Jul 5, 2016 | News

The Leadership Tompkins program graduated twenty-three local leaders at a ceremony on June 16th at 5:30pm at Coltivare, Ithaca. The Leadership Tompkins program is a ten month leadership development program that prepares participants for non-profit board service and other volunteer leadership roles in the community. The class was immersed into the community at several interactive workshops – including facility tours, service outings, volunteer opportunities, training workshops, guest speakers, and networking events.

Some highlights for this year’s class: hosted a booth at the Chili Cook-Off – and cooked their own batch, provided consulting support for a local entrepreneur’s app called PocketSights, participated in a Poverty Simulation, dove in to the archives at The History Center, created an Identity Wheel to help learn strategies for enhanced diversity and inclusion, and got a tour of the IPD SWAT command center.

This year’s class includes: Michelle Artibee – Cornell University; Kelly Bishop – Elmira Savings Bank; Brandy Besemer – Tompkins Trust; Nancy Bussieres – Hospicare; Betsy Caughey – Tompkins Cortland Community College & Ithaca College; Danine Chaires – Sodexo at Ithaca College; Deborah Cooper – Cornell University; Laurie Conlon – Cornell University; Joanna Dennis – M&T Bank; Bari Doeffinger – Ithaca College /Cornell/ Tompkins Cortland Community College; Mark Ewing – Tompkins Cortland Community College; Ginia Harris – Tompkins Trust; Tami Hastings – Cornell University; Vicki John – Gorges, LLC; Stephanie Meyer – Boyce Thompson Institute; Lisa Monroe – Office For the Aging; Randy Pendell – BorgWarner; Susan Riley – Cornell University; Eric Schillinger – CFCU; Reiley Schoen – Alternatives FCU; Heidi Sherwood – Park Foundation; Amy Winters – Sciarabba Walker; and Tina Zu – CFCU.

The Leadership Tompkins program is a collaborative partnership between the Tompkins Chamber of Commerce and Tompkins Cortland Community College. Recruitment for the Class of 2017 will begin in late July.