Selections have been made for the Leadership Bend Class of 2026, a non-profit civic engagement and leadership development program of the Bend Chamber. Leadership Bend exists to identify, develop, educate and connect diverse leaders who impact the Central Oregon region through committed service to the community.
Participants are chosen from a broad cross-section of candidates from around the region who must undergo a significant application process. These acknowledged and aspiring leaders share a commitment to active participation in shaping the future of Central Oregon.
There now are over 700 Leadership Bend alumni, many of whom serve as our community “trustees” through board service, elected office, volunteerism and more.
Leadership Bend Class of 2026 Cohort
Lindsay Atagi—PacificSource Health Plan
Brian Barks—Systems West Engineer
Tyler Beelar—Whispering Winds Retirement
Marco Bester—Otak, Inc.
Sonia Capece—NeighborImpact
Shelby Carter—U.S. Bank
Sierra Cullen—Bryant, Lovlien & Jarvis
Cornelius Edison—Lift Fitness Studio
Matt Ertle—PrideStaff
Lauren Evans—LRS Architects
Bola Gbadebo—BolaFilms LLC
Gwen Gist—St. Charles Health System
Jona Gomez—Deschutes Defenders
Kenny Hadden—Edward Jones
Katie Hall—Hennebery Eddy Architects
Alex Harrison—Skanska Building USA
Alice Ivie—Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend
Corey Johnson—City of Bend
Kayla Martin—Bend-La Pine Schools
Jodelle Marx—FM Civic
Kolleen Miller—Upper Deschutes Watershed Council
Reed Newcomer—Morrison-Maierle
Colleen Prinster—Bend Chamber
Allison Randels—Therapy with Ally LLC
Cassidy Riordan—Apollo Mechanical Contractors
Morgan Schmidt—American Red Cross
Kourtney Strong—BBT Architects
Charlie Stuermer—Northline Wealth Management
Jill Vaughan—Taylor Northwest
Elyse Vukelich—City of Bend
Erin Weber—Black Diamond Financial
Nathanael Werner—ORW Architecture
Helen Wiersma-Koch—Central Oregon Community College
The Bend Chamber believes building leaders is necessary to community succession planning. As one of the fastest growing regions in Oregon and the northwest, pressing issues have become more complex, increasing the need for active leadership.
“This extraordinary group of individuals represents a broad cross section of our community, from different industries, backgrounds and lived experiences. I’m truly excited to have us come together to learn from our community leaders, subject matter experts and each other,” shared Talena Barker, Bend Chamber Vice President of Leadership Development.
For the eleven months of the program, participants will work with local leaders to expand awareness and understanding of the Central Oregon region. The class will explore historical and current issues firsthand and learn about the unique challenges and opportunities that cross sectors and silos. Additionally, the cohort will benefit from a series of servant leadership topics designed to enhance individual leadership skills and make an impact through a class capstone project.
Leadership Bend is a program of BendNEXT, the 501(c)3 non-profit foundation of the Bend Chamber and is supported by local community resources. More information can be found at: https://bendchamber.org/bendnext/
This article appears in Source Weekly July 3, 2025.
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