Twenty-three men and women, including four representing Grundy County, make up the newest class of Leadership Northwest Missouri, an annual series of sessions that bring together existing and emerging leaders from throughout a 19-county region to discover and sharpen their leadership skills, explore regional issues, and build a network of contacts throughout northwest Missouri.
The 2018 class began with a two-day retreat on Jan. 24-25 at Conception Abbey. The participants will gather monthly for day-long sessions in varied locations throughout the region. The series concludes with a July 19 graduation celebration in St. Joseph.
Members of the 2018 class and the counties they represent include Lindsay Oram (North Central Missouri College) and Phillip Ray (North Central Missouri Development Alliance), Grundy County; Alicia Endicott (North Central Missouri College), Daviess/Grundy County; Tami Campbell (North Central Missouri College), Mercer/Grundy County; Brendon Clark, Coby Keyes, and Darci Shuster, Andrew/Buchanan County; Ashlee Driskell and Heather Olson, Atchison County; Chad Neff, Seth Rector and Mark Scates, Buchanan County; Kari Corbin, Caldwell County; Laura McFadden, Clay County; Laura Bray, Clinton/DeKalb County; Nathan Jones, DeKalb/Clinton County; Lori Bishop and Tammy Green, Gentry County; Ashley Bugbee, Harrison County; Becky Cleveland, Linn County; Austin Hibler, Livingston/Caldwell County; Jessica Trussell, Livingston County; and Monica McCollough, Nodaway County.
Leadership Northwest Missouri has become the catalyst for identifying, training and connecting the leaders of the region and is the pathway for effective leadership for generations to come, according to Leadership Northwest spokesperson Deb Powers.
“There is a deliberate focus on fostering a sense of ownership for the region – that we have interdependent roles and we depend on each for the progress and success of northwest Missouri,” she said.
Sessions incorporate a blend of classroom presentations and experiential exercises. In-depth examinations of such regional issues as agriculture, healthcare, entrepreneurship, regional awareness, regional vitality and team empowerment round out each session.
“Regional-focused leadership development programs are the foundation for building the capacity of individuals, communities and regions to solve their own problems,” said Dr. Tim Crowley, a local leadership expert who is one of the program’s facilitators. “Participants develop leadership best practices, establish strong networks, increase ability to solve complex problems and deepen their understanding of regional needs and assets.”