Cohort XXXI Graduates

To say my experience with Ventura County Leadership Academy as Cohort XXXI was life-changing is a pretty bold statement. I'm aware. And saying it anyway.

Ventura County Leadership Academy, along with the people I've met and come to know and call friends in Cohort XXXI have given me so much! They've shown me what can happen when public agencies, nonprofits, developers, businesses, and community partners stay focused on common goals—and are willing to work together, even when it’s hard, and the path forward isn’t clear. Goals like “working to improve the lives of people in our community,” which make me so happy, rather than the goal of "maximizing shareholder profits".

This experience gave me the chance to step inside how decisions actually get made in our community. To better understand the systems, the constraints, and the tradeoffs. But also to see what’s possible when people stay connected to a shared purpose.

I experience joy when helping others. I always have. This often didn't come back to me in rewarding ways in the corporate environment I've worked in most of my career. Through this experience, I've realized it's not because I haven't been "doing it right".

I am not naïve and know the same frustrations exist in this effort to get things accomplished, doing community work, dealing with people, and processes that are always imperfect. But the questions, "to what end?, for what purpose?", had answers I could get behind, embrace, and love.

This kind of collaboration matters especially right now, and what gives me joy and purpose. So let's keep moving forward—together—even when things feel uncertain. Especially when things feel uncertain! And always remember to hang out with good, smart people who care and love to have fun!

As always, thanks go to our fearless leader, Pattie Braga. You slayed it!!