A new Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) cohort began the 2015-2016 program year this week with a reception and a daylong seminar on leadership styles.

Kansas-Missouri EPFP Program Director Bob Bartman and co-facilitator Gayden Carruth (Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City) welcomed the new cohort of 19 participants at a reception held on Sept. 15 at Drumm Farm Center for Children in Independence, Mo. The reception allowed participants to meet each other as well as members of past EPFP cohorts along with several LINC Commissioners.

On Sept. 16 the new cohort met at the LINC office for a discussion of leadership styles facilitated by Tom Dugard of Affirmational Leadership Consulting. This month's meeting was the first of ten professional development experiences aimed at broadening the understanding and perspective of educators and others working with children and families.

The 2015-2016 cohort participants are:

Sean Akridge
Local Investment Commission
Site Supervisor

Natalie Allen
Mo. Children’s Division
Crossover Youth Initiative Coordinator

Patricia Amick
Metropolitan Community College
Assoc. Vice Chancellor of Financial Services and Administrative Systems

Matthew Bonnot
U.S. Army General Command and General Staff College
Assistant Professor - Dept. of Command & Leadership

Keith Brown
Genesis School
Director of Parent and Community Involvement

David Buchmann
Local Investment Commission
Communications

Jennifer Collier
Kansas City Public Schools
Director of Human Capital Management

Jeanette Cowherd
Park Hill School District
Interim Superintendent

Rob Gardner
Platte County School District
Asst. Superintendent Personnel and Operations

Dale Herl
Independence School District
Superintendent

David Horn
Local Investment Commission
Director of Information Services

Bryce Johnson
Blue Springs School District
Principal

Mindy Johnson
Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley
Associate Dean of Student Development

Drew Lane
Shawnee Mission School District
Executive Director of Information and Communication Technologies

Sharon Nibbelink
Center School District
Superintendent

David Schwarzenbach
Kearney School District
High School Principal

TJ Spalty
Mo. Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education
Director Missouri School Improvement Program

Sabrina Tillman Winfrey
Hickman Mills School District
Principal

Earl Williams
Kansas City Public School District
Principal

This is the second EPFP cohort since the program was relaunched last year through the efforts of LINC and the Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City.

More information about EPFP is available at www.kclinc.org/epfp