06-04-2026
Melina Kennedy went from having little familiarity with how local government works and volunteering for then-candidate for Indianapolis mayor Bart Peterson to serving as deputy mayor of Indy.
Kennedy initially had “no idea” what her professional life would look like. She started her academic career by focusing on her interests; she first studied environmental science and history, eventually earning BS, MS and JD degrees from Indiana University.
“I came from a family that had a restaurant, a Greek restaurant in downtown Chicago. That was my growing up. I knew a lot about wiping down tables and customer service,” she said. “I didn’t know anything about what my career might be in the future.”
That career turned out to be an exceptional journey spanning law, government and business, including time at Baker and Daniels LLP, director of economic development for the City of Indianapolis, and 11 years at Cummins. She is now chief executive officer of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership, and this spring was the Daniels School’s first Principled Leadership Insights series speaker.
The Cornerstone for Business Principled Leadership Insights speaker series is made possible by a gift from Doug and Maria DeVos and offers live, candid conversations about guests’ professional lives and the personal values and purpose that have guided their decisions when the stakes were highest.
Watch Kennedy on the Krannert Auditorium stage with Tim Lemper, academic director for Cornerstone for Business, in a discussion that included Q&A with students.
