The 2025 Leadership Jessamine County is a leadership development program under the authority of the Jessamine Chamber of Commerce and coordinated by the Leadership Jessamine County Board of Directors. LJC is an intensive program designed to help participants strengthen their leadership abilities by learning more about themselves, the community, and networking with others in their class. The program involved orientation, a class retreat, nine educational sessions, a graduation ceremony and a couple of networking events, over the course of a year. Day-long sessions each month, from August to May, included visits to various business, organizations and sites of interest where they experienced various aspects of the county, including local government, education, history, non-profits, community services and agriculture enterprises. A day was also spent in Frankfort, where the participants learned about the State Government and visited their representatives in the Capitol.

Leadership Jessamine County class members are expected to participate in a class community service project as well as attend five meetings of a local government agency or community organization. 11 members completed the 2024-25 LJC class. The class project included raising $9,070 from 19 donor partners, for Jessamine County Parks & Rec. to purchase five bucket swings to increase accessibility of playground equipment in the local parks. Funds were also donated to the Nicholasville Police Department to purchase a bike rack in memory of Officer Anthony Ruggiero, a fellow class member who tragically passed away.

Two Jessamine County Extension Agents, and former Leadership Jessamine County graduates, serve on the Board and the new Family Consumer Science Agent participated in the 2024-25 class. Class participants indicated that participating in the LJC program allowed them to build a network of community partners that they anticipate will serve them all well in the coming years. One participant stated, “Being new in the county, the connections and relationships made has allowed me to become integrated into the community.” Another indicated that “Even though I have lived here for years, the LJC program has helped me fall in love with my community.”