The Trailblazer Leadership Academy has become a cornerstone of the RISE program. This yearlong academy for emerging leaders explores the challenges being faced by community colleges on a local, state, and national level. The purpose of the Academy is to form values-driven, high-potential, high-performing leaders who think and collaborate in new and different ways with people across the College. They will be able to pursue innovative ideas and create exciting solutions that address the complexities the College currently faces and will continue to face in into the future.
This year, the academy was run completely on Zoom. The sessions involved a combination of guest speakers, presentations, collaboration in breakout groups, and individual reflection. During the second half of the year, the participants were divided into small learning groups while they focused on developing leadership plans that they will implement in the coming months. These plans consist of a leadership challenge with accompanying goals that address an area of change that is particular to each participant. We look forward to seeing the impact these plans will have on the participants and the college.
Barb Browning, Director of Professional Development was the Lead Facility for the Academy.
Congratulations to the following participants:
- Sarah Benson, Chair, Criminal Justice Technology
- Lindsey Carpenter, Spanish Instructor, Humanities & Foreign Language
- Daphne Carson, Specialist, Small Business Center
- Natasha Cramer, Career Counselor, Student Support Services
- Valerie Daniels, Research Technician, Research & Planning
- Tipton Dillingham, Nursing Clinical Coordinator, Nursing
- Benjamin Fortune, Police Officer, Campus Police
- Matt Gudites, SharePoint and Systems Admin III Developer & Administrator, Administrative Applications
- Shaneka Haynes, Community Engagement & Supportive Services, Community Engagement & Support Services
- Cathy Horton, Chair, Hospitality Management & Culinary Arts
- Deanna Littrell, Nursing Simulation Coordinator, Nursing
- Brook Mayo, Instructor, English
- Andrew C. Nelson, Development Coordinator, College Advancement
- Shelly Pangburn, Learning Management System Administrator, Information Technology & Technical Services
- Fairley Patton, Director, Educational Partnerships
- Eugene Pressley, Information Systems Administrator, Information Technology & Technical Services
- Kristen Schlaefer, Spanish Instructor, Humanities & Foreign Language
- Stacy Workman, Instructor, Criminal Justice Technology