2025 Emerging Leaders Class Grow Impact and Skills

The AARC’s 2025 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) provided emerging respiratory therapy leaders with a prestigious opportunity to develop connections with mentors and other RT professionals nationwide. The program helps participants build leadership competencies and skills, preparing them to become successful RT leaders who can support and advocate for their teams and the profession well into the future. The 2025 graduating ELP cohort includes 18 RTs who were selected through a competitive application process and worked diligently throughout the year to meet the program requirements.

Activities that the ELP recipients took part in 2025 included:

• Regular one-on-one meetings with their mentor and other ELP participants to achieve their goal for the program
• Participation in the AARC Advanced Leadership Institute
• Monthly Leadership Education offerings
• Presentations at Summer Forum and Congress

AARC thanks Draeger for its support of the 2025 Emerging Leaders Program.

Congratulations to the Class of 2025 Emerging Leaders and their mentors. These leaders will be recognized at the Awards Ceremony at Congress 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Emerging Leaders

• Nathan Pounds, MSRC, RRT, RPFT, AE-C
• Jamie Markham, BS, RRT, RRT-NPS, RPFT
• Jamie Rice, BSRT, RRT, RRT-ACCS, AE-C
• Jessica Ferguson, MSRC, RRT, RRT-ACCS, AE-C
• Shana Kent-Smith, EdD, BS, RRT
• Ali AlKhiry, MSc, RRT, RRT-NPS
• Branden Stokes, RRT, RRT-NPS
• Ciera Winter, BSRT, RRT, RRT-NPS
• Jordyn Summer Thomas, MS, RRT, RRT-NPS-AE-C
• Amanda Perera, MSRC, RRT, RRT-ACCS, CPFT, VA-BC
• Benjamin Caldwell-Chadwick, MSRC, RRT, RRT-ACCS
• Madison Clinger, BS, RRT, RRT-NPS
• Jasmine Williams, BSRT, RRT, RRT-NPS
• Kamel Sadr, BSHCA, RRT-RRT-ACCS
• Jessica Wilson, BA, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS
• Jessica Missavage, MS, RRT, RRT-ACCS
• Mallory Shears, MBA, RRT
• Grant Gerwit, MBA, RRT

Mentors

• Kristen McHenry, EdD, RRT, RRT-ACCS, FAARC
• William Croft, EdD, PhD, RRT, RCP, FAARC
• Lenny Nyangwara, DBA, RRT, FAARC, LSSGB
• Martin Koehnlein, MHA PMP, CPPS, CPHQ, LSSBB, CCMP, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RPFT, AE-C, CCT
• Scott Reistad, BA, RRT, CPFT, FAARC
• Karsten Roberts, Sc, RRT, FAARC, FNAP
• David Bowton, MD, FCCP, FCCM
• Peter Kot, MBA, RRT
• Amanda Leightner, PhD, RRT, RRT-SDS, RPSGT, CCSH, FAARC
• Laura Packard, MBA, RRT, RRT-ACCS
• Gail Moore, BS, RRT, RRT-NPS, CPFT
• Jennifer Jackson Stevens, MEd, RRT
• Craig Rooks, MMHC, RRT
• Rodney Bevis, MBA, MA, RRT, CSSGB
• Kristi Burns, MS, RRT, RRT-ACCS
• Jamey Wasrud, MS, RRT, RRT-ACCS
• Jerin Juby, DMgt, RRT
• Ryan Bellomy, MBA, BS, RRT, RCP, LSSGB, FAARC
• Kerry George, MEd, RRT, FAARC
• Geoffrey Nolan, MBA, BSRC, RRT-RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS

The AARC congratulates the ELP Class of 2025 and looks forward to seeing their accomplishments in the future! The Class of 2026 ELP applications will be available in early 2026. Keep an eye on your email and the website for more information and submission deadlines.

The AARC would also like to thank the Class of 2025 Mentors for their time and dedication to supporting the Class of 2025 ELP graduates. The 2026 call for mentors will be available concurrently with the 2026 ELP applications.