45 West Alabamans Chosen for Leadership Tuscaloosa’s Newest Class

About four dozen individuals from a number of West Alabama businesses, agencies and nonprofits have been tapped to join the 2026 class of Leadership Tuscaloosa, a premier learning and networking program for area professionals.

This year, LT is being presented by Shelton State Community College and over the course of nine months, will introduce the class to the most critical issues facing West Alabama, the leaders working to address them, and to each other. The annual networking masterclass also organizes a service project each year to give back to the community.

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Leadership Tuscaloosa is facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, who have tapped Shay Lawson to be this year's LT chairperson. She is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Tuscaloosa and an active member of the Leadership Tuscaloosa Alumni Association, the Chamber said in a news release.

Without further ado, the Chamber said this year's class members include:

• Valerie Autry, NOAA Office of Water Prediction
• Chelsea Barton Kelly, Visit Tuscaloosa
• Joe Bedwell, DCH Health System
• Lauren Benson, Tuscaloosa County Commission
• Sam Carpenter, Ward Scott Morris Architecture
• Shelby Castellanos, Physiolete Therapy and Performance
• Myra Cochrane, RiverFall Credit Union
• Dominic Combs, The University of Alabama
• Chris Cunningham, Tuscaloosa County Commission
• Tre’ Finklea, The University of Alabama
• Shelby Gandy, The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama
• Jackie Hudgins, Tuscaloosa County School System
• Blaine Hudson, BF Goodrich
• Anisa Hunter, Bryant Bank
• Lauren Hurn, Tuscaloosa Angels
• Thornton Jamison, JamisonMoneyFarmer PC
• Jeffrey Jenkins, Alabama Industrial Development Training
• Taylor Jenkins, Alabama Credit Union
• Keri Johnson, Tuscaloosa County School System
• Chris Jordan, Tuscaloosa’s One Place
• Jamie Key, Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center
• Clay Kilgore, AccountingRx
• Stephanie Lowe, The University of Alabama
• Marvin Lucas, Tuscaloosa City Schools
• Torrus McGill, Tuscaloosa County School System
• Lexi McMahon, The University of Alabama
• Tony Mills, City of Tuscaloosa
• Shywanda Moore, Shelton State Community College
• Preeti Nichani, Tuscaloosa City Schools
• Drew Oakley, The Church at Tuscaloosa
• Sarah Pederson, DCH Health System
• Bradley Porter, TTL, Inc.
• Jabaree Prewitt, WVUA 23 News
• David Rodgers, Alabama ONE
• Chris Skinner, Buffalo Rock – Pepsi
• Rob Tanner, AFFLINK
• Andre Taylor, The University of Alabama
• Anna Claire Toxey, The University of Alabama
• Daniel Truelove, Jr., Trueloves Way LLC
• Keyani Washington, Keyani Siobhan
• Hays Webb, Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office
• Felice Wiggins, The Alamite
• Gavin Wilks, Ringer Wilks Co.
• Sadaris Williams, The University of Alabama
• Kelly Wolfe, The University of Alabama

Congratulations from a graduate of the 2017-2018 class to all those who have been selected - it is truly a life-changing, learning-filled, career-boosting experience.

For more coverage of the Chamber and other news from West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.