About Advance Kansas

Successful leaders leverage the talent and creativity of diverse people to optimize performance and outcomes.

Advance Kansas brings together people who are already leaders from across the community to create and strengthen relationships and acquire skills for addressing diversity challenges and opportunities in businesses, organizations, and in the community.

A diverse, well-prepared body of leaders can make a difference

Advance Kansas and its alumni are dedicated to strengthening our communities so they work well for everyone today and for generations to come. Leaders invited to participate in Advance Kansas represent a dynamic group of people who are engaged in the community and committed to progress. These decision-makers have the capacity to impact their organizations and the community as a whole.

Participants learn to understand their diversity “blind spots” and how to suspend assumptions. They come away with focused decision-making skills and a deep knowledge of how to effectively manage and lead increasingly diverse employees, clients, suppliers, and constituents.

A new definition of diversity for success

Far from a traditional diversity training class, Advance Kansas brings everyone into the definition of diversity to consider how differences in race, gender, generation, sexual orientation, geographical orientation, culture, knowledge, experience, perception, etc., impact the lives of individuals and organizations and how well-prepared leaders can leverage those differences in support of their mission.  

Advance Kansas is five full days and typically meets one Friday per month for five months. Workshop days include class discussions and learning exercises designed to maximize interactions between participants and facilitate the development of productive relationships. Participants say they value the open, safe environment for discussing, exploring, and addressing complex diversity issues.

Advance Kansas strives to break down barriers to economic and social progress by delving into real-time issues in our community and working to create initiatives to address those problems and challenges.

Join this innovative diversity leadership initiative

Advance Kansas is facilitated by Juan Johnson, president of Diversity Leadership in Action. Juan has been in this role since 2006, after concluding a 21-year career with the Coca-Cola Company.  

View our Advance Kansas video by clicking here.

To nominate someone for the next Advance Kansas class, please fill out our nomination form. If you are ready to apply for Advance Kansas, please fill out our application form.

Advance Kansas, Class XVII Dates:

January 24, 2025

February 21, 2025

March 28, 2025

April 25, 2025

May 16, 2025

For more information about Advance Kansas, view our Advance Kansas booklet or email [email protected].

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