Leadership Kingsport Class of 2026 celebrated at annual event

KINGSPORT — The Kingsport Chamber celebrated the graduation of the Leadership Kingsport Class of 2026 this week, according to a recent release. Held at The Social in downtown Kingsport, the Leadership Kingsport Community Breakfast on Wednesday featured keynote speaker Dr. Brenda White Wright. Wright is a member of the first Leadership Kingsport class in 1983 and a recipient of the Leadership Kingsport Distinguished Leadership Award. She is a motivational speaker, storyteller and a leadership and diversity trainer. She previously served as CEO of Girls Inc. of Kingsport and is a Kingsport Chamber Lifetime Member. Class speakers Jenna Conkin of J Conkin Law PLLC and Chris "Pete" Vandagriff of the Kingsport Fire Department reflected on the class experience and relationships formed throughout the program year. The Leadership Kingsport Class of 2026 graduates include: Andrea Benabe Sanchez, Regions Bank Michael Cole, Sullivan County Sheriff's Office Jenna Conkin, J Conkin Law PLLC Connie Davis, Kingsport City Schools Sutton Davis, Sullivan County Regional Health Department Sarah Fleming, Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association Seth Garland, Ballad Health Lindsea Graham, Visit Kingsport | Downtown Kingsport Association Douglas Grant, Eastman Credit Union Lauren Green, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport Timothy Hobbs, Eastman Credit Union Ben Jenkins, CainRashWest Architects Tori Johnson, Domtar Julie Kumar, Kingsport City Schools Brennan LaBuda, First Horizon Bank Caroline Luethke-Martin, Kingsport Chamber Brice Matthews, TCAT Elizabethton at Kingsport Jim McComb, Wild Card Strategy Jessica Means, M Squared Construction Josh Moses, Accuforce HR Solutions, LLC Sherri Myers, Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union Danielle Puckett, Summit Leadership and Jovie Britteny Rich, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Greg Cox Real Estate Mitch Richardson, UPS Airlines Jennifer Ritter, The Magnolia Project Jesse Sallee, American Electric Power Ryan Shipley, Sync.Space Entrepreneur Center Meghan Spivey, Eastman Credit Union Mike Stone, Mike Stone Architect, P.C. Makenzy Tester, Kingsport Axmen with Boyd Sports Chris "Pete" Vandagriff, City of Kingsport Fire Department Callie Wagner, United Way of Greater Kingsport Melissa Williams, Ballad Health Tara Williamson, Eastman Credit Union "Leadership Kingsport continues to strengthen our community by developing leaders who are committed to service, collaboration and positive change," Vanessa Bennett, chief operations officer of the Kingsport Chamber, said in the release. "The Class of 2026 has already made a meaningful impact through their leadership and community engagement, and we are excited to see how they continue to serve and lead in the years ahead." For more information about Leadership Kingsport, visit https://www.kingsportchamber.org/pages/LeadershipKingsport.