Speakers

Libbey Tucker is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) with nearly 25 years’ experience in the public sector assisting communities to achieve their highest economic potential working with existing businesses, marketing to attract new ones, working with entrepreneurs and assisting with workforce development.   She has a proven track record of driving sustainable growth and prosperity in the communities she’s served, leveraging an extensive background in economic strategy, public-private partnerships, and stakeholder engagement.

She is currently the Senior Vice President of Economic Development for the Overland Park, Kansas, Chamber of Commerce where she focuses on business attraction, executing the goals of the Opportunity NOW strategic economic development plan, and strategic planning for future community needs.

She most recently served as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Rowlett, Texas, in the Dallas Metro region.  Prior to joining the City of Rowlett, she spent her entire career in Missouri, primarily with communities in the St. Louis region, where she served in economic development roles.

Libbey also has experience in municipal management, having served as an assistant city administrator overseeing areas of communications and public relations, customer service, employee relations, business licensing and information technologies.  

She obtained her undergraduate degree from Southeast Missouri State University and an MBA from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.  She is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute through the University of Oklahoma.

Libbey is active in Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) KC and is a member of the Kansas Economic Development Alliance (KEDA), the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).  Additionally, she is a member of the Overland Park Rotary. 

While Libbey grew up on her family’s fourth generation beef, dairy and hay farm in south central Missouri, she is now a city girl at heart.  She enjoys reading historical fiction, Bible studies, and listening to light-hearted, but thought provoking podcasts.    She and her husband Larry enjoy traveling and have journeyed many miles on their Harley.

Russell (Russ) Thaden is a retired US Army Colonel who spent almost all of his 34 years on active duty working as an intelligence officer.  That meant he was intimately involved in gathering and assessing intelligence on the capabilities and plans of actual or potential enemies. 

Upon graduation he was commissioned back into Military Intelligence and spent 15 years focused on the Soviet Union and preparing for any potential war in Europe aside from a short deployment to support US operations in Saudi Arabia during the Iran-Iraq War in 1982.  He spent the next 15 years largely consumed with actual wars in the Balkans and Middle East. 

From the Balkans he went back to the Middle East for the remainder of his deployments.  In 2002-03 he volunteered to serve as the Deputy Chief of Intelligence for the US Army V Corps for the actual invasion of Iraq and move to Baghdad.  From there he deployed almost immediately as part of the NATO move into Afghanistan where he served as both the Chief of Intelligence and as the Senior US Officer for the NATO forces in Kabul.  He provided intelligence which help prevent what would have been a massive truck bomb attack on the NATO Headquarters compound. 

Russ is believed to be the only US officer to ever serve as chief of intelligence operations in three different armed conflicts.  He has spoken to his local Rotary club in Atchison on international and military affairs at least annually since 2004 and has been an active member of the club since 2014.

Doreen Jokerst is the Chief of Police for the Overland Park Police Department (OPPD), serving Overland Park, Kansas. 

Chief Jokerst is a nationally recognized public safety expert and policing leader with a strong track record of developing and implementing collaborative, forward-looking initiatives. Her career spans extensive experience in both public safety and emergency management, and she is deeply engaged with national and international public safety organizations.

Chief Jokerst’s leadership focuses on initiatives that foster trust, transparency, and collaboration. Her commitment to fair and impartial policing is evident in her work to improve safety, raise standards, and promote accountability within law enforcement. Chief Jokerst is frequently invited to lead and participate in national educational initiatives. 

Before her current role, Chief Jokerst served as the Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Police at the University of Colorado Boulder for six years where she led the Department to receive national accreditation. Chief Jokerst holds certifications in Emergency Management from the State of Colorado and has commanded numerous critical incidents throughout her career. Academically, she holds a Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity in Higher Education, a Master’s Degree in Psychology, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. She is also a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, the Senior Management Institute for Police, and the FBI National Academy.

Larry A. Lunsford, a member of the Rotary Club of Kansas City-Plaza, Missouri, USA, is the selection of the nominating committee to become Rotary International’s president for 2027-28. He will officially become the president-nominee on 15 September if no other candidates challenge him.

Lunsford attended Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, on an academic scholarship, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting. He first encountered Rotary when he received a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship to spend the 1981-82 academic year at the University of Newcastle in Australia.

A certified public accountant, Lunsford spent seven years working for Ernst & Young before joining a family-owned business, Bernstein-Rein Advertising, in 1990. He is currently executive vice president and chief financial officer for the Bernstein group of companies. He has held positions on the boards of the Kansas City Spirit Festival and the Variety Club as well as serving as director of a local bank and treasurer of the Epilepsy Foundation for the Heart of America. He has also served on Truman State University’s alumni and foundation boards and received the university’s Distinguished Service Award.

Lunsford joined the Rotary Club of Kansas City-Plaza in 1991 and has since served as district governor (2001-02), RI director (2013-15), and trustee of The Rotary Foundation (2021-25, vice chair 2024-25). He has been a member of RI committees, including the Executive Committee (chair 2014-15), Membership Growth Committee (chair 2016-18), and Nominating Committee for President of RI (chair 2023-24). He also has served on The Rotary Foundation’s Executive Committee (chair 2023-24), Finance Committee (chair 2022-23 and 2024-25), and Participant Experience Committee (chair 2023-24).

Lunsford has been awarded The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award, The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service, and the RI Service Above Self Award. He and his wife, Jill Lunsford, have two children and one grandchild. They are Major Donors, Bequest Society members, multiple Paul Harris Fellows, Benefactors of The Rotary Foundation, and Sustaining Members.

My own personal journey shows how incredible Shawnee Mission is. I began my career teaching science and coaching athletics in 1998. From the outside looking in, I always admired the work that the SMSD was doing and desired to somehow become a part of this community.

While completing my doctorate, my field experience was in the Shawnee Mission School District. To me, the SMSD was IT! I never dreamed that I would be given the honor to serve as this district’s superintendent. I promise the SMSD community that I will not let you down and I will work tirelessly every day to meet our strategic goals and serve our community. I will work and fight for what our students need to succeed in the classroom, and to ensure that our community has the finest public school system in the state, the region, and the country.

Bryan Johnson, A.A.E., is the Executive Director of the Johnson County Airport Commission. He joined Johnson County in August 2023, bringing nearly 35 years of experience in the aviation and aerospace industry, along with extensive business development expertise.

From March 2020 to August 2023, Bryan served as the Airport Director for MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. In that role, he provided overall direction and leadership for airport staff, collaborated with federal, state, and local officials and agencies, managed property development and tenant recruitment, and oversaw the annual budget, public relations, and community affairs. Notable achievements include negotiating the airport’s land lease agreement with Boeing (a $200 million investment) and advancing a $34 million terminal expansion project.

Bryan has also held leadership positions at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, Quad Cities International Airport, Lincoln Airport, and in operations at Denver International Airport. His professional background includes serving as an airport analyst and senior consultant with Aviation Management Consulting Group.

Bryan is an Accredited Airport Executive and a licensed commercial pilot. He earned a degree in Aviation Management from Metropolitan State University of Denver and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nebraska. He is also a member of several aviation and aircraft professional organizations