Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation

06/10/2026

What can a 200-year-old farewell tour teach us about leadership today?

This afternoon, MDLF Fellows joined author Ryan Cole for a Lunch & Learn discussion on his book, The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic.

Ryan Cole brought history to life as he shared the story of Lafayette’s return to America and the lasting impact of leadership rooted in service, gratitude, and civic responsibility.

We are grateful to Ryan Cole for investing time in sharing with our Fellows and helping connect the lessons of the past to the challenges and opportunities facing leaders today.

Thank you to Liberty Fund for graciously hosting us!

06/09/2026

What is the "state" of Indiana's Economy? MDLF Class IX dove into this question, and more, in sunny Evansville, Indiana last Thursday and Friday.

The two-day programming kicked off with a reception bringing MDLF and Orr Fellows together at Escalade Sports. In addition to inspiring remarks and introductions from CEO Patrick Griffith and host extraordinaire Aaron Pierce, the leaders were wowed by an array of engaging activities and products, all while learning about one another and developing valuable mentorship relationships.

The next day, Fellows gathered at the Welborn Community Room in downtown Evansville. While overlooking Evansville's beautiful riverfront, Fellows learned about the State of Indiana's Economy from Thomas Guevara, followed by a panel exploring the unique differentiators of Evansville's regional economy and the value of corporate citizenship from Robert Koch, Ron Romain, Stephanie Terry, and Timothy Burke. Next up was a session on Evansville's Promise Neighborhood with Derek McKillop, Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz (Prez P!), Brittney Brown, and Sean Kuykendall. The final panel explored innovation and workforce opportunities in Evansville with Scott Massey, Ben Trockman, and Kara Yates. A tremendous thank you to all of our presenters for taking time out of their busy schedules to make our day so meaningful.

The day was made possible through the generosity of sponsors CenterPoint Energy and Deaconess Health System. And let's not forget to thank our innovative lunch sponsor, Brad Niemeier and Azzip Pizza!

Stay tuned for a Fellow blog from Samuel Snideman digging into the impact of a day exploring what real collaboration looks like in one of Indiana's most fascinating regional economies.

06/02/2026

Today, we thank Tracy Barnes for six years of dedicated service on the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation Board of Directors.

As a member of the Fellowship Committee, Tracy helped evaluate hundreds of Indiana's top Fellowship applicants, playing an important role in shaping the future of leadership in our state.

An inaugural Indiana 250 honoree, Tracy brought a wealth of experience in technology entrepreneurship and leadership across both the public and private sectors. His commitment to developing people and building effective organizations made a lasting impact on MDLF and the Fellows we serve.

Please join us in thanking Tracy for his distinguished service and steadfast support of our mission.

05/29/2026

🎉 The MDLF Executive Storefront is now open!

From May 29–June 12, you can shop exclusive MDLF apparel and merchandise while supporting the next generation of Indiana leaders and change agents.

Every purchase helps advance the mission of developing principled, purpose-driven leaders who will make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.

Lead with purpose. Wear the mission.

Shop now: https://www.eshops.tactive.cc/collections/mitch-daniels-leadership-foundation

Help us spread the word by liking, sharing, and tagging fellow MDLF supporters!

05/29/2026

05/22/2026

The 2026 MDLF Annual Event is officially here!

Join us on September 10 at the Indiana State Museum for one of our favorite nights of the year, bringing together leaders from across Indiana for an evening of connection, inspiration, and celebration.

This year’s event will feature a special conversation between Governor Mitch Daniels and nationally recognized writer Jonathan Rauch, along with the celebration of Governor Daniels’ new memoir, Impatience Is a Virtue: A Life Where the Buck Stops.

We’ll also recognize this year’s Daniels Prize recipient, Outstanding Fellow, and Driving Change honorees while celebrating the incredible impact of the MDLF community across Indiana.

Registration is now open. We hope to see you there!

http://bit.ly/4drdUHA

05/18/2026

We’re back at Brickyard Crossing on July 30 for our 2nd Annual A Day on the Green with My Man Mitch! Join us for a day of golf, connection, and friendly competition while supporting the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation and a network committed to enabling leaders and driving change across Indiana.

There are still opportunities for sponsorship available! Contact [email protected] for more information about how you can support MDLF's legacy.

⛳ Register now at https://www.mdlfindiana.org/golf-outing

05/12/2026

On May 7–8, the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation Fellowship Class IX gathered in Indianapolis for our first-ever Overnight Orientation — an energizing start to the next two years of leadership, learning, and civic engagement.

The experience began with Mitch Daniels sharing the vision behind the Fellowship and challenging Fellows to embrace leadership grounded in liberty, responsibility, and active citizenship. Throughout the two-day orientation, Fellows were officially welcomed into the program and introduced to the values, expectations, and opportunities that define the MDLF experience.

One of the most meaningful parts of the orientation was hearing each Fellow share their “My Hoosier Story” — personal reflections that sparked connection, authenticity, and a strong sense of community from day one.
Fellows also engaged with an outstanding lineup of leaders and thinkers through discussions on leadership, civic virtue, and the American experiment.

• Jamie Merisotis, President & CEO of Lumina Foundation
• Earl Goode, Former Chief of Staff to Governor Mitch Daniels and Governor Eric Holcomb
• Tracy Barnes, MSL Barnes, Former Chief Information Officer for the State of Indiana
• Nathan Feltman, CEO & Owner of IBJ Media
• The Honorable Eric Holcomb, 51st Governor of Indiana
• Charles Hyde, President & CEO of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site
• Dede Petri, 24th Regent of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
• Pat Lynch, Senior Fellow at Liberty Fund

The overnight experience also included a collaborative cooking competition and dinner at A Cut Above, creating even more opportunities for Fellows to build relationships beyond the classroom setting.

A special thank you to The Columbia Club for hosting us in their beautiful space overlooking Monument Circle, and to all of the speakers, supporters, and MDLF team members who made this inaugural orientation such a meaningful success.

The future is bright for Fellowship Class IX. 🚀

04/24/2026

Our Class VIII Fellows are ready to hit the ground running on their Capstone projects! 💥 Congratulations to all of our MDLF Fellows as they bring innovative ideas to life around the State 👏

04/21/2026

Thank you to the over *120* attendees and supporters who attended Class VIII Capstone Day! Last Friday, 21 Fellows publicly launched their Capstone projects. They will start implementing them in their communities over the next year.

A special thank you to our sponsors and presenters from The Heritage Group, Buckingham Foundation, and our lunch sponsor, Bedel Financial Consulting.

Reach out to our Fellows directly to learn more about their bold action and leadership initiatives!

Amber Audrain, CCMP, CSM

Zachary Finn, MSM, ARM, AINS

Brittany Krier

Luke Lennon

Scott Massey

Claire McRoberts

Jewel Mosley

Corey Parchman

Joe Pellman

Ryan Potter

Gregory Price

Aaron Robles

Mark Schneider

Andrew Sterling

Brett A. Stilwell

Carlos Taylor

Rob Triplett

Natalie Tucker PhD

Kiley Wanecke

Nakeisha Washington

Christopher Wilburn, J.D.