s comfort zone might be another’s danger zone. The Leadership Lexington Program fosters individual and group growth, pushing class members out of their comfort zone and allowing them to stretch, without placing anyone in the danger zone. Leaders encouraged the class to assume positive intent when confronted with sensitive topics, but also to voice concerns before crossing into their own danger zones.

After lunch, twelve class members presented pitches for community service projects. The presentations were characterized by the passion of their developers, a common desire to expand connections between individuals in the community, and a desire to eliminate the barriers preventing community members from full access to the wealth of opportunities in Lexington. Class members asked thoughtful questions and responded to all pitches with positive feedback. In the end, the Class of 2025 – 2026 chose four projects to support.

Shane Burks II presented a proposal to pair at risk youth with mentors through the lens of golf. Alex Degen proposed a project encouraging closer collaboration between non-profits and the for-profit sector. TJ Maxberry designed a project to empower young people to build wealth and avoid generational poverty through financial literacy. Jay Phillips created a proposal to explore the use of a statutorily based land bank to acquire distressed property for community use.

Six teams competed in one of the day’s final activities: an egg drop combined with an advertising jingle. Team members devised a carrier, using provided supplies and a limited budget to purchase additional materials. Before the egg drop, each team performed a musical jingle advertising the strengths of their product. Six entertaining performances later, only some eggs survived the eight-foot drop to the pavement, but every team exhibited good sportsmanship, cheering on their competitors and enjoying each other’s jingles.

On day two, Megan Holley-Slaughter, Owner and President of Sutherland & Associates, and Davonna Saier, Lead Associate, unveiled class members’ DiSC assessment results. The assessment sorted class members into four distinct leadership styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and
Conscientiousness. Class members explored their own reports and shared from their results, which detailed leadership styles, priorities, motivators, and stressors with pinpoint accuracy.

Holley-Slaughter and Saier also led a group-based exploration where members of each category compiled a list of their “dos and don’ts” for collaborating on group projects. Their skillful facilitation allowed class members with differing leadership styles to reach a better understanding of how to work with one another, using the strengths inherent to each style. Mindful of the needs of each team member, the class split into its first public service project planning session, a process made smoother by the new insights gained from the DiSC reports.

Orientation wrapped up with greetings from Ben Haydon, Co-Chair of the Leadership Lexington Alumni Association; sponsors Todd Ziegler, Market President, Central Kentucky, Republic Bank; and Emily Miller, Interim Managing Director of Retail Banking SVP, Republic Bank. Lexington Police Department Assistant Chief Jackie Newman and Lexington Fire Department Battalion Chief Jordan Saas provided information for class members wishing to ride along with first responders.

The 53 members of the best class ever left with blossoming friendships, a fresh understanding of their leadership styles, and excitement for the year ahead.

Davonna Saier and Ben Haydon