The Mississippi Hospital Association’s (MHA’s) 2025 Emerging Leaders program kicked off at the Mississippi Capitol recently with introductions to key healthcare leaders, a briefing on MHA’s legislative agenda, and a tour of the building. Participants from across the state championed National Wear Red Day to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among women.

Started in 2018, the MHA Emerging Leaders Program recognizes and invests each year in hospital employees seen as future leaders by chief executive officers. This highly interactive program provides healthcare professionals from member hospitals across the state with training, networking, and ongoing mentorship yearlong.

“Developing strong leaders within our association is essential to achieving our association’s mission,” said Richard Roberson, MHA President & CEO. “The program’s purpose is to allow participants opportunities to participate in MHA activities, engage in projects of interest to our members, receive mentorship, build professional networks, and gain exposure to the responsibilities associated with fulfilling MHA leadership positions in the future.”

 

MHA’s 2025 class of Emerging Leaders includes:

• Lindsey Byrd, RN, BSN, Nurse Manager of Med-Surg/ICU/Dialysis at King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven

• Kaedi Alexys Carney, Patient Access at Lawrence County Hospital in Monticello

• Kortney Gaddy, Chief Financial Officer at Copiah County Medical Center in Hazlehurst

• Robert Weathersby, MSN-HCA, RN, Chief Operating Officer at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb

• Lasheia Begnaud, Respiratory Therapy Manager at Select Specialty Hospital Gulf Coast in Gulfport

• Bo Blanks, Director of Human Resources at Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield

• Allen Burden, Director of Quality and Risk Management at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Attala in Kosciusko

• Stefanie Dendy, Associate Administrator at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Yazoo in Yazoo City

• Kaneesha Green, LPN, Staff Development/Quality Assurance Manager at Perry County General Hospital in Richton

• Janis Hayden, HR Director at Specialized Treatment Facility in Gulfport

• Dr. Craig Moffett, North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point

• Corbin Spencer, Staff Accountant at the Mississippi Hospital Association in Madison

• Amanda Valentine, Unemployment Insurance Coordinator at Savio HR Solutions in Madison

• Ashley Willard, Pharmacy Lead at Highland Hills Medical Center in Senatobia

• Dan Woods, MSN, RN, Senior Director of Emergency Services and Hospital Throughput at St Dominic Hospital in Jackson

• Aryanna Yarbrough, Executive Assistant at Lackey Memorial Hospital in Forest

The Mississippi Hospital Association is the statewide trade organization dedicated to effectively serving the health care needs of Mississippi through serving those who serve everyone else — the state’s hospitals and their employees. For more information about MHA, visit www.mhanet.org.