“I think the new American Leadership Forum is a difference maker for the northern San Joaquin Valley,” said Great Valley Center President David Hosley. “A network of regional leaders who know how to build consensus on solutions to tough issues facing this region can accelerate positive change in a big way. These pioneers in the first class are a great foundation on which to build.”
Recognizing that the dynamic of leadership is changing in our rapidly growing and diversifying region, the Great Valley Center took the bold step in 2009 to be a catalyst for the development of regional leadership capacity by inaugurating the Great Valley Chapter of the American Leadership Forum.
The American Leadership Forum (ALF) is a non-profit organization, national in scope, dedicated to joining and strengthening established leaders in order to serve the public good. It enhances leadership by building on the strengths of diversity and by promoting collaborative problem-solving within and among communities. The Great Valley chapter serves San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties and joins 14 chapters across the country.
Each month during the first year, ALF Fellows met for seminars and dialogues led by highly skilled faculty. These sessions focused on developing an understanding of and skills for collaborative leadership. Before the year ended, Fellows designed and implemented a civic engagement initiative, addressing an actual regional need. The project provides a real-time collaborative experience, using the skills learned in dialogue, consensus building, negotiation and conflict resolution.
Graduates, known as Senior Fellows, continue to work together in a regional network built on real and enduring relationships across all sectors.
“The graduates of this inaugural class will bring about significant capacity for change in our communities,” said Manuel Alvarado, manager of leadership programs at the Great Valley Center. “Cultural, social and ethnic barriers are dismissed through this program. ALF is creating the next generation of leaders who will have the tools necessary to best serve the region.”
The Great Valley Chapter of the American Leadership Forum is good for the Fellows, and good for the region. While the yearlong experience is life-changing for participants, the true value of the chapter is the building of a critical mass of leaders who are committed to serving the public good and who have learned the new dynamics of collaborative leadership.
Inaugural class members include:
Steve Arounsack, California State University Stanislaus, Turlock
Debra Brady, First United Methodist Church, Modesto
Debra Brown, Kaiser Permanente, Ripon
Wendy Byrd, Modesto Junior College, Modesto
Ben Duran, Merced College, Merced
Lisa Finer, Wells Fargo, Modesto
Ron Foster, Foster Farms, Livingston
John Garamendi, Jr., The Professional Evaluation Group, Walnut Grove
Kathy Halsey, AT&T, Turlock
Flip Hassett, United Way of Merced County, Merced
Dennis Lee, Central Valley Asian Chamber of Commerce, Stockton
Linda Lopez, Office of Congressman Cardoza, Merced
Noah Lor, Merced City Council, Merced
Virginia Madueno, Imagen Public Relations, Riverbank
Marian Martino, Martino Graphics, Modesto
Pat Patrick, Lodi District Chamber of Commerce, Lodi
Robert Santos, Monte Vista Small Animal Hospital, Turlock
Cynthia Wagner-Weick, University of the Pacific, Stockton
Media Coverage:
→ Great Valley Chapter of American Leadership forum to graduate first class today (Merced Sun-Star, May. 21, 2010)
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