Kim Sherwood is a graduate of the 2016-17 Leadership Los Alamos program. Photo by Martha Katko
LLA News:
Leadership Los Alamos is accepting applications for its 2017-18 program, which gets underway in September.
To date, LLA has graduated more than 250 leaders who are making a difference in this community. LLA is seeking to fill this year’s class with approximately 24 committed individuals who want to learn more and continue this fine tradition.
The program begins with a two-day orientation Sept. 8-9. The deadline to apply for the program is June 30.
What recent graduates are saying:
Name: Kim Sherwood
LLA: How many years have you lived and/or worked in Los Alamos?
Sherwood: The better part of 55 years.
LLA: Why did you enroll in Leadership Los Alamos?
Sherwood: I had only heard great things about the program, and thought it was the perfect opportunity to find a way to engage in the community on a professional as well as a personal level.
LLA: What is your biggest take-away lesson from the class?
Sherwood: How much I didn’t know about the community and surrounding area. This class was extremely informative on many subjects such as county government, local nonprofits, Los Alamos history and the surrounding environment. It was very enlightening to realize the large availability of opportunities to be a leader in the community. Being a leader can be very diverse in its nature, and what I learned is there are a multitude of opportunities for me to engage in the community.
LLA: What are you doing with what you learned?
Sherwood: I have become engaged in a leadership role leading a team in a local non-profit. I found that this class provided me the opportunity to learn from other leaders, engage on class projects that provided me with self-confidence, practice public speaking and have a large group of resources to tap into.
About LLA
The Leadership Los Alamos program is nine months in duration and has graduated leaders since 2003. Program sessions are designed to address current issues facing the community. Each program session features speakers that are acknowledged leaders in their specific fields, while program participants actively engage in discussion and debate. The process offers an opportunity for inquiry, analysis and development of solutions to the most pressing issues facing our community and surrounding area.
Program sessions are held in Los Alamos and the surrounding area in order to expose participants to the different aspects of our community and the local issues important to each area. In addition, program participants experience the unique culture of the area, weaving for themselves a broad-based and comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing our community with many cultures and geographic diversity.
Each program year includes a mandatory one-day Leadership Orientation and Retreat followed by educational sessions on topics such as:
- Leadership;
- Cultural Issues;
- Economic Development;
- Local Government;
- Community Organizations;
- Education and Youth; and
- Environment.
The year concludes with a closing session and graduation.
The program is open to anyone who lives or works in Los Alamos. Leadership Los Alamos selects a class each year of 24 or so leaders or potential leaders who represent a cross-section of the community and surrounding area from public, private and nonprofit sectors. Special consideration is given to ensure diversity of occupational background, race, gender, and community involvement.
Participants are selected using the following criteria:
- Commitment, motivation, and interest in serving Los Alamos;
- Demonstrated leadership in community activities;
- Record of accomplishments within his or her own company or organization;
- Interest in seeking future key volunteer and/or appointed leadership roles;
- An occupational commitment to remain in the Los Alamos area; and
- Commitment to play a personal role in helping shape Los Alamos’ future.
To learn more about Leadership Los Alamos, click here.
To apply for the 2017-18 LLA class, click here.
