February 26, 2025
Leftwich and Rhoads accepted into Emerging Leaders Network program
Human Resources staff members Shannon Leftwich, talent acquisition manager, and Mary-Beth Rhoads, resource center and operations manager, have been accepted into TIAA's Emerging Leaders Network program.
The Emerging Leaders Network, or ELN, provides leadership development opportunities through training and interaction with peers in several areas of human resources from similar institutions and covers a broad range of topics, including understanding the world of higher education and human resources, deepening understanding of human resources technical topics and growing leadership skills.
"I'm thrilled to participate in this program and enhance my leadership skills while deepening my understanding of higher education human resources," Leftwich said. "Connecting with peers from other institutions to build partnerships will be invaluable both personally and professionally. I am grateful for the opportunity to grow in my career and to represent Kansas State University in the next cohort of this prestigious program."
Rhoads and Leftwich were selected alongside 70 peers across the country for the sixth ELN program and will have multiple opportunities to form relationships, deepen their human resources knowledge, and reflect upon and build their leadership skills among human resources professionals from a variety of institutions.
"Participating in the ELN program will provide an opportunity to share knowledge, collaborate and exchange best practices while gaining a fresh perspective and building meaningful connections alongside HR professionals," Rhoads said. "I'm looking forward to enhancing my leadership skills within my cohort and bringing invaluable resources back to Kansas State University."
Leftwich joined the university in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in business administration and has more than 22 years of human resources experience. As manager of the Talent Acquisition unit, she leads a team who partners across the university in full lifecycle recruitment for faculty and staff. Additionally, Leftwich is a SHRM certified professional with additional certifications as a Professional in Human Resources and a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist.
In addition to being a K-State graduate, Rhoads has 14 years of experience at the university collaborating with faculty, staff and administration. With a bachelor's degree in human resource management, she joined HR in 2011 and currently serves as the resource center and operations manager. Her team oversees all employee transaction processing in HRIS, records management, compliance, employment verification and non-resident employment.
TIAA is one of two mandatory retirement plan providers at Kansas State University. The ELN program began in 2015, and the sixth cohort will begin this winter.