Second Diversity Leadership Academy Class Named

Second Diversity Leadership Academy Class Named 


INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 26  /PRNewswire/ -- A diverse group of 58 community leaders
have been selected to participate in this year's Diversity Leadership Academy
of Greater Indianapolis.  This will be the second class chosen from a diverse
cross-section of the greater Indianapolis community, including nonprofits,
education, business, government, and religion.

Once again, more than 100 applications were received.  Class participants were
chosen based on applications, their interest and their ability to lead and
inspire change within their organizations and/or the community and to share
information around diversity management.  The class gets underway today with an
orientation and welcome reception featuring remarks from Julian Bond, long-time
civil rights activist and chairman of the NAACP.

The Academy is an innovative, hands-on learning program designed to build
leadership skills in managing diversity.  Over the next four months, class
members will participate in five classes featuring hands-on leadership
development programs that will better equip them to understand and manage
diversity in their organizations and communities.

"Response to the Academy continues to be very strong and positive from the
community and those who completed the first class.  As a result, we have a
large, dynamic class that reflects the diversity of our community," said Anthem
Chairman, President and CEO Larry Glasscock.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, in partnership with the American Institute
for Managing Diversity and with the support of the Indianapolis Urban League
and other local leaders, brought the Diversity Leadership Academy to
Indianapolis last year.  Anthem's commitment of $575,000 allows community
leaders to participate at no cost to themselves or their organizations, and
funds curriculum development and other program costs.

"Our community is extremely fortunate to have the Diversity Leadership Academy
and is already benefiting from it," said Indianapolis Deputy Mayor and class
graduate Carolyn Coleman.  "Every day I use what I learned in the program --
new ways of thinking about diversity that allow me to be a more effective
leader.  In addition, we're starting to build a new, common understanding
within our organizations and our community, which will benefit all of us in our
increasingly diverse community."

"As more community leaders gain a common framework for addressing diversity,
the Urban League's Diversity and Race Relations Institute will continue to help
these ideas take root in our community," said Urban League President and CEO
Joe Slash.

The inaugural Academy class of 38 participants graduated in December 2003. The
Diversity Leadership Academy of Greater Indianapolis is a Community Leadership
Fellows Program of the Diversity Leadership Academy, an initiative of the
American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc.  Over the course of three
years, the Academy will conduct three classes and graduate more than 100
leaders from the program.

           Diversity Leadership Academy of Greater Indianapolis
                          Class List - Fall 2004


  Rodney Adkinson           FedEx Freight
  Daniel Baker              Indiana Repertory Theatre
  Bill Brooks               Indianapolis Colts
  Eddy Cabello              Cabello Associates Inc.
  Angela Cain               WTHR-TV
  Carole Casto              Cummins, Inc.
  Tina Cosby                WISH-TV
  Sanford E. Garner         A2SO4 Architecture
  La Veda Denise Howell     Brightpoint Inc.
  Cindy Keitch              Huntington National Bank
  Jan Michelsen             Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak and Stewart, P.C.
  Alan Mills                Barnes and Thornburg
  Anita Owen                Farm Bureau Insurance
  George Pillow             Pillow Express Logistics
  Maria M. Quintana         Bank One
  Christina Raigosa         WIIH Univision
  Marke Roberts             Johnson Controls, Inc.
  Hamsa Shadakhsharappa     Indianapolis Power and Light Company
  Sherma Wise               The Media Wise Communication Group, Inc.
  Mark Bryson               Indiana University-Purdue University at
                             Indianapolis
  Valerie Davidson          Butler University
  Linda Gabrielson          Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library
  Anila Muhammad            Indiana University-Purdue University at
                             Indianapolis
  Alain Weber               International School of Indiana
  Brenda Burke              City of Indianapolis, Dept. of Administration
  Barbara Collins           Marion Superior Court
  Rufus "Bud" Myers         Indianapolis Housing Agency
  Michael O'Connor          City of Indianapolis
  Juli Paini                City of Indianapolis
  Rep. Greg Porter          State of Indiana, Health and Hospital
                             Corporation
  Joseph Wynns              City of Indianapolis, Dept. of Parks and
                             Recreation
  Donald Dumoulin           Roche Diagnostics
  Anita Harden              Community Health Network
  Sheryl Joyner             Community Health Network
  Priscilla D. Keith        Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County
  Hikmet Kutlu              HealthNet Foundation
  David Lee, M.D.           Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
  Randall Lewis             Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
  Cindy Miller              Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
  Yvonne Oropeza            Healthnet - A Clarian Partner
  John Brandon              Marion County Commission On Youth, Inc.
  Jan Clark                 YMCA of Greater Indianapolis
  Maurice Cox               Indianapolis Museum of Art
  Roland Dorson             Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
  Murvin Enders             One Hundred Black Men of Indianapolis
  Ruby Fleming              The Hispanic Center, Inc.
  Nancy Jewell              Indiana Minority Health Coalition
  Joanne Joyce              Indianapolis Private Industry Council
  Ellen Quigley             Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee
  Joyce Rogers              Indiana Black Expo, Inc.
  Deborah Hearn Smith       Girl Scouts of Hoosier Capital
  Tamara Zahn               Indianapolis Downtown, Inc.
  Bob Bedell                Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association
  Umar I. Al-Khattab        Indianapolis Muslim Community Association Inc.
  Yunhan Gwo                Chinese Community Church of Indianapolis
  Barbara Mebane            Covenant Community Church
  David Penalva             Vida Nueva United Methodist Church
  Jayne Thorne              St. Luke's UMC / Celebration of Hope


DATASOURCE: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield



CONTACT:  Deborah New of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield,

[phone]

Copyright