Center for Leadership Fellows: Class of 2024

The Center for Leadership (CFL) is a competitive year-long leadership program. Participants are selected based on their desire to enhance their leadership skills. Upon completing the program, they become Kansas Fellows, emerging as outstanding leaders in the state.  The CFL's primary aim is to nurture leaders in Kansas, many of whom have subsequently assumed executive roles in their organizations or other fields.

The 2023-2024 class of Fellows includes eight dedicated individuals representing a broad range of service lines as well as areas in the state.

Learn more about each of the Fellows below.

Amanda Hawkins, Director of Community Aide Services at Midland Care, started her career in health care working at Kansas Neurological Institute caring for individuals with developmental disabilities. She continued working as a CNA and CMA in a variety of settings, eventually finding a career at Midland Care Connection. She developed a passion for providing care to individuals in their homes. Working in home care gave her the flexibility to return to school to further her education and career. Amanda graduated from Washburn University in 2019 with a Bachelors in Health Care Administration and Associates in Allied Health for Physical Therapist Assistant. She then furthered her career at Midland Care by accepting a position supervising home health aides and managing Midland's private duty home health program. In 2022, she again advanced her career to Director of Community Aide Services.

Learn more about Amanda's Action Learning Project: Home Care Scheduling Solutions.

Christina Cobb, Director of Housekeeping and Laundry at Pleasant View Home, has worked in health care for 26 years. During this time, she has been a caregiver to many as a Personal Attendant, spent a period of time in Home Health as a Home Care Aide, and most recently, spent the last 8 years in Healthcare Facilities in the Environmental Services Department. On August 1, 2023, Christina was promoted to Director of Housekeeping and Laundry at Pleasant View Home of Inman. Through this promotion, she has faced many new challenges and adventures, including being able to attend her first PEAK Conference and being accepted into the Center for Leadership Program through LeadingAge Kansas. Christina was born and raised in Hutchinson, where she still resides. She is a widowed mother of two adult sons, Zach and Dallas. Outside of work, Christina continues to be a caregiver for her new grandson, Mateo, and her 87-year-old great uncle, Paul.

Learn more about Christina's Action Learning Project: Scrub It Forward

Haley Stevens, Administrator at Frankfort Community Care Home, has worked at Frankfort Community Care Home since 2017, working her way up to Administrator. She began her nursing career at the age of 17, while still in high school. She has worked many years with the aging population, and it is where her heart lies. Haley has a passion to serve the elders of her community. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family. 

Learn more about Haley's Action Learning Project: Build a Positive Work Culture.

Heather Germann, Administrator at Leonardville Nursing Home, has been in the long term care industry for almost 26 years. She started out as an accounting and marketing assistant at Presbyterian Manor in Clay Center. She has since worked as the Administrator at Medicalodges Clay Center, Advena Clay Center, Park Villa in Clyde, and now at Leonardville Nursing Home. She enjoys reading, cooking, making quilt tops, and farming with her family. Heather is a graduate of Cloud County Community College and Fort Hays State University.

Learn more about Heather's Action Learning Project: We Are In Our PTO Era, Leonardville Style. 

Jackie Halbin, Director of Community Life and Wellness at Lakeview Village, is passionate about wellness for all. She has been at Lakeview Village for 17 years. In her role as Director of Community Life and Wellness, Jackie works with a great team to create innovative, evidence-based programs to improve and enhance the lives of those served at Lakeview Village. 

Learn more about Jackie's Action Learning Project: Programming with Intention

 Katherine "Katie" Hauck, Certified Dietary Manager at Schowalter Villa, has been a Certified Dietary Manager and Certified Food Protection Professional since 2021. She started in health in 2009 as a cook in a small Assisted Living community, then went on to later get her Certified Nurse Aide, Certified Medication Aide, and Restorative Aide. Katie has always had a history with food, as her parents owned a small-town family restaurant for 16 years. At the age of four, Katie was helping wait tables and greet customers. In 2017, she decided to try something new and go back to school to become a Certified Dietary Manager and Certified Food Protection Professional, and is now employed by Bluestem Communities at Schowalter Villa. Katie and her husband have three children, all of which are now trying to figure out the adult life. They enjoy living the rural country life outside of Burns, Kansas and are very close to their family and friends.

Learn more about Katie's Action Learning Project: Bluestem Dining Services Education.

Kylee Childs, Director of Government Affairs at LeadingAge Kansas, graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and the University of Missouri with a Masters in Social Work with a concentration in policy and program administration.  Her professional background includes law enforcement and child welfare, but she's excited to advocate for all individuals in need of systems-level change. Kylee advocates for and is the leading voice for LeadingAge Kansas membership and for the aging services field. When not working, she's spending time with her husband and two daughters. 

Learn more about Kylee's Action Learning Project: Empowering Grassroots Advocates in Aging Services