Posts Tagged ‘cohort’
Information Overload
Misty Perez Council member, City of Port Hueneme The first session of VCLA’s cohort XXVIII was a day full of “information overload”; from learning about fellow cohort members, to group sessions and starting our first group assignment. The drum circle was a nice mental break but still, at the end of a great day, I…
Read MoreJeopardy, VCLA Style
Dr. Lorelle Dawes Director of Expanded Learning, Ventura Unified School District The first day when Ventura County Leadership Academy (VCLA) Cohort 28 met as a group at the National Search Dog Foundation training site was a hit! We learned about each other—our experiences, our fears, our hopes—and we planned to make this an epic year…
Read MoreA Great Start to Cohort XXVIII
Justin Doering Director, Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Association It was a great first day of Ventura County Leadership Academy. My favorite takeaway from the first session was being able to hear the background and expertise of those amongst our own cohort. There are so many leaders from such a wide array of professions. I truly…
Read MoreHousing, Oh Housing…
Dan Hulst Preserve Director, Ventura Land Trust Housing, oh housing. Why art thou so challenging? On a particularly warm Friday in March, VCLA Cohort 27 gathered for our 7th session. Focusing on Public Health and Social Services, the day began at the Ventura County Human Service Agency where we heard from distinguished leaders in the…
Read MoreStep Up & Run
Bev Dransfeldt Elected Director, Pleasant Valley Recreation & Parks Board Ventura County Leadership Academy has been such a moving, wonderful program filled with so much eye-opening information, inspirational speakers and a legendary cohort. I counted down the months until the Sacramento trip and had everything ready to go early on. Pattie Braga, our fearless leader,…
Read MoreDon’t Let Your Title Define Who You Are
Michelle D’Anna Community Relations Officer, City of Camarillo “Don’t let your title define who you are.” Let that sink in for a minute. At first, this statement struck me as an odd way to begin a conversation with a room full of professionals who are embarking on a leadership journey. Are we not a diverse cohort…
Read MoreMexicans Don’t Sing About Their Horses
Robert E. Canko NAM Sustainability & Outreach ManagerBayer – U.S. Crop Science VCLA’s Cohort 27 Legends convened at the Oxnard Union High School District for our sixth session on the first Friday of February 2022. We enjoyed a wildly enlightening day on the topic of education in Ventura County from a wide cast of selfless…
Read MoreLearning a Little About My New Home
Richard Gutierrez Chief Financial Officer, Casa Pacifica VCLA Cohort XXVII Being accepted into this year’s Ventura County Leadership Academy has been such a benefit to me already. Being new to the area in the time of Covid has made getting to know my new home very difficult. When I learned of this program, I jumped…
Read MorePlaying Our Part in Water Conservation
Kirk Lagerquist Chief Staff Officer, US Navy VCLA Cohort XXVII We recently completed our fourth session of VCLA in early December 2021, where we focused on Water, Utilities and the Environment. I found the day to be quite fascinating, particularly the water, refuse and utilities portions. As a career Civil Engineer Corps officer, I have…
Read MoreBalancing Two of Ventura County’s Biggest Challenges
Darrin Peschka Ventura County Transportation Commission, Government and Community Relations Program Manager What are two of the biggest challenges facing Ventura County? Jobs and affordable housing.That’s what I took away from the third session of the Ventura County Leadership Academy, when Cohort XXVII took a dive into housing and the local economy. If you’ve been…
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