Darke County Economic Development is pleased to announce the participants selected for the 2026 Leadership Darke County program, a countywide leadership development initiative designed to educate, engage, and prepare emerging and established leaders for greater community involvement.
Leadership Darke County is a yearlong program that brings together professionals from diverse industries to explore key aspects of leadership, teamwork, communication, and community impact. Through interactive sessions hosted by local businesses, organizations, and institutions, participants gain a deeper understanding of Darke County while strengthening personal and professional leadership skills.
The 2026 program will include monthly sessions beginning in February and concluding with graduation in the fall. Topics range from self-leadership and emotional intelligence to conflict management, community leadership, and mentorship. Sessions are hosted throughout the county, allowing participants to experience firsthand the breadth of industries and organizations that contribute to Darke County’s success.
Darke County Economic Development is proud to recognize the following individuals selected for the 2026 Leadership Darke County class:
- Alexandria Horner — Flinn & Detling Law Group Co., L.P.A.
- Betsy Petitjean — Versailles Exempted Village Schools / Darke County Agricultural Society
- Candace Phlipot — Midmark Corporation
- Cortney Yount — EverHeart Hospice
- Greg Billing — Darke County Visitors Bureau
- Heather Fornshil — Wayne HealthCare
- Heidi May — Darke County Agricultural Society
- Jacob Weaver — JAFE Decorating
- Jared Beatty — Moriroku Technology North America – Greenville
- Joseph Badell — Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Darke DD)
- Kylie Prasuhn — Darke County Educational Service Center
- Leigha Brown — JAFE Decorating
- Lyndsay Huffman — Greenville Federal
- Mattias Petersson — Moriroku Technology North America – Greenville
- Melissa Muhlenkamp — Park National Bank
- Michael Karns — Wayne HealthCare
- Rachel Neal — Darke County Chamber of Commerce
- Ryan Buck — JAFE Decorating
- Traci Woods — Weaver Bros., Inc.
- Tyler Goettemoeller — Darke Rural Electric Cooperative
“Leadership Darke County continues to invest in people who care deeply about this community and want to play an active role in its future,” said Denise Elsas, Workforce Specialist with Darke County Economic Development. “This year’s class represents a strong cross-section of industries, perspectives, and leadership potential.”
For more information about Leadership Darke County, please contact Denise Elsas at delsas@darkecounty.com or 937.548.3250.
