Kentucky Industry Conference 2025 Speakers

Meet the Speakers Leading the Conversation

The 2025 Kentucky Industry Conference brings together an extraordinary lineup of leaders from manufacturing, energy, policy, workforce, innovation and more! People who are doing the work, shaping the future, and telling the story of Kentucky’s industrial advantage.

Keynotes & General Sessions

• Joseph W. Craft III — President, CEO & Director of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.. Craft’s leadership in mining, power and regional industrial growth gives him a unique vantage on energy and materials, a “big picture” voice for the manufacturing community.
• Mark Pope — Head Coach of the University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball program. Beyond wins and losses, Coach Pope brings lessons of leadership, culture, team-building and performance, exactly the themes manufacturers need in an era of talent competition.
• Senator Robert Stivers — Senate President of the Kentucky State Senate. With deep experience in policy, legislative leadership and the state’s economic ecosystem, his perspective connects Frankfort to factory floors.
• Representative Steven Rudy — House Majority Floor Leader in Kentucky’s House of Representatives. A lawmaker who also brings his agribusiness background, a voice bridging rural tradition and modern manufacturing.
• Cara Silletto — culture and workforce authority, founder/co-creator of the Employee Retention Ecosystem™. Her keynote on “Workforce Wake-Up Call” will tackle how great organizations intentionally design thriving cultures and retain talent.
• Secretary Jamie Link - Secretary, Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet -Sec. Link has shaped some of Kentucky’s most ambitious workforce and broadband initiatives. From the KentuckyWired project to statewide labor strategy, his perspective ties together workforce readiness, technical education, and infrastructure as essential foundations for economic growth.‍
• Secretary Jeff Noel - Secretary, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development - With decades of experience at Whirlpool and in both Kentucky and Michigan economic development, Sec. Noel brings a business-driven approach to state-level industrial recruitment and innovation. ‍
• Secretary Rebecca Goodman - Secretary, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet - A 40-year public-service veteran and advocate for utility consumers, Sec. Goodman leads the state’s environmental and energy policy. Her remarks will spotlight Kentucky’s role in balancing growth and sustainability.

Industry-Leaders & Panelists

The conference isn’t just about headliners, dozens of industry-engineers, policy experts, workforce strategists and innovation leaders will dig into the issues, share practical insight and engage in discussion:

• Brian Osterman - Director, Division of Waste Management, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection
  Brian leads Kentucky’s Division of Waste Management, overseeing statewide field operations and enforcement programs. With a background in agriculture and environmental science, he focuses on advancing responsible waste strategies that support both industry and environmental stewardship.‍
• Debbie West - Chief Operating Officer, Tungco, Inc.
  A chemical engineer with more than 25 years in global metals manufacturing, Debbie drives Tungco’s operational and recycling initiatives. She’s passionate about circular economy innovation and strengthening Kentucky’s leadership in sustainable materials.‍
• Eric Goff - President, Goff Policy
  Eric heads an Austin-based energy and infrastructure policy firm advising clients on power markets and energy transition strategy. With prior leadership roles in ERCOT and major energy companies, he brings insight into how energy policy drives manufacturing competitiveness.‍
• Heather Yocum - Campus Director & Associate Professor, Jefferson Community and Technical College – Carrollton Campus
  Heather leads Jefferson’s Carrollton Campus and created the Future 42 initiative, linking schools, colleges, and manufacturers to build hands-on talent pipelines. She’s a champion for regional workforce programs that connect students to real industry careers.‍
• Ian McClure, J.D., LL.M. - Vice President for Innovation, UK HealthCare; Executive Director, UK Innovate, University of Kentucky
  Ian oversees UK Innovate, guiding commercialization, partnerships, and tech-based economic growth. His background in law, startups, and IP strategy fuels Kentucky’s innovation ecosystem and industry collaboration.‍
• Jessica Alexanderson - Executive Director, The Recycling Society
  Known as Scuba Jess, Jessica leads nationwide recycling education through initiatives like the Million Cans Recycling Contest. She combines creativity and community engagement to inspire sustainable metal recovery and youth involvement.‍
• Jessie Schook - Vice President of Workforce Solutions & Economic Development, KCTCS
  Jessie builds statewide partnerships that align education with employer needs. Her work strengthens Kentucky’s workforce pipeline through customized training, rapid-response development, and data-driven collaboration with industry.‍
• Kenneth Calloway - Senior Vice President, Human Resources
  An eighth-generation Kentuckian and U.S. Army veteran, Kenneth brings leadership experience from manufacturing and HR. He focuses on building disciplined, resilient teams and creating equitable workforce opportunities across rural Kentucky.‍
• Kim Bentley - Director, Marketing Communications, Hot Paper Lantern
  Based in Kentucky and serving global manufacturing clients, Kim specializes in brand storytelling and marketing strategy. Formerly with voestalpine Roll Forming Corporation, she helped earn the 2023 Manufacturer of the Year Award and has received multiple industry honors including a regional Emmy and AMA Marketing Pinnacle Award.‍
• Laura Haury - Senior Environmental Engineer, Logan Aluminum, Inc.
  With over 35 years in manufacturing and environmental engineering, Laura leads Logan Aluminum’s recycling, waste, and water-quality initiatives. She’s dedicated to expanding recycling education and sustainability practices that strengthen Kentucky’s metals ecosystem.

And many more, the roster is deep and built to reflect the multi-track nature of the conference: talent/workforce; energy & sustainability; innovation; industry perspectives; contemporary issues. We look forward to learning, connecting and networking with all of you. Register today at bit.ly/KYIC2025.

‍