2016 Emerging Leaders named

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Twenty residents from Warren and Youngstown recently were selected for the 2016 Emerging Leaders program at The Raymond John Wean Foundation.

This group of grass-roots leaders will take part in a nine-week series of comprehensive workshops designed to cultivate fundamental leadership skills, as well as connect individuals to key community peers and stakeholders.

“It’s a different approach to exploring active leadership and networking,” said Corrie Adams, emergent leader liaison.

This year’s cohort includes individuals who represent a wide range of organizations, from Upward Bound and YSUscape at Youngstown State University, to Trumbull County Take Flight and the Taft Promise Neighborhood Initiative for AmeriCorps VISTA.

After a two-day retreat in April focused on exploring personal leading styles, participants will experience seven workshop sessions facilitated by researcher/practitioners including topics such as communication and negotiation, decision-making, strategic partnerships, resource planning and mindfulness.

The program culminates with a launch party in May, where participants showcase their work to Mahoning Valley stakeholders.

Past participants continue to gain and share their experience through job opportunities including promotions, participation in additional training, civic engagement and volunteerism, public leadership appointments and entrepreneurial programs.

The 2016 Emerging Leaders are: Towana Stevens, Kassey Nall, David Lomax, Brandi Takas, Lauren Johnson, Louise Hayes, Lynn Dean, Greg Davner, Deborah Cunningham, Nicholas Chretien and Amy Best, all of Youngstown; Christina Campbell, Meredith Chaplin, DeAudra Edgerson, Jessica Gaskell, Adam Gregory, Tamisha Howard, Miles Johnson, Meghan Reed and Kia Rucker, all of Warren.

Raymond John Wean, after having achieved success in the flat-rolled steel processing industry, in 1949 created the foundation that bears his name in Warren. Since then, more than $100 million in grants have been awarded to a broad variety of nonprofit organizations in support of its vision to empower residents to create a healthy, vibrant, equitable and economically stable Mahoning Valley.