Graduates of the Leadership Los Alamos 25-26 cohort gather for a photo on the deck of the lodge at the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area. Courtesy photo

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Los Alamos

Leadership Los Alamos readies for a new cohort of students to begin the 26-27 class in September. It would be remiss not to reflect on the work of its graduates from the spring and celebrate great leaders from the year.

The session kicked off with a fantastic orientation that sets the tone for the year, fun, fellowship, education, and great people, including volunteers to session chairs and community organizations with their leaders. It follows with monthly sessions covering Culture, Environment, Health and Safety, Government, Community Organizations, Economic Development, and Youth and Education.

Graduation harkens back to the first orientation session, capturing the growth and camaraderie achieved throughout the year.

“This class showed an amazing amount of patience and understanding. Their motto was ‘PIVOT!’ (like the Friends episode), and they were great at going with the flow and supporting each other,” LLA Chair Jasmine Stephens said. “There was never a dull moment, and I know they will all be wonderful leaders in our community.”

The guest speaker for 2026 and winner of LLA’s annual Alumni Award was Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgamballone. He arrived in Los Alamos in November of 2013 and has many reasons to be proud. What highlights resonate most?

Chief Dino Sgamballone

“I would have to say it is initiatives that have lasting impact on public/officer safety. So, programmatic efforts such as Safety Town or technological advancements such as our new Axon implementation,” Chief Sgambellone said. “Although prevention can be hard to quantify, these efforts will undoubtedly continue to pay dividends long after I have left.” 

The Chief and his team have been nationally accredited for several years. They are a professional organization that is well supported by the community.

His message shows his perspective and the critical elements of effective leadership through a modern lens. While the entirety of the speech should be read by all, his heart shines through with a love for people and the importance of it to succeed in such a demanding role.

Some of the Chief’s pearls of wisdom from his life of servant leadership:

• “It starts with how you act, how you treat others, and how you prepare yourself every single day.”
• “The best leaders are those who know where they or their organization fall short and hire or partner with people who are strong where they are weak.”
• “Empathy is Strategic: Understanding the human side of things isn’t just ‘nice’—it is a critical leadership competency.”
•  “Decisive Humility: The best leaders in 2026 are not the loudest; they are the most balanced.”
• “Admit Mistakes: Don’t be afraid to admit you’re wrong. That is not weakness; it is humanity, and it builds immense trust.”

Chief Sgamballone’s conclusion was, “Leadership is not a destination. It is a daily decision to serve the people you work with. Focus on your people, maintain your integrity, and stay humble.”

The LLA non-alumni award went to Dr. Kurt Steinhaus, the former Los Alamos Public Schools Superintendent and former State Secretary of Education. Steinhaus has made many positive impacts during his time as Superintendent. Upon retirement, he assumed the mantle of Secretary of Education for the state of New Mexico, making an even larger impact on education. He has an interest in Career Technical Education, with an alternative to a traditional college track, which helps fill much needed jobs across the state. He continues to work to improve education, especially Career Technical Education statewide and serves as Chair of the LAPS Foundation.

Success doesn’t come without arduous work, and the LLA Board of Directors did more than their fair share to get to the finish line. The all-volunteer board consists of incoming Chair-elect Carmen Kramer, Chair Jasmine Stephens, Patrick Moore, Seth Martinez, Mihaela Popa-Smil (Ex-Officio member), Frank Dresty, Jennifer Alymer, Beatrice Odezulu, and Terra Hite.

Finally, a heart felt tribute to Kirsten Bell who led the program for many years with the kindness, compassion, and appreciation a true leader should emanate. Bell also led the final session for the class.

“Her knowledge is invaluable, and her lectures are always engaging and inspiring,” Stephens said. “It meant so much to have her support as we led this class to be the best class ever.”

The application process for the next session remains open until July 31, as LLA works to begin its 24th year of service to community. To learn more visit www.leadersiplosalamos.org.