Abeer Sikder
Host, Local Global Leaders PodcastAbeer Sikder (he/they) is a proud Kentuckian, Bengali American, dog daddy, everlasting educator, and lifelong learner. He is deeply committed to leadership development, public policy, and community empowerment.
Abeer hosts the monthly Local Global Leaders podcast for WUKY and National Public Radio (NPR), where he shares stories of changemakers from the Commonwealth and explores how Kentucky connects to the world.
Abeer is a Project Coordinator with Recovery Corps at Voices of Hope in Lexington, KY, and Co-Director of New Leaders Council Kentucky. As an active civic voice, he serves on the board of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington and on the Access Lexington Commission.
Previously, Abeer was Chief Operating Officer for AllPeople Marketplace, Kentucky State Manager for Save the Children Action Network, and Senior Policy Analyst for The Council of State Governments. He began his career in the classroom as a Math Teacher in Memphis, Tennessee, through Teach For America, and has authored over 20 publications on education, workforce, and leadership topics.
Abeer holds a Juris Doctor from George Washington University Law School, completed graduate coursework at the Johns Hopkins School of Education, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Louisville.
-
PodcastsJose Cubero, Mayor of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, discusses local development, family engagement, and quality of life. -
PodcastsMcKenna Dowell (she/her), Student Body President at the University of Kentucky, discusses cheerleading, affordability, and transparency. -
PodcastsKelly McManus, Vice President of Higher Education at Arnold Venture, discusses high-quality education, effective policymaking, and persistent advocacy. -
PodcastsNicholas Hazelett (he/him), City Councilmember for Paintsville, Kentucky, discusses family roots, youth leadership, and hometown pride. -
PodcastsMichael Adams, the Secretary of State of Kentucky, discusses the American Dream, pragmatic governance, and safeguarding fair elections. -
PodcastsJohn Koehlinger, the Executive Director of Kentucky Refugee Ministries, discusses reluctant leadership, humanitarian empathy, and civic drive. -
PodcastsAngie Cruse-Tinch (she/her), Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics Kentucky, discusses disability inclusion, women’s empowerment, and athletic competition. -
PodcastsSilas House (he/him), acclaimed novelist, journalist, professor, and activist, discusses class divisions, Appalachian activism, and intersectional storytelling. -
PodcastsRobert Blythe, the Mayor of Richmond, Kentucky, discusses the power of faith, civility, and confessions. -
PodcastsMindy Haas (she/her), the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, discusses community building, political empowerment, and Jewish identity.
