Two Kenton County professionals will spend the next 10 months studying the region's economy, government, and public health as members of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's 48th Leadership NKY class, announced July 26.

Stephanie Burnside, assistant director of advancement services at Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, and Cierra Earl, a librarian at the Kenton County Public Library, are among 52 professionals selected for the program. The class begins with an orientation in August 2026, followed by a two-day overnight retreat and monthly daylong sessions through May 2027.

Burnside, a 2025 Thomas More alumna, works out of the university's Centennial Hall on Thomas More Parkway. Earl has worked in local history and genealogy programming at the library system.

They join several other Kenton County-area representatives in the cohort, including Holly Nibert Harrison of the NKY Chamber, Isaiah Fry of St. Elizabeth Physicians, Leigh Ann Gundrum of St. Elizabeth Healthcare, and Gannon Tagher of Northern Kentucky University.

What's next

The 52-member class begins orientation in August 2026. Residents or employers with questions about the program can contact Whelan at [email protected] or 859-578-6398.