Developing Emerging Leaders: Practical Approaches, Lessons Learned, and Unfinished Work
Session Overview:
How do we create meaningful development opportunities for emerging leaders while balancing access, limited resources, and changing organizational priorities?
Join STL-ODN for a panel conversation featuring perspectives from FOCUS St. Louis, Ameren, and The Cigna Group. Our panelists will share how they approach emerging leader development, what they have changed along the way, and the challenges they are still working through.
The discussion will explore different approaches to participation and selection, mentoring and sponsorship, and learning experiences that connect development to real work. We’ll also consider how programs can remain relevant as leadership, resources, and strategic priorities change.
Whether you are building a program, refining an existing approach, or supporting leaders in your organization or community, this conversation will offer practical ideas and questions to bring back to your work.
Session Takeaways
- Who gets developed: The choices and tradeoffs involved in selective cohorts, nomination processes, and open participation.
- How development becomes meaningful: Practical learning, immersive experiences, and connections to organizational needs and mission.
- How relationships support growth: Mentoring and sponsorship approaches that respond to emerging leaders’ individual needs.
- How programs evolve: Maintaining clear purpose, leadership support, and relevance amid competing demands and organizational change.
About the Panelists:
Jenna Unnerstall, Ph.D.
Vice President Human Resources & Organizational Enablement, The Cigna Group
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Jenna leads The Cigna Group’s enterprise Organizational Development and Change Management teams and serves as Human Resources Officer for several enterprise functions. Her experience spans talent strategy, leadership development, talent planning, and employee experience. She brings an enterprise and functional sponsorship perspective to emerging leader development, including connecting learning to organizational mission and sustaining alignment through leadership change. Jenna holds a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
Beth Casagrand (They/Them)
Director of Emerging Leaders and Youth Leadership, FOCUS St. Louis
Beth works with high school students and young professionals at FOCUS St. Louis, a nonprofit civic leadership organization that prepares people to become community leaders. They bring more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit programming and events. Their work includes a “Personal Board of Directors” approach that helps emerging leaders identify the support they need and choose mentors based on relevant strengths and experience. Beth holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in English and sociology.
Lauren Kuechenmeister
Consultant, Leadership and Organization Effectiveness, Ameren
Lauren works in learning and leadership development, helping learners, leaders, and teams build people skills that strengthen effectiveness. Her experience includes leadership development, consulting, facilitation, and program management. After overseeing a selective, cohort-based aspiring leader program, she is now piloting an open, self-selected approach designed to broaden access and prepare more people for potential leadership roles. Her perspective emphasizes curiosity, lifelong learning, practical development, and productive relationships.
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We look forward to seeing you at this in-person only event.
St. Louis region's network for OD professionals.