LEADERSHIP MONROE COUNTY ANNOUNCES CLASS XXIII

Leadership Monroe County, the educational non-profit community leadership organization, announces its twenty-fourth year of programs with the selection of Class XXIV.

The Key West Chamber of Commerce developed Leadership Monroe County in 1992, to address the rapidly changing needs and concerns of the county, develop a group of well-educated leaders, and help guide the community in a positive direction. The organization came under the umbrella of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, in 2006 with Class XV, and in 2010 established itself as an independent non-profit, governed by a county-wide 18 member Board of Directors. Present Officers are elected LMC alumni President Henry Rosenthal, Vice-President Jody Gross, Secretary Jodi Weinhofer, and Treasurer Lisa Knowles, with Program Coordinator Michael Shields.

The program is aimed at residents who are active in leadership roles within the private sector, government, or community organizations. Through a series of one and two-day sessions, over seven months, participants examine fundamental public and private segments throughout the county to inform and help them make quality leadership decisions which they can incorporate into their respective companies and organizations, and also provide the environment for mutual awareness on issues which class members confront. Sessions begin October 9-10 in Key West, with subsequent monthly classes, throughout the Keys, culminating with graduation in April, 2016.

Led by experts and the heads of the respective fields surveyed, classes this year focus on the tourism industry and the Keys economy, environmental issues from the Everglades to the reefs, the state of Monroe County education, all levels of government, the judiciary and law system, the significance of the military in the Keys, emergency management and emerging best practices, the increasing impact of the arts and creative industries, and the non-profit sectors, and the rapidly changing media platforms that inform the citizenry and affects and influences public policy, and new this year is an expanded focus on health care and human services, along with ongoing, intensive leadership development.

Class XXIV members are:

Peter Bacheler                         President, PDB Enterprises

Cora Baggs                             Office Manager, Action Canvas

Kate Banick                            Executive Director, Good Health Clinic

Julie Cheon                             Water Quality & Environmental Manager, FKAA

Adriana Cuomo                      VP, Branch Manager, Capital Bank

Antonio Davila                       Server Administrator, Information Technology, BOCC

Kate DeLoach                         Senior Legislative Aide, Dist 120, Florida House of Representatives

Eric Dunford                           Deputy Fire Chief, City of Marathon

Peary Fowler                           Monroe County Court Judge

George Garrett                        Deputy City Manager, Planning Director, City of Marathon

Henry Hamilton                      Inspector, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office

Anna Hubicki                          Assistant State Attorney, 16th Circuit Court

Julie Johnson`                          Owner/Editor, Time Out Magazine

Suanne Lee                             Supervisor/Purchasing, Contracts-Monroe County School Board

Robert Lockwood                   Assistant Public Defender, 16th Circuit Court

MeriDe Mercado                     Administrator, Office of Workers Compensation, BOCC

Lindsay Poetz                         Executive Board Secretary, United Teachers of Monroe

Cheryl Robertson                    Executive Aide to the Clerk of the Court & Comptroller

Cheryl Sargent                        Benefits and Risk Manager, FKAA

Kristina Welburn                     Monroe Co. Development & Program Manager, Switchboard 211

Mary Williams             President, Owner, Island Elevator Company

Lissette Zuelch                        Detective, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office

 

Program Coordinator Michael Shields reports that in addition to the ongoing monthly sessions during the year LMC will continue to sponsor Florida Keys Day, in Tallahassee, during the next legislative session, on February 17, 2016. Begun as a Class XVII project it is now an annual summit to advocate and lobby on behalf of Keys residents and their concerns. President Henry Rosenthal says “Leadership Monroe is a unique opportunity to gain insights into the workings of our county and make meaningful connections with other leaders, to make a difference in our community.”

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