(Hays, KS) - Early this month, Kaiti Blackburn, executive director of Jana’s Campaign, was selected as an inaugural honoree for her work in the nonprofit sector through the NextGen Under 30 program. This program’s mission is to identify and honor talented young adults and to encourage them to follow their lifetime family and career goals in Kansas. NextGen Under 30, a Kansas Department of Commerce program, recognizes and promotes the next generation of innovative, creative, and inspiring individuals who push the boundaries in various categories of endeavor. Out of over 600 nominations, 200 were selected across multiple sectors. Award winners were selected based on their participation and contribution to their communities.

Blackburn, a Dodge City, KS native, graduated from Fort Hays State University (FHSU) with a bachelor’s degree in leadership studies in 2015 and a master’s degree in professional studies with a concentration in organizational leadership in 2017. She began her career with Jana’s Campaign, a national education and violence prevention organization, in 2016 as an education and prevention specialist and, in 2019, was promoted to Executive Director.

Under Kaiti’s leadership, Jana’s Campaign’s reach through secondary education programming and higher education regional campus safety summits has grown to impact 43 states, over 630 middle and high schools, 538 colleges and universities, and more than 85,000 middle and high school students along with their faculty and staff. In addition to her work with Jana’s Campaign, Kaiti is a member of the Hays Young Professionals, served as an advisor for the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority at FHSU from 2017-2022, and has served as a mentor to FHSU students in the Voss Advanced Leadership Undergraduate Experience (VALUE) program through the Leadership Studies Department for the past three years. She has completed the extensive leadership pathway training through the Kansas Leadership Center of Wichita and training through Non-Profit Connect of Kansas City.

​To learn more about the NextGen Under 30 program, visit nextgenunder30ks.com.