Salina Leaders Selected for 2026 Leadership Kansas Class

Two Salina leaders have been selected for the 2026 Leadership Kansas class, according to an announcement Monday from the Kansas Chamber and Kansas Chamber Education Foundation.

Those selected include:

Salina City Manager Jacob Wood

Renee Duxler, President and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce

The Kansas Chamber said 40 Kansans were selected for the 2026 class after receiving more than 500 nominations for the program.

Leadership Kansas is one of the state’s long-running leadership programs and focuses on developing leaders from across Kansas through multi-day sessions held in communities around the state.

According to the announcement, the 2026 Leadership Kansas program runs from April to November and includes sessions in:

Dodge City

Garden City

Hays

Hutchinson

Kansas City

Leavenworth

Lawrence

Pittsburg

Salina

Topeka

Wichita

Participants will take part in three-day educational sessions covering topics such as business, education, agriculture, public policy, societal health, economic development, and government.

In the release, Kansas Chamber President & CEO Eric Stafford said Leadership Kansas plays an important role in preparing leaders who understand the challenges and opportunities affecting the state’s economy, workforce, and communities.

The Chamber also said an alumni committee selected the class with an emphasis on representing Kansas’ geographic, ethnic, occupational, and gender diversity.

Leadership Kansas has more than 1,600 alumni and is now in its fifth decade, according to the release.

Why it matters locally

With both Jacob Wood and Renee Duxler selected, Salina will have representation from two key leadership positions tied to local government and business development. The program also includes a session stop in Salina, putting additional statewide leadership attention on the community during the 2026 cycle.