FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 9, 2021
Kentucky Chamber Foundation Appoints New Leaders
The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Foundation has appointed new board members and leadership at the helm of the entity.
Beth Davisson has been promoted to Senior Vice President of the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, leading all the Foundation’s efforts. Additionally, LaKisha Miller has been named Executive Director of the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center overseeing all aspects of the Chamber’s workforce development efforts.
The Kentucky Chamber Foundation was founded in 2005 and focuses on work in workforce development, education, diversity, justice reform, community empowerment, and more. The Foundation helps support policies passed and advocated for by the Kentucky Chamber to improve the lives of all Kentuckians.
“As the Kentucky Chamber works to protect and grow our economy and business community in Frankfort, our Foundation serves as the springboard to bring those policies to life. Through our work directly with employers, educators, and so many others, the Foundation plays a key role in improving the lives of all Kentuckians,” Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts said. “Beth Davisson has been a key leader of the Kentucky Chamber and grown our Foundation from one full time employee to 13 in just a few short years. We are so excited for the future of the Kentucky Chamber Foundation as Beth continues to take our programs to new heights.”
Davisson joined the staff of the Kentucky Chamber in January 2017 as Executive Director of the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center. Davisson led the launch of the Workforce Center and has been overseeing the program since its inception with a focus on expanding employer-led efforts to improve the quality of state workforce programs and the results they produce.
Along with the Workforce Center, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation houses the Leadership Institute for School Principals, Talent Pipeline Management (TPM), Kentucky Comeback, Kentucky Workforce Recovery Program, and Bus to Business. The Foundation will also be home to the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The Kentucky Chamber Foundation has also appointed new board members including:
- Les Fugate - Vice President, Director of State and Local Public Affairs at Brown-Forman
- Kim Halbauer - Regional President, Kentucky at Fifth Third Bank
- Candace McGraw - *Chair Elect – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- Anne-Tyler Morgan - Member at McBrayer, PLLC
- Talley Russell - Director, Government Affairs at Humana
- Kevin Sutphin - Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Middle Market Banking Division at JPMorgan Chase
- Other board members include:
- Kevin Smith, Chair – Beam Suntory
- Ashli Watts, Secretary – Kentucky Chamber
- Elizabeth McCoy, Treasurer – Planters Bank
- Diane Medley, Past Chair – MCM CPAs & Advisors
- Winston Griffin –Laurel Grocery Company
- Paula Hanson – Dean Dorton Allen Ford (Retired)
- Joel Hopper – JJH, LLC
- Janet Jakubowicz – Bentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP
- Rich Maddux – The Rabbit’s Basket, LLC
- Paige Mankovich – Aetna
- Susan Simmons – Central Bank & Trust Company
- William Summers V – Republic Bank
- Pattie Dale Tye – Humana (Retired)
Candace McGraw will assume her role as chair of the Kentucky Chamber Foundation Board pending a vote in September.
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