At Leadership Anne Arundel, leadership is more than a program – it’s a legacy.

This year, we celebrated something truly special: a growing tradition of alumni and participants investing in the leaders who will follow them. What began as a tribute by the Flagship Class of 2005 to honor their classmate, Hank Gundlach, has evolved into a powerful movement of paying it forward.

Over the past two years, Leadership Anne Arundel alumni and participants have rallied around our Flagship Tuition Assistance Fund, creating opportunities for future leaders to participate regardless of financial circumstances. Inspired by the Class of 2005, the Flagship Class of 2025 launched the first-ever class gift campaign with 100% participation. The Class of 2026 built on that momentum, also achieving 100% participation and raising significant support for future cohorts.

(Flagship 2026 check presentation at the recent Tribute to Community Leadership pictured at right. LAA Board Chair Monica Rausa at left with LAA President & CEO Kris Valerio Shock.)

Together, these efforts have expanded access to leadership development and strengthened the sustainability of community leadership in Anne Arundel County for years to come.

This spirit of generosity extends beyond our Flagship Program. With continued support from grant partners, donors, members, volunteers, and sponsors, the Neighborhood Leadership Academy remains accessible to grassroots leaders across our community, and the Alumni Forum offers a robust program of events that support lifelong learning, connections, and leadership development.

As we close another remarkable year, we are reminded that Leadership Anne Arundel's greatest strength is its people. Every donor, member, volunteer, facilitator, board member, program partner, alumnus, and participant helps light the path for others.

Because of you, the future of leadership in Anne Arundel County is bright.

Thank you for continuing to pass the torch. 🔥

I miss the sun.

In the Baltimore-Washington metro area, we're on Day 7 of gray and rainy weather, and I'm longing for a sunny day. If the forecast can be believed, the sun will finally make an appearance tomorrow. I can't wait.

All this gloomy, gray dampness has got me thinking about the importance of radiating positivity in community leadership. Not manufactured, untethered, toxic positivity, but genuine glass half full, the sun will come out tomorrow, can-do spirit.

There’s a saying that everyone is going through something you know nothing about.

One of the greatest skills a Community Leader can possess is summoning encouragement and positivity to boost the community leaders around them. For a deeper dive, Forbes explains the merits of Positive Leadership here.

It is surprising just how little it takes to lift someone else up and encourage them to carry forward and bring their own brand of positivity to benefit the community.

There’s an unspoken agreement that positive leaders make with each other. We’re not all going to be positive all the time, so I’ll lift you up when you need it, and you’ll lift me up when I need it. That’s one of the tremendous benefits of participating in a community leadership program: connecting with those leaders who will be there for you when you need that boost.

What do you do to nurture positivity in your leadership practice? How do you stay positive even when facing seven gray days? Drop a comment below and share your approach to Positive Leadership.

🌟🌟🌟

One way LAA contributes a bit of positivity is through the annual Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation coming up on June 22. We’ll present the Distinguished Graduate and Excellence in Leadership awards, graduate the Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy classes, and announce the 2026 Bertina Nick Flagship Scholarship honoree. You might say it will be an evening of pure sunshine! All are welcome, and I hope to see you there! Click here to register today!

There is a song I can’t get out of my head: Help Is On the Way by Lake Street Drive.  It’s on my favorites playlist, and I find myself playing it on repeat:

What if all of us out helping ourselves could help somebody else?
Help is on the way, help is on the way

It reminds me of the LAA community. So many helpers, helping themselves by helping somebody else.

It’s similar to the inspiration for a chapter I wrote in a new book called When People Rise: HR Secrets for Small Business Growth, Success, and Legacy.

My chapter is titled: Investing in Community Leadership; A Path to a Purpose-Driven, Meaningful Life. The book is the brainchild of Flagship 26 participant Susan Mahaffee and features Susan, LAA Board Member and Flagship 2024 graduate Emily Owens Channell, and me, along with 19 other co-authors.

There’s all kinds of buzz going on about this book. In the first week, we made it to Amazon's best-seller list, which is all very exciting. I urge you to read it – there are so many voices and perspectives – it’s packed with great info. Don’t take my word for it – check out the review by Flagship 2025 grad and New Leaders Honoree, Amy Berry.

"As a new leader and CEO, When People Rise has inspired a new confidence in me - empowering me to turn uncertainty and self-doubt into opportunity. The practical insights and heartfelt stories are a powerful reminder of the impact of genuine community connection and that we never have to lead alone." ~Amy Berry, CEO, Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce

The book covers a wide range of topics you might consider in human resources. For my part, I share a truth I have found, that in the most challenging of times, the pathway to personal fulfillment and even peace of mind comes from helping other people.

It’s not a new concept, but it’s hitting me differently in the context of increasingly challenging times. There’s so much we have no control over, clamoring for our attention, but people rise when they get to do the thing they love, and it creates powerful good for others. There’s magic in that.

It’s not selfless or altruistic – it’s strategic goodness. It takes community engagement from obligation to opportunity. Where you match the things that give you most enjoyment: your talents, your skills, the things that get you buzzing, and you find an organization or an initiative that needs those things, and you donate them. Generously. You give them away – and what comes back is powerful in self-affirming inspiration, and pure joy.

Speaking of pure joy, here’s a link to that song I mentioned. I hope it gives you a boost, too.

Have you already found an amazing connection that matches your talents to a community need? Share your thoughts below and inspire someone else to lend their talents to the community. Let’s find out together, the power of When People RISE!

We’re proud to feature LAA grads, who are honorees of Anne Arundel County’s Few of Many and Michelle Obama Awards; we’ve just released our very own roster of New Leader Honorees, who we will celebrate at Carrol‘s Creek Café on April 29 (pictured at right); and very soon we’ll be accepting nominations for the Distinguished Graduate Award and announcing this year‘s Excellence in Leadership Honoree to be celebrated together at the Tribute to Community Leadership in June.

All this well-deserved recognition got me thinking about why it is so important that we celebrate leadership. So, I went searching for quotes to capture the importance of recognizing leadership.

I love this one by an unknown author:

Acknowledgment is the greatest form of currency in the realm of human connection.

I found a bunch more I like here.

To me, the heart of it is the truth that Leadership can be a thankless journey. I love Brené Brown’s reflection on The Man in the Arena. If you haven’t heard it, click here to give it a quick listen. It’s short but wonderful.

Leaders inherently put themselves in the path of scrutiny and criticism. Most often, folks are there to weigh in on what should be better or different, and rarely are the voices clamoring to celebrate the good. And good leaders are generally more focused on recognizing their team than seeking recognition for themselves.

Lifting leaders up to celebrate their achievements is central to Leadership Anne Arundel’s philosophy. We need dedicated, informed, and thoughtful leaders now, more than ever. So, we must seek every opportunity to lift them up and show our gratitude for stepping forward in the awesome arena of Leadership.

The New Leaders Breakfast Celebration will take place on Wednesday, April 29, from 8 AM to 10 AM at Carrol’s Creek Café. Click here for all the details, registration, and a link to the full roster of our 2026 honorees. Special thanks to New Leader’s Host Sponsor ELS11 grad Jeff Jacobs’ Carrol’s Creek Café, and Patron Event Sponsors, MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate and Annapolis City Marina. The New Leaders Celebration typically sells out, so if you plan to join us, don’t delay your registration.

Regardless of whether you’re able to join us for the New Leaders Celebration, I hope you will reflect for a moment on leaders in your own network who deserve a little recognition; whether it’s a quick note on LinkedIn, an email or a text, you never know when your small act of acknowledgment will give them the steam they need to keep moving forward.

This springtime, as you look around and see the flowers bloom, I hope you will consider who in your network deserves flowers, literally or metaphorically. Won’t you take a moment to send them?

The LAA Flagship experience is designed to move beyond theory and into reality — giving leaders a closer look at the systems, partnerships, and people working every day to support the health and stability of Anne Arundel County.

The Flagship 2026 Health & Human Services Day did just that.

A Day Built on Partnership

This day only happens because of strong community partners. We’re grateful to Fello, Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center (UM BWMC), and Hospice of the Chesapeake for their continued investment in leadership development through sponsorship.

Their support reflects what we deeply believe at Leadership Anne Arundel: strong communities require prepared, connected leaders.

We began the morning at Fello at the Mall with a candid conversation about the state of health and human services in our region. A thoughtful panel featuring regional leaders — including Fello CEO Jonathon Rondeau and alumni from multiple Flagship classes in senior leadership roles — grounded us in both the urgency and responsibility. Remarks from County Health Officer Dr. Tonii Gedin set the tone — public health is not a silo; it’s a shared responsibility.

Learning from the Front Lines

From there, participants spent the day out in the community in small groups, visiting organizations that serve as critical safety nets across the county.

They spent time with teams at:

• YMCA Greater Annapolis
• Boys & Girls Club of Anne Arundel County
• Light House Shelter
• Chrysalis House
• Anne Arundel County Food Bank
• Wellness House of Annapolis

These weren’t presentations. They were conversations with people doing hard, meaningful work every day.

When leaders see this work up close, the conversation changes. Issues that can feel abstract suddenly become very real. You see the complexity, but you also see the commitment and innovation happening across our nonprofit and healthcare communities.

Participants asked difficult questions about sustainability, funding gaps, workforce strain, and what leadership responsibility looks like beyond awareness. 

Connecting the Bigger Picture

We closed the day at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, where the focus shifted from individual organizations to the broader ecosystem.

A powerful discussion on the real cost of local hunger highlighted how interconnected these challenges are. Food insecurity touches everything — health outcomes, education, workforce stability.

It reinforced a core leadership truth:

No single organization can solve these challenges alone.

Real progress happens when sectors align — nonprofit, healthcare, business, and government working together with shared purpose.

One of my favorite moments was the closing fireside conversation featuring members of the current class. Watching participants step into the dialogue as contributors, not just learners, is always a reminder of why this work matters.

Why This Day Stays With People

Alumni often tell us this is one of the most memorable days of the Flagship experience. Not because it provides answers, but because it changes perspective.

It challenges leaders to think differently about influence, responsibility, and impact. It pushes us to ask harder questions about where we invest our time, our voice, and our energy.

That reflection is where meaningful leadership begins.

An Invitation

If you want to better understand this community — and your role in it — spend time with the organizations doing this work.

Visit. Listen. Ask questions. Get involved.

You will build relationships, but more importantly, you will build understanding.

And in my experience, leaders who understand their community lead differently. They make more informed decisions. They build stronger partnerships. And they stay grounded in what matters most.

That’s the kind of leadership our communities need — and the kind we are proud to help develop every day.

Deepest Gratitude

Before closing, I want to extend sincere gratitude to the volunteers who brought this day to life.

Thank you to our Health & Human Services Day Committee Chairs, Catie Comer (FLG22) and Joan Green (FLG23), for their thoughtful leadership and steady guidance throughout the planning process.

And deep appreciation to the committee members who invested their time and insight to shape such a meaningful experience for the class: Elizabeth Gross (FLG19), Bruce Morgenstern (FLG12), Leah Paley (FLG23), Danny Watkins (FLG22), Christine Frost (FLG23), Keiosha Callahan (FLG25), and Kristin Feliciano (FLG25).

Experiences like this don’t happen by accident. They are built by leaders who care deeply about this community and the growth of those coming behind them. We are grateful for your commitment and proud to have you as part of the Leadership Anne Arundel network.

If you would like to catch a glimpse of the session day, you can find the photo album here.

The year is not the only thing NEW with LAA! We’ve got:

New Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA) Class
New Flagship Applications
New Leaders Nominations
New Events
New Anniversary Classes
New Leadership Partner

Let’s DIVE IN:

We're excited to announce that a NEW NLA Cohort had their 1st session just before the wintery mix dumped snow and ice on our community. NLA26 (pictured at right) is a vibrant and dedicated group of 23 community leaders. Click here for a recap of their opening session. 

We are currently building the next Flagship Class so if you or someone you know has Flagship on your Bucket List, now is the time to APPLY for the 2027 Cohort, scheduled to kickoff their program year in September 2026. Application Deadline: March 31, 2026. Click here for more.

Know someone NEW in their leadership role since March 2025? Nominate them for New Leader recognition to be celebrated at the New Leaders Breakfast on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at Carrol’s Creek Cafe. Nomination Deadline: March 13, 2026. Click here for more.

We’re busy preparing for a full slate of Spring events - plan now to join us in March and April for the following events:

March 26: When Seconds Matter: Stop the Bleed & CPR/AED Training
April 18: Food (and More!) Collection
April 22: Women’s Executive Forum (WEF) Golf Clinic - details coming soon
April 29: New Leaders Celebration

Now that we’re into the New Year, there’s a whole new crop of Anniversary Classes - classes with a milestone Anniversary since they graduated from LAA:

2026 Anniversary Classes
30 Years: 1996
25 Years: 2001
20 Years: 2006
15 Years: 2011
10 Years: 2016
5 Years: 2021
1 Year: 2025

If, like me, you graduated in one of the years above (FLG2006 here!), then we hope you will plan to join us for the Annual Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation in June (Date Coming Soon!) to celebrate the relationships, insights and opportunities you’ve experienced as a result of your LAA participation!

Finally, we are beyond thrilled to welcome a NEW LAA Star Level Leadership Partner! LAA Board Member and FLG20 graduate Kristi Krankowski and Remax One wrapped up the last year with an investment in Star Level Partnership, supporting all that LAA does all year long! Thank you to Kristi for your leadership and partnership!

There’s so much more coming, just around the bend. For now, we hope you will make note of all of the opportunities detailed above and make it a plan to engage with LAA in the year ahead!

We find ourselves in challenging times. As a non-partisan organization, Leadership Anne Arundel (LAA) prioritizes unity and community over politics, so I’ll avoid sharing personal political perspectives. But regardless of where you stand on the spectrum, there’s no denying these are difficult days. With the ongoing government shutdown affecting so many federal workers, rising healthcare costs, and increasing uncertainty, anxiety is palpable in our communities.

This is precisely when community leadership becomes essential. The vision of Leadership Anne Arundel is to develop and nurture community trustees who improve the quality of life in Anne Arundel County by convening diverse stakeholders, bridging their divides, and facilitating resolutions for the common good.

Bridging Divides Among Diverse Stakeholders

Community leadership isn’t about party affiliation; it’s about committed individuals working together to strengthen their neighborhoods. While disagreements exist, daily acts of kindness and collaboration serve as common ground; opportunities upon which we can build a more united community.

Recent feedback from our government day session survey highlighted the importance of connection and understanding among different groups:

My biggest "ah ha" moment was realizing how much our voices actually matter. I always assumed that reaching out to government officials was a complicated or ineffective process, but now I see that they truly want to hear from us and are proud to serve. It made me feel proud of what they do and more motivated to stay involved.

I really did have a very cynical view of politics and politicians. That was largely framed based on what is happening on the federal level. It was really refreshing to talk with elected officials who are extremely intelligent and thoughtful and really care about their constituents and community. It was incredibly inspiring.

My takeaway from the entire day was that our government elects are hardworking individuals who believe in our democracy and want to ensure that we the people are properly represented. I did not initially believe that was true. 

Getting to know local legislators and learning that they are far more accessible and concerned about local issues than the media and social media portrays was valuable.

LAA continuously offers programs for alumni development, creating ongoing opportunities for community leaders to connect, collaborate, and make a difference. Even when words fail to bridge differences, working shoulder to shoulder on projects and initiatives helps improve life for our neighbors.

Connecting through Action and Engagement

Last week, LAA hosted its first BoardMatch event, enabling nonprofits to connect with local leaders eager to give back and address pressing issues. Next month, our Women’s Executive Forum will feature a wine tasting event; a gathering that fosters fellowship, connection, and shared leadership among women in our community. 

This year's holiday season will be special with our return to Homestead Gardens for the LAA Holiday Party, offering warmth and holiday cheer. Additionally, LAA 101 continues to be an excellent way to engage with our network, and a new ongoing LAA Pop Up event is in development, providing regular opportunities for community leaders to unite, share passions, and identify causes that enhance life in Anne Arundel County.

Stay tuned for the first LAA Pop Up | A casual space for Connection, Conversation and Community – coming soon!

In a divided world, community leadership is more important than ever. By working together beyond partisan lines, we can build stronger, more resilient neighborhoods and create a brighter future for all.

This month I had the privilege of welcoming 52 new Flagship participants for their Opening Retreat under the expert facilitation of Griff Hall and Derek Matthews.   

Community leadership is the courage, creativity and capacity to inspire participation, development and sustainability for strong communities.

— Sir Gustav Nossal

FLG2025 = Just graduated!
FLG2020 = 5 Years
FLG2015 = 10 Years
FLG2010 = 15 Years
FLG2005 = 20 Years
FLG2000 = 25 Years
FLG1995 = 30 Years


We will feature LARGE class photos where you can update changes since your Flagship graduation on post-it notes; enjoy tunes from Doug Segree, fabulous food by The Bell House Catering and warm LAA connections among your class and DECADES of LAA grads!

Thanks to confirmed Event Sponsors:
Heritage Level - M&T Bank
Trustee Level - Lily & David Openshaw
Patron Level - Ellen & Kevin Chase

There's more sponsorship available for the Kickoff and loads of other LAA opportunities coming up soon. Give me a shout to learn how you can add your name to LAA's highly valued Program & Event supporters.

Click HERE to register to attend the Program Kickoff & Homecoming and stay tuned for the announcement of FLG26 participants!

Well, if you haven’t been to Tribute recently, you really gotta come this year on June 25 at Live! Casino & Hotel. It’s not just for the graduates anymore. 

Sure, we get really excited about celebrating nearly 70 new graduate graduates of LAA from two programs, but in addition, we celebrate the Excellence in Leadership, Distinguished Graduate and Bertina Nick Scholarship honorees; and this year we will also honor the amazing work of the Flagship Class of 05 with the Hank Gundlach Tuition Assistance Campaign plus Nancy Hartzell's nine years of dedication to LAA.

It is THE feel-good event of the season. 

In short, if you follow Fred Rogers advice to "look for the helpers" in times of challenge; OR if like Aaron Burr from the hit musical Hamilton, you want to be “in the room where it happens,” you’re going to want to be at Live! Casino & Hotel on June 25.

 With nearly 300 “helpers” in the room you’re sure to get a tremendous jolt of inspiration and connectivity.  Be in the room at Live! Casino & Hotel on Wednesday, June 25 from 5:30 to 8 PM. Register here.

And if you're looking to get in front of 300+ community leaders, Sponsorship for the 2025 Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation is just the ticket!

This is your moment to shine! Put your brand in the spotlight at one of the most inspiring events of the year.

- Promote your mission
- Connect with decision-makers
- Celebrate leadership in action

Click here for details and here to purchase online. 

See you there!

This week Leadership Anne Arundel turns 32 years old. LAA's Articles of Incorporation were signed on March 23, 1993. Last year we celebrated the 30th Anniversary of our 1st graduating class, the class of 1994. If you haven't watched the video we created for the 30th Anniversary, I hope you will take a moment (or literally, less than 5 minutes) to click here to watch it and reflect on the IMPACT LAA has had on the community over three decades. 

Kris Valerio Shock (she/her/hers)

President & CEO

LAA Flagship 2006

• Convening diverse stakeholders
• Bridging their divides
• Facilitating resolutions for the common good

Celebration of Philanthropy – So many community leaders recently celebrated at the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County Celebration of Philanthropy. The Hall at Live! Casino and Hotel was packed with many LAA grads, including those pictured at the right (Jennifer Lagrotteria FLG18, Cathleen Sparrow FLG22, Vincent Moulden FLG22, Tiyana Parker NLA21, Elizabeth Schuman FLG22, Beryle Downs NLA20, FLG22 and Nyia Curtis NLA21, FLG23).

Fish For A Cure 2024 – The 18th annual Fish For A Cure (F4AC) raised $1.1 million to support the Cancer Survivorship program at Luminis Health AAMC’s Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute. Team Reel Counsel, representing several LAA grads, raised the most money for the third year in a row, bringing in an astounding $228,615.23. So many more LAA grads were represented in many more teams. What an amazing initiative to benefit our community!

UWCM RUN Board – I am pleased to work alongside several LAA grads on the United Way of Central Maryland Regional Board for Anne Arundel County (RUN), reviewing grant applications and striving to bring more United Way support to Anne Arundel County. 

21st Century Club Lunch Meeting – I was delighted to join LAA grads Lily Openshaw and Ellen Shiery as their guest to the 21st Century Club and absolutely thrilled to see LAA so well represented in graduates throughout the room sharing so many important nonprofit initiatives to lift up neighbors in need throughout the county.  

As a side note, if you feel like something is missing this weekend, you're not alone! It's the first time in five years that we have not had a Collection-Palooza Service Event on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. After the great success of our fourth annual event last year, we learned that while many think of donating food in the Thanksgiving season, the Anne Arundel County Food Bank has an even greater need for food donations in the springtime. So the LAA Food Collection is not gone, it's just shifted to Spring 2025. Save the Date for March 29, 2025, to be exact! It's not too early to plan your own food collection at work or in your community to coincide with the LAA collection in March. Plan now to start collecting early in the New Year, and stay tuned for more information on the 5th Annual LAA Collection-palooza!

The Harvest Season is actually the best time to think of planting seeds of community leadership. With the NLA program currently accepting applications, the Flagship Program call for applications coming in January and several Alumni-driven events on the calendar in the coming weeks, this is the perfect season to consider grassroots, rising and seasoned leaders in your network who would benefit from connecting with the LAA Community in the months to come. Now is the time to consider calendars and commitments and to make a plan to engage with LAA in the New Year. 

Kris Valerio Shock (she/her/hers)
President & CEO
LAA Flagship 2006

I'm not a fan of the phrase "Back to School". The brightly colored printed banners over piles of spiral notebooks and crisp stacks of clothes in stores since summer barely started make me anxious. I don't mind a renewed focus on learning. Like most in the LAA community, I'm a lifelong learner. It doesn't take a new season to get me excited about getting curious and deepening my understanding. 

If you are looking for a new learning opportunity this fall, you might join the LAA Cohort of AACC's Engagement Coaching Program. (First you’ve heard of it? Contact me for details.)

Top Right (SUP) Photo Credit: @miamooncreations

Middle, Right: FLG24 classmates catching up over coffee, by the water.

Bottom Image: Your reminder to get on or near the water in the coming weeks! 

As we wrap up a year of 30th Anniversary Celebration, I am beyond proud to share the new LAA Impact Video, embedded below.  The video was created by Thibodeau Media Group and supported, in part, by the Thomas I. and Peggy A. Baldwin Foundation in memory of Tom Baldwin.

When we began this 30th Anniversary year, two things were clear: LAA has impacted every corner of the county over the last 30 years and we’ve not done a great job of communicating that impact. We’re a bit like the shoemaker who has no shoes. We’re always on to the next program year and rarely pause to capture the value that LAA programs deliver year over year. So, in honor of our 30th, we engaged Thibodeau Media Group to help us tell the story.

Very big thanks go out to the 30th Anniversary Committee Chair and LAA Board Member Helaine Barry (FLG19), Regional Manager/Senior Vice President, of M&T BANK, and the 30th Committee including Ken Brannan FLG00, Deb Dillon ELS15, FLG16, Kristi Krankowski FLG20, Lily Openshaw FLG05, ELS14, Sue Pitchford FLG12, Leigh Rand FLG16 and Elizabeth Schuman FLG22. They not only planned the 30th Celebration, they supported special 30th initiatives like the LAA: On Leadership Podcast and the inaugural Sip & Swing golf event.

I hope you will take a moment to sit back and watch the video below and then to share it with anyone and everyone who might join us as we embark on the next 30 years of impact in our county! #community #leadership #30years #anniversary #impact #onward

The purpose of this award is to recognize exceptional Leadership Anne Arundel graduates. Recipients are individuals who have adopted “the heart of community trusteeship” and have made significant and notable contributions for the betterment of our community. These graduates of the Neighborhood Leadership Academy of the Flagship program are the consummate volunteers. They are enthusiastic participants in a multitude of endeavors that benefit Anne Arundel County. They are the first to raise their hand when a need is presented. Their commitment is always to see the project to its completion.  Lisa Shore, LAA Flagship 2003, is the supreme example of a "servant leader" to our community. Her tenacity and perseverance played a large part over many years in the development of the Severn Community Center, an amazing facility and a much needed addition the Fort Meade area of Anne Arundel County. It is also a grand representation of how a servant leader like Lisa Shore can help to create a lasting legacy of community impact. (Lisa Shore pictured here on right, with Comacell Brown, Jr. NLA20, FLG21 at center and Colleen Joseph FLG19 at left at the Severn Center)

The Excellence in Leadership Award, sponsored by Live! Casino & Hotel, recognizes an Anne Arundel County business or individual who has made a significant local impact to our quality of life. Like Leadership Anne Arundel, Arundel Community Development Services, Inc. (ACDS) was founded in 1993 and has become instrumental in numerous county impact initiatives over time. From Signature Projects like the renovation of the historic Wiley H. Bates High School and recent development of The Severn Center, to managing many county funding programs including Anne Arundel County’s Local Development Council (LDC) grants and the County Executive Community Support Grants to keeping people in their homes during COVID via Eviction Prevention programs. In recent years, longtime CEO Kathy Koch demonstrated excellence in succession planning, passing the baton to veteran ACDS teammate and FLG 06 grad, Erin Karpewicz. It is their collective legacy of excellence we celebrate with The Live! Casino & Hotel Excellence in Leadership Award. (ACDS CEO Erin Karpwicz FLG06 pictured at left along with FLG03 Lisa Shore, 3rd from right, and FLG96 Senator Pam Beidle.)

Click Here to Register

Community Historian, Bicycle Advocate, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Ardent Emergency Response Volunteer. These are just a few of the thirty-four Distinguished Graduates LAA has recognized over thirty years of leadership in Anne Arundel County. The full list reads like a “who’s-who” of Anne Arundel County.

The Distinguished Graduate Award is Leadership Anne Arundel's longest standing award and is most significant in that it is the only award based on open nominations to a selection committee of Leadership Anne Arundel graduates and award recipients.  Distinguished Graduates are recognized and honored at the annual Tribute to Community Leadership Celebration.

Nominations are accepted from any Leadership Anne Arundel graduate, current class member, or member of the community.

The recipient must be a graduate of any Leadership Anne Arundel program. The recipient must live or work in Anne Arundel County; have exhibited his/her commitment to volunteerism and community service and demonstrated the application of leadership principals.

The Committee evaluates nominees based on their level of commitment and contribution in terms of time invested, leadership roles assumed, and significant contributions to the advancement of the mission of the organization or cause.  The selection process considers the nominee’s body of work in the community and breadth and depth of the contributions to the good of the community.

Nominations will be accepted for this year’s honoree through Tuesday, April 30^th.

Learn More and Nominate Here.

To illustrate the remarkable value LAA Distinguished graduates add to Anne Arundel County, I’ll spotlight a representative handful below followed by the full list of honorees to date. LAA is proud to provide the education, resources and networks necessary to support their past, present and future success!

State Senator Pam Beidle (FLG96), one of LAA’s long-time friends, was raised in Anne Arundel County and has been an active volunteer for her entire adult career. She just wrapped the 2024 Legislative Session serving as Chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Her dedication to LAA, especially our Flagship Government Day planning, has been invaluable.

Maryland Circuit Court Judge, Cathy Vitale (FLG04), a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates, is a committed volunteer and advocate to LAA. She is known for her long-time involvement in various community organizations in Anne Arundel County and her continued involvement reminds us of the importance of collaboration in government and the continuing pursuit of training and education. 

Bruce Morgenstern (FLG12), a recent Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County Boots on the Ground Award honoree, has been an active volunteer for LAA since his graduation, most notably with the Anne Arundel County Food Bank (AACFB) and the Anne Arundel-Annapolis Community Emergency Response Team (AAA-CERT). Bruce is exemplary because of his enthusiasm and quick willingness to take on special projects and make a direct impact on the LAA community around him.

Ken Brannan (FLG00) works hard to make our community a better place to live. We admire his tireless involvement in HeartSmart, the Cliff R. Roop Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to increasing the chances of surviving Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA ) in Anne Arundel County. We also thoroughly enjoy his Saucy Salamander food!

Janice Hayes Williams’ (NLA99/FLG01) leadership and dedication has enriched the lives of many in Anne Arundel County. Her wealth of historic knowledge and her leadership in projects to share African American’s contributions to Anne Arundel County has been invaluable in piecing together the fabric of our local history.

Tom Marquardt (ELS05) is known for his tireless advocacy for open government and working with leaders in the state legislature to make government more accessible and accountable to the public. His work to give “a voice to the voiceless” is still felt in Anne Arundel County long after his retirement from The Capital.

Jon Korin(FLG13), President of Bicycle Advocates for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County exemplifies leadership in his efforts to collaborate with city, county, and state officials to ensure that bicyclists and bicyclist safety are considered in government infrastructure planning and legislation. Under Jon's leadership, BikeAAA created many programs that benefit the community, from providing bikes to those can't afford them, to education and safety program, creating bike safety parks for children, fighting for bike lanes and bike paths, and promoting bikes as clean transportation. 

LAA Distinguished Graduates

• Erwin Abrams – FLG97
• Monica Alvarado – FLG09
• Wendy Beavers – NLA07
• Pam Beidle – FLG96
• Ken Brannan – FLG00
• Vicki Callahan – FLG96
• Vanessa Carter – FLG95
• Carlessa Finney – FLG94
• Marc Gilbert – FLG00
• Melanie Graw – FLG02
• Janice Hayes-Williams – NLA99/FLG01
• Lisa Hillman – FLG95
• Alli Holstrom – FLG10/NLA09
• Penny Hopkins – FLG97
• Barbara Huston – FLG99
• Rick Hutzell – FLG08
• Jon Korin – FLG13
• Bill Kuethe – FLG95
• Tricia Lehmann – FLG97
• Nadja Maril – FLG02
• Tom Marquardt – ELS05
• Patty McManus – FLG97
• Pastor Sheryl Menendez – FLG02
• George Moran – FLG94
• Bruce Morgenstern – FLG12
• LaToya Nkongolo – FLG18
• Ed Reilly – FLG03
• Diane Sancilio – FLG14
• Jerray Slocum – FLG20
• Tony Spencer – FLG95
• Pat Troy – FLG94
• Larry Ulvila, Jr. – FLG95
• Cathleen M. Vitale – FLG04
• Tad Wood – FLG99

I hope you will plan to join us for the 30th Anniversary and Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation on Thursday, June 26 at Live! Casino & Hotel to celebrate our newest Distinguished Graduate!

Hopefully by now you’ve heard we’re celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the first Leadership Anne Arundel graduating class, the Flagship Class of 1994 (pictured at Right). The month of March is special because LAA was incorporated, on March 23, 1993, so this month is actually the 31st Anniversary since LAA was founded.  

• Margaret Anderson
• Jim Austin
• Eric Benzer
• Richard Chaney
• Raymond Crosby
• Robert Dickinson
• Carlesa Finney
• Deborah Fors
• Dennis Golladay
• Sarah Hitch
• Stanley Klos
• Chet Lawrence
• Edgar Mallick
• John Marhefka
• Pamela McKee
• Peter McKenna
• Sam Minnitte
• George Moran
• Carolyn O'Leary
• Christina O'Meara
• Jimmie Peterka
• Rodell Phaire
• David Plott
• Arthur Randolph
• Keith Rowel
• Jerry South
• Elaine Stana
• Veronica Stepoff
• Dana Tropp
• Patricia Troy
• Sharrie Wade
• Jeanette Wessel
• Paul Wood

As we approach LAA’s 30th Anniversary celebration this June during the annual Tribute to Community Leadership, impact is foremost on my mind:

How do we measure and communicate the impact Leadership Anne Arundel has had on Anne Arundel County over 30 years?

When I went searching for meaningful quotes on impact, nothing I found on the internet compared to a quote I keep on the windowsill in my office from my mentor and friend, Dr. Maravene Loeschke. 

Maravene was the chair of the Theatre Department at Towson University during my time as a Theatre major at Towson, became dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication in 1997 and Towson's 13th president in 2012. She passed away in 2015 from complications of adrenal cancer at the age of 68 (read more). Maravene shared the quote featured here in an address to Towson Graduates during her tenure as president. It has been a continued source of inspiration to me ever since.

LAA is an organization full of individuals who function from this mindset. We wake up every day asking how we can positively impact this community. Over time that adds up to enormous collective positive impact. We’ll be spending the coming weeks and months collecting stories and data to help us visualize LAA’s collective impact on individuals, institutions and initiatives in Anne Arundel County at the 30th Anniversary Celebration. 

If you haven’t done so already, we invite you to share how your LAA participation has positively impacted your life and the community at large through a brief Impact Survey. 

Please also take a moment to register to attend the 30th Anniversary Celebration and Tribute to Community Leadership on June 26th at Live Casino and Hotel.

If your organization would benefit from top visibility among county leaders, you might consider investing in sponsorship. Opportunities are detailed here.

I look forward to celebrating the collective positive impact of 30 years of Leadership in Anne Arundel County together in June.

Have you heard? LAA is celebrating 30 Years of Leadership and we need your help!

Background:
The first Leadership Anne Arundel Flagship Class graduated in 1994. Thirty years later, the Flagship class of 2024 will graduate on June 26, 2024.

Twenty five years ago, in 1999, we graduated the first Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA) class and although there were a few years since where we did not have a NLA class, this June our 22nd NLA class of grassroots community leaders, the NLA Class of 2024, will graduate alongside the Flagship class.

Five years ago, just before COVID radically changed how we gather, we filled a great room at Live! Casino and Hotel to celebrate LAA’s 25th Anniversary. The evening was a wonderful stroll down memory lane featuring our founder Art Ebersberger and a video rich with personal accounts of the value individual graduates received from engaging in LAA. It was a wonderful celebration of our purpose and history.

#30yearsofleadership
Just five years later, the 30th Celebration will be all about the Impact LAA has had in Anne Arundel County over the last 30 years. We are guilty of “shoemaker syndrome” (the shoemaker who has no shoes) in that we get so busy year over year always on to the next program, sharing all that community organizations are doing and achieving all year long and connecting community leaders to other organizations, that we don’t do a great job of communicating LAA’s impact in terms of individuals, institutions and initiatives that have been fundamentally impacted by the work of Leadership Anne Arundel over thirty years in our county.

Enter the 30th Anniversary Committee, led by FLG19 Helaine Barry: Dedicated to creating a great celebration of LAA’s Impact over 30 Years at the 30th Anniversary Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation on Thursday, June 26 from 5:30 - 8:30pm in The Hall at Live! Casino & Hotel.

And that’s not the only way we’re celebrating! In addition, to the big 30th event, we have launched a 30th Anniversary Podcast, sponsored by M&T Bank, and we’re planning a “Sip & Swing” Golf Event for May 17th at the Preserve at Eisenhower Golf Course. 

We Need Your Help: Here’s where you come in! 
We are currently raising funds to make these celebrations a success and there are a few super easy and rewarding opportunities to celebrate LAA’s 30th Anniversary with your financial support:

1. Sponsor the 30th Anniversary Tribute to Community Leadership - Tribute sponsorship offers top visibility at the event in June and all year long. Click here for details (PDF) or click here to purchase online.

2. Sponsor the Sip & Swing Golf Event - A full range of sponsorship opportunities are currently in development. If you love a good golf event, contact us for details on Sip & Swing sponsorship as they are available.

3. Contribute any amount to the LAA 30th Anniversary Fund - $30 for 30 Years? Really, any amount is greatly appreciated! Click here to show your support with a contribution to the 30th Anniversary Fund!

4. Share your LAA Impact Story - How has your LAA participation impacted your life and community leadership? Got a Flagship Project outcome or some other LAA impact story to share? Click here to shoot me an email and share your story!

We look forward to celebrating 30 years of IMPACT over the next several months and moving forward together into the next 30 years of Leadership!

Thank you for your support!

Last month I wished you time to reflect and this month I wish you rest. 

According to Natasha Bonnevalle of leadership B corp THNK, "A resilient employee is a well-rested one. However, rest isn’t just about sleep."

Let's face it, the holidays can be a bustling time packed with family and community commitments. I challenge you to find some time for some honest to goodness rest between now and the New Year.

If your holiday plans make that sound rather unrealistic, know that where rest is concerned quality beats quantity. 

My gift to you this month is Natasha's blog post on the importance of rest to leadership, featuring seven types of rest. It's a quick, but invaluable read. Take a moment, and enjoy!

Click here to read.

We're less than a month away from the 4th Annual Food Collection Event which has turned into a Collection-Palooza, adding Blood and Sweaters to the mix. You heard it right - rather than "Blood, Sweat and Tears", our Collection-Palooza is all about Blood, Sweaters, and Food!

(If you’re not familiar with the event, click here to read the recap of last year’s event or click here to watch a brief video of the inaugural event in 2020.)

The summer months are super busy in the LAA office. We have a short period of time to wrap up our fiscal year and begin the new one, welcome new Board Members, confirm the next Flagship class and get their program planning and logistics rolling. 

In the midst of this whirlwind, we’ve had an influx of new, renewing and Lifetime Members in June and July, and we have to take a moment to pause  and recognize the individuals who support all that we do all year long with their Membership investment. 

THANK YOU LAA MEMBERS!

Please see all of the Members, new and renewing in June and July, featured below. Members really are the engine that keeps LAA growing and serving decades of community leaders. As we embark on celebrating 30 years of LAA in the coming year, we look forward to featuring and celebrating Members throughout LAA communication channels, programs and events!

Lifetime Members Cruise Aboard the Wilma Lee
Speaking of Lifetime Members, on July 20th we had a magical night of LAA Lifetime Member connections hosted by Kristen Pironis (FLG22) aboard the Skipjack Wilma Lee. The group shot is featured at right and more photos are available here.

The charter embarked from City Dock in downtown Annapolis and set sail for a two-hour cruise. Lifetime Members have made a significant investment in LAA and we are honored to recognize their support with unique and exclusive events like this one. Lifetime Membership is a one-time investment available to all LAA graduates. It does not expire. Lifetime Members receive access to unique Lifetime Member hosted gatherings, Member rates for all LAA events, full access to the online community, connection with 1600+ graduates and more. All LAA Alumni are invited to upgrade to Lifetime Membership. Click here for the full roster of LAA Lifetime Members and to learn more about Lifetime Membership.

For More information on LAA Membership, click here to contact us today.

Each year as the Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation approaches, it seems like an awesome challenge ahead for our small team of three - to bring all of the pieces together. Shout out to Operations Director Nancy Hartzell who is the driving force behind the event. As ominous as it may seem in the weeks leading up to the event, once the plaques and awards are in hand and the badges and programs are printed, I find a calm comes over me. I realize again, the magic of the Tribute event and in Leadership Anne Arundel for that matter, lies in the people. 

If you are wondering what the best fit would be for your LAA engagement in the months ahead - whether you just graduated, you graduated ages ago or anywhere in between, there are loads of opportunities to connect in the coming months. Join me for the next LAA 101 to learn more. Click here for details and registration.

Or, if you’re just looking for the next opportunity to cross-pollinate with our rich network of community leaders, save the date for the Program Kickoff & Homecoming event on Tuesday, September 26th from 5:30 - 7:30pm at the Annapolis Maritime Museum! #seeyouthere

Click here to see the Tribute 2023 Photo Album.

Photos:

Upper Right - NLA2023 “Eagles Nest”

Lower Right - FLG22 volunteers at Tribute 2023 Registration

Below - (Center) Bertina Nick Flagship Scholarship Honoree Toccara Colbert, NLA23 

(Left: LAA Board Chair Chris Barber FLG16; Right: LAA President and CEO Kris Valerio Shock FLG06)

By Kris Valerio Shock, President & CEO, Leadership Anne Arundel with Liz Schuman, Senior Donor Relations Manager, Hospice of the Chesapeake

Last month we covered just how easy it is to make the most of your LAA participation through the online LAA community.

Last week I reached out to our Flagship grads for help with 3 things. In case you missed the message or if you’re not a Flagship grad, I will include the message below and welcome your thoughts. That said, the experiment was spot on – I received terrific response from our Flagship grads proving the power of the network.

This month, LAA’s Membership Committee Co-Chair Liz Schuman provides another take on just how easy it is to feature your LAA engagement to grow your connections and opportunities:

Heard Around Town: I Was In LAA, Too!

Keeping in mind the adage, “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” your LAA credential gets the job done. Highlight your FLG or NLA class year and demonstrate your commitment to community leadership.

Here are five ways to tap into the power of LAA.

LinkedIn          Add your LAA credential. Best locales are name, honors, education, or organization. While you’re there, join the LAA LinkedIn Group and comment on LAA LinkedIn posts.

Facebook        Like LAA’s Facebook page and connect, comment, and share posts from LAA to your Facebook feed.

Workplace:     Add your FLG or NLA class to your workplace signature for professional connections internally and externally.

Resume:          List your LAA experience on your resume or CV. You never know what door might open.

Attend:           Meet IRL. Attend an LAA event this year to reconnect and meet new LAA grads.

(Flagship grads pictured above connecting “in real life”, photo courtesy of Judy Buddensick, snapped at the Rotary Club of Annapolis “Navy Night” (celebrating the United States Naval Academy). Left to Right: Daryl Weinstein Cooke (22), Ellen D. Shiery (21), Jerray Slocum (20), Kait Dawson (22), Judy Buddensick (22), & Sherry Kuiper (20)

Thank you, Liz for these excellent suggestions!

Read on for three ways you can help LAA and make connections in the process:

I hope you are seeing how exciting and vibrant the LAA community is these days. Current Flagship and NLA classes are at capacity and swiftly making their way toward graduation and Signature New Leaders and Tribute to Community Leadership celebrations will be here before we know it!

That said, we need help with three specific items, and since LAA Flagship grads are the very best resource to start with; we’re reaching out to ask for your assistance. Maybe you can help with one of the items below?

Flagship 2024 Candidates
First, a heads up in case you are not aware - the deadline to apply for the 2024 Flagship class is April 1, 2023. That's just a little more than a month away. I share this because our grads are the A#1 source of candidates. Maybe you want to sponsor a candidate in your organization or maybe you know someone who should apply. We've already received a handful of applications and we are certain to fill the class. If you have a candidate in mind, please don't delay encouraging potential applicants to apply today! Details and the application are here.

HIRING: Part-time Program Manager 
Can you believe we do everything we do with just one full-time and two part-time staffers? Well we are looking for another super awesome mission-driven person to join us on a part-time basis starting now. Who do you know who is a natural born collaborator with boundless energy, a strong work ethic and a flexible schedule? The full job description is available here.

Wanted: Interest Group Moderators - What was your favorite Flagship Session Day?
Did you know there’s a whole member community and robust online resources to support your ongoing leadership development? Well, there IS and we're looking for individuals with an affinity in each of the Flagship session topic areas* (Government, Cultural Arts, Education, Health & Human Services, Law & Public Safety, Environment and Agriculture/South County) to volunteer to lead the online interest group for the topic. It's not heavy lifting but it's a super important role and could increase your visibility and connections throughout the LAA ecosystem.  If you have the slightest interest in assisting in one of the key topic areas listed above, contact me directly to learn more.

Shout out to Jonathan Williams (FLG13) who has stepped up to serve as Moderator for the Economic Development Interest Group. If you are interested in Economic Development in Anne Arundel County, click here to check out and join the group.

Thanks so much for any help you can provide in any of these areas. These are exciting times for the Leadership Anne Arundel and we're so grateful for your participation: past, present and future!

Looking forward,

Kris

ADD YOUR ACTIVITY

POST TO YOUR FEED
Have a community event coming up? Something you want to share with the community? Post a photo or add a link to your "Feed" on your profile to share it with the community.

DISCUSSION BOARDS
Looking for Board Members or volunteers for your organization or currently hiring? There are Discussion Boards in the community to share that information. 

INTEREST GROUPS
What was your favorite Flagship session day? The LAA community has an interest group for each of the Flagship Session Days: Government, Economic Development, Cultural Arts and so on. You can join any of the Interest Groups to receive updates on info of interest to the group, post your own info and resources and connect directly with other LAA grads engaged in the specific interest area. 

Inspired to connect even further? We are currently seeking Interest Group Leaders to serve as online monitors/coordinators for each interest group. Contact me directly to learn more.

Need help with any of the steps above? Join me online for the next LAA101 session on Friday February 17th at 8:30am on Zoom. Click here to register.

New platforms can seem overwhelming, but you don’t need to take advantage of everything the LAA online community offers to gain valuable connections and opportunities: Start small. Why not upload a photo or post a bit of news to your feed today? 

Photos:

Upper Right: Representative FLG22 grads; Above Left: Representative FLG23 class members; Above Center: LAA Staff; Above Right: Representative LAA Board Members and President & CEO Kris Valerio Shock.

It’s that scary time of year: Election Season. We’re bombarded by messages of all the horror that will happen if the wrong candidate is elected. Popping up on the computer screen, through text messages, in the mailbox. No matter who you support, you are doubtless receiving constant messaging from all sides detailing the calamity that will take place if the “other side” wins. It’s exhausting.

In these trying times, there is one mantra I lean on to settle my nerves and regain some sense of optimism and calm.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

I was in a community meeting years ago, when a City of Annapolis representative shared the quote. I later learned it is attributed to Arthur Ashe. There is something inherently calming about the quote. A rhythm to it that brings peace.

In this anxious season, may I suggest two things you can do to start where you are, use what you have and do what you can to achieve a greater sense of calm?

#1 Vote

While LAA is very purposefully non-partisan, we also strongly advocate for the importance of civic engagement and the value of your vote. 

With that in mind, please note the following:

Early voting for the MD General elections is underway and ends onThursday, November 3.You can vote early at any early voting center in the county you live in.

To vote by mail, you must be registered to vote and request a mail-in ballot from the State Board of Elections or your local board. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is November 1, 2022.

Mail-in ballots must be postmarked or placed in a designated ballot drop box by8 pm on November 8, 2022

The Gubernatorial General Election Day is November 8, 2022. To vote in person on election days, vote at your assigned polling place

#2 Support the 3^rd Annual Collection-Palooza.

Nothing settles the soul like pitching in and helping those less fortunate.

We are excited to partner once again with the Anne Arundel County Food Bank, #justonesweater, and the Luminis Blood Bank. Last year we collected nearly 3000 pounds of food, more than 200 sweaters, and 16 successful blood donations. This year, under event chair FLG20 Eileen Mitchard’s leadership, we look forward to far exceeding last year’s success and we need YOUR HELP! We are looking to collect gently used and clean sweaters, fleeces, and hoodies for men, women, and children.

TOP FOUR WAYS TO PLAN TO PARTICIPATE:

#1 – Collect food and/or sweaters from your colleagues or community and drop them off on Saturday 11/19/22 at Chamber’s Park between 10:00am and 2:00pm. Not sure what foods to donate? Check out our list for ideas. 

#2 – Encourage your colleagues or LAA class members to sign up together to give blood. Click here  to register for a time-slot. 

#3 – Register to Volunteer - Solo or with a Team: Come on your own or, why not  sign up with classmates or work colleagues and show up in your company/organization t-shirts to assist with collecting food and directing traffic (click here to sign up for a morning or afternoon shift)

#4 - Short on time? Plan to Donate! Considering your charitable contributions as we head toward year-end? Make it a plan to make a donation to the Anne Arundel County Food Bank during the LAA Collection-palooza! Text AACFB to 91999.

Click here to learn more.

Do you have mantras or other practices to manage stress from scary times? Drop your ideas in the comments below.

As we emerged from the summer months and featured speakers, special recognition and award honorees were announced, Leadership Anne Arundel graduates were front and center, all over the place!

No wonder LAA is the Nexus of Leadership for Anne Arundel County. Just a handful of our leaders making news and having an impact are included below with loads of opportunities to show up in the coming months to celebrate their leadership!

LAA was pleased to be featured in this month’s What’s Up Magazine, and we were in good company! Here are our fellow graduates who are featured in this issue:

LAA was well represented at Maryland Hall’s #ArtsAlive celebration!

 #Congratulations FLG23 Jackie Coleman and Nicole Kelsch! BRAVO! Great to see so many #LAA grads supporting the #Arts (and just a fraction pictured here)! #community #leadership #supportthearts

September 22nd brought a double header with too many LAA grads featured and present to lend their support than we can even name, first at the unveiling of the Best Place for All mural by NLA20/FLG21 grad Comacell Brown, Jr. and Cindy Fletcher-Holden.

Later that evening, LAA was the proud nonprofit sponsor and four LAA grads took the stage at Ignite Annapolis:

Past Board Chair and FLG10 grad Patrick Shurney

FLG09 Anne Brooks

FLG11 Elvia Thompson

FLG22 Chanel Compton

The next day, a whole host of LAA NLA and Flagship grads including Kyle Williams (NLA21), Toni Strong-Pratt (NLA18), LaToya Nkongolo (FLG18), Teona Hayes (NLA22) and Comacell Brown Jr. (NLA20/FLG21) gathered at City Hall in Annapolis in recognition of their leadership in the The Naptown Anti-Dope Movement(NAM).

And while all of these exciting happenings were happening, several rosters of Award Honorees were announced. We hope you will click on the links below and come out to celebrate the remarkable community leadership of the following outstanding LAA grads:

On October 11th we will join Tricia Sanborn (FLG22), and April Nyman (ELS09), of The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, for the 22nd Annual Annie Awards featuring Chanel Compton (FLG22) as the Arts Leadership Award Honoree.

We’re excited to gather on November 3rd for the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County Celebration of Philanthropy featuring LAA grads:

Looking forward to celebrating all of the honorees at the Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame celebration on November 10th, and especially LAA Alumni: Arthur “Lex” Birney ELS 02, Jerry South FLG 94, Vicki Callahan FLG 96 and Fred Sussman ELS 15

And this just in: Nine regional businesses, agencies, and organizations have been nominated by schools and offices to be honored for their contributions to Anne Arundel County Public Schools students, programs, and schools at the inaugural Partners in Education Awards Reception in November. And TWO of the nine are individual LAA grads while two more are organizations chock full of many LAA grads:

Individuals:

Cheaper Than a Geek, nominated by Crofton High School - Chief Nerd is none other than LAA Board Chair Chris Barber (FLG16)
The Complete Player Charity, nominated by Glen Burnie High School - Founder & Executive Director, Andy Schindling (FLG19)

(So many LAA grads over so many years:)

Anne Arundel Community College, nominated by Broadneck High School 
Rotary Club of Annapolis, nominated by Annapolis High School

The Education Foundation of Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Platinum Sponsor M&T Bank will recognize honorees at a networking reception later this fall at Live! Arundel Mills. The networking event will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 29, 2022. Click here to purchase tickets or sponsorships or contact Carol Ann McCurdy at 410-222-5829.

Add to these amazing opportunities a full roster of LAA events in the coming weeks and months, and there’s just no excuse for not tapping into the nexus of leadership in our county.

Let’s get to it!

#community #leadership #itsthenetwork #nexus

These are difficult times. I feel like I’ve been saying that in these blog posts for years now. Yet, with back to back mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, continued heartbreaking war in Ukraine and relentless COVID hurdles, it all can seem unbearable. How does one lead through these impossible times?

Image credit: sherryjwilliamson.com

There's still a chill in the air today, but April is #growingseason for LAA connections. More than 100 LAA alumni and New Leaders gathered just yesterday for the New Leaders Celebration (photo album coming soon) and the Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation, scheduled for Monday, June 20th at Live! Casino & Hotel, will be here before you know it.

While it's tempting to put off deciding if you will attend Tribute, I'd like to invite you to consider this importance of nurturing your LAA connections and how a strategic approach to making Tribute part of your plan can grow your LAA connections EXPONENTIALLY this spring.

1. Take a moment to reflect on your LAA experience - Flagship, ELS or NLA. What was most impactful? Consider reaching out to one of your classmates prior to Tribute to catch up over coffee or Happy Hour. Consider reaching out to a handful of classmates to encourage a strong showing from your class at Tribute. Spring is the season to RE-CONNECT with your most valued LAA relationships. Click here to search the LAA Alumni Directory, pick a fellow grad (or grads) and reach out today.

2. Is there a LAA grad you could nominate for the Distinguished Graduate Award? Each year the Distinguished Graduate Award is presented at Tribute. Consider nominating any graduate from a LAA program - they don’t have to be from your class. Deadline to Submit: May 6th! Click here for details and a link to the online form.

3. Consider investing in Tribute sponsorship to get a big push of exposure and recognition for your commitment to leadership to power further connections through the summer season. Tribute Sponsorship is the gift that keeps on giving as you get a great boost of exposure at the event and then continued recognition in the coming year as a LAA Program Partner. Click here for details.

If you don't make Tribute part of your game plan today, chances are, something “urgent” will emerge as a conflict. Embrace the importance of renewed connection and make Tribute part of your plan today.

New Leader celebration connecting

"The promise of spring's arrival is enough to get anyone through the bitter winter."

-Jen Selinsky

“The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.”

- Harriet Ann Jacobs

Who couldn’t use a few optimistic springtime quotes?

As Colin Powell stated: “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”

No matter the challenges we face – global, local and everything in between – it is the responsibility of community leaders to inspire optimism.

Feeling a quart low on your optimism?

This article explains why leaders who actively choose an optimistic approach are much more likely to lead adaptive, successful and innovative organizations and practical things you can do to help increase your optimism.

Another practical approach to increasing your optimism, is surrounding yourself with leaders who positively impact our community. That’s where LAA can help.

Emerging from a long cold winter, we look forward to a whole new season of opportunity. Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy relationships planted in fall and winter months will blossom into lifelong connections.

We invite the LAA community at large to join the Flagship class in their Environment Day exploration with a Flagship Talk on Hope and Resilience for the Chesapeake Bay led by Kate Fritz, CEO, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay on Wednesday, April 20^th at Homestead Gardens.

And we look forward to celebrating a robust roster of New Leader Honorees together at the 2022 New Leaders Celebration Breakfast at Carroll’s Creek Café on April 27^th.  (Stay tuned for an announcement featuring the 2022 Honorees!)

“An optimist is the human personification of spring.”

-Susan J. Bissonette

I hope you’ll join the LAA community as we welcome the new season, together!

Let's show some love for Leadership

“It is not the critic who counts; not the (one) who points out how the strong (one) stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the (one) who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends (themself) in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if (they fail), at least (they fail) while daring greatly, so that (their) place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”    ― Theodore Roosevelt

Leadership, like the bleak month of February, can be tough. Leadership can be lonely and thankless and critics can appear at every turn. The LAA community provides support and inspiration to help community leaders persevere for a worthy cause. This cold and dreary month of February, we invite the LAA community to lean into LOVE for Leadership. 

Here are just a handful of ways to #showyourlove:

1. Call a LAA colleague and check-in: Whether you are in the current Flagship or NLA classes, you graduated from the first Flagship Class in 1994, or you graduated anywhere in between, take a moment to reach out to one of your classmates and check-in. How have they fared in the last couple of years of pandemic? Are there initiatives you or we can amplify to help them in the coming year? A moment of connection will go a long way to warming up the weeks ahead. Click here to find your colleagues in the LAA Online Community.

2. Update your profile at leadershipaa.org: Did you know there's whole online community available to LAA graduates? Why not take a moment to take your place among fellow graduates - update your contact information, upload a photo, connect your social accounts and add volunteer activities and other additional information to your profile. Need help navigating the online resource? Join us for LAA101 or contact us today to make the most of the online community.

3. Like and share with us on Social: Have you liked us on Facebook? Do you follow us on Twitter? Are you with us on LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube? You certainly don't have to be everywhere we are, but if you find yourself on any of these social platforms, be sure to connect with us there and take a moment to #showyourlove for #community #leaders making a difference in Anne Arundel County. 

4. Upgrade to Annual or Lifetime Membership: LAA Membership supports Anne Arundel County's Leadership ecosystem - funding the NLA program to inspire, develop and connect our grassroots leaders, expanding Alumni Development events and creating new and innovative ways to serve our community leaders. If you are a graduate but not yet a member, you can upgrade to Annual Membership for less than $10/ month. Already a member? Never think of renewal again with an investment in Lifetime Membership. Click here to explore all of the options.

5. Make a Donation: Already with us for life? Consider making a tax deductible donation of any amount to the General Fund or the Flagship Scholarship Fund to enable more emerging leaders in Anne Arundel County to participate in upcoming Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy classes! Click here for more information and to donate today.

Do you have other ideas for how to #showyourlove for Leadership this month? Share them in the comments below.

One thing is certain - leaders need other leaders to inspire us, support us and cheer us on to dare greatly in the arena! That's what LAA is all about! #inspire #develop #connect #uncommonaccess #uncommonconnections

I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions. I am however inspired by the sheer potential a new year brings. There's something about the passage of the bustling holiday season and transition to a new year. It seems to beg for reflection and reprioritizing.

When I think of 365 days stretched out ahead, I am deeply inspired by the sheer potential of Leadership Anne Arundel. LAA is the nexus of leadership in Anne Arundel County. As we approach 30 years of Flagship and more than 20 years of Neighborhood Leadership Academy, LAA is more than 1500 graduates strong. Many of these graduates are currently in key leadership positions across our county. Some have retired from their professional careers with a depth of insight and experience to offer. Tapping into the collective resource of the LAA community of past, present, and future community leaders is an awesome opportunity for the year ahead.

Key drivers of potential are structure and ownership. We provide the structure and the network. You bring the sense of ownership.

Over the last several years, LAA has developed an organizational structure to tap into the vast network of community leaders throughout Anne Arundel County. A couple of years ago we invested in an online community platform to make connecting to your classmates and the broader LAA community easy and rewarding. Standing LAA committees offer deeper connection and relationship development with alumni.

Last year we launched a process for LAA grads to champion Alumni Development Events on key topics that face our community; and recently we kicked off the LAA Lifetime Members Club to gather and learn from the most invested LAA alumni. Moving forward, the possibilities of how we leverage the collective experience and wisdom of our most effective and successful leaders are quite endless. 

If you seek greater possibilities in the coming year, I challenge you to take ownership of your LAA experience. Wherever you find yourself on your leadership journey, there are countless opportunities to leverage the LAA network and structure to expand your impact in the coming year.

We saved you a spot!

Did you know all LAA graduates already have a profile page in the online community? Claiming your profile in the community is the first step to owning your LAA experience and tapping into the full potential of LAA in the New Year.

Here are a few simple steps to drive connection in the New Year:

·      Sign into the LAA Online Community (Need Help? Contact Us)

·      Update your profile: Add your current community engagement and a profile photo

·      Hop on the next LAA101 virtual meetup to learn more about the structure in place to drive opportunity in the New Year.

Let’s realize the full potential of the Leadership Anne Arundel community together in 2022!

Photo by Kimberly Valerio @moonshadowh27

If you are looking for an opportunity to expand your reach in 2022 with year-end funds, checkout the many Sponsorship Opportunities available here or contact us today to discuss sponsorship tailored to your specific passion for community leadership.

We look forward to working together in the New Year and in the meantime, we wish you great joy and some downtime over this holiday season. Stay safe!

Kris

Photos by Nyia Curtis (NLA21), Eye Opening Photography


Leadership Anne Arundel: Inspiring, developing and connecting local leaders since 1993.

If you want to go fast, go alone
If you want to go far, go together
- African proverb

Calling all hands on deck. The giving season is upon us and we have a couple of wonderful opportunities to "go together" with the LAA Community in the next couple of months.

First up, we ask for your help:
The 2nd Annual Food Collection event, scheduled for Saturday, November 20th, has turned into a "Collection-Palooza" as we embrace initiatives driven by LAA Alumni this giving season. 

The "Blood, Sweat-ers and Food" Collection joins forces with Anne Arundel County Food Bank (Susan Thomas, FLG21), Feed Anne Arundel (Monica Alvarado, FLG09), Luminis Blood Bus Champion Ellen Shiery (FLG21), #justonesweater founder Lisa Seborowski (FLG07) and the Greater Parole Community Association (Lon Powell, NLA19, FLG20; Beryle Downs, NLA20, FLG22; Sherry Hutton, NLA20; Lisa Wilson, NLA21; Dawna Alexander Powell NLA17, FLG18).

TWO WAYS TO PARTICIPATE:

DONATE - Any and all community members are invited to DONATE food and supplies, blood and/or sweaters per the instructions available here.

VOLUNTEER - LAA Members are invited to REGISTER for a Volunteer shift* to help direct, collect and sort donations. *Please note: We are accepting volunteers for both morning and afternoon shifts, however AFTERNOON IS MOST NEEDED at this time (Noon - 2:30p).

Click here for all of the details and to register to volunteer.

Next up, we invite you to celebrate:
In December, we will gather LAA Alumni together to celebrate the Season of Giving, including a Toy Drive to benefit the Boys and girls Clubs of Anne Arundel County.

Please join us for a COVID sensitive Holiday Party on December 15, 2021 from 5:30 to 7:30 at The Golf Club at South River in Edgewater. The Golf Club is an indoor/outdoor venue, so bring your coat and relax with your colleagues in a COVID-friendly atmosphere next to the warmth of the firepit outdoors or cozy up next to the fireplace inside. 

Festive fare, beer, and wine are included. You do not want to miss this wonderful opportunity to connect with your LAA colleagues to close out 2021.  Spread the word among your classmates and invite your friends.  We hope to see you there.

Advanced registration is required as space is limited. Click here for more information and registration.

Finally, as we approach #GivingTuesday on November 30th, we know so many LAA stakeholder organizations will be running support campaigns. We invite you to join the conversation in the comments below and share a link to your #GivingTuesday initiatives so that we all might "Go Together" in support of the #GivingSeason.

The LAA Connector 
Managing Flux: Lean into Leadership with Flagship 2022
by President & CEO, Kris Valerio Shock

I am thrilled to share that on September 9th the Flagship 22 class kicked off their program year with the Opening Retreat at London Town. The full roster of the 2022 Flagship class (pictured above) is available here and photos from the Opening Retreat are captured here. We are deeply proud to provide forty-six public, private, for profit, government, non-profit and citizen community leaders with the resources and networks needed to help our community weather the current and future challenges.

The class of 2022 is the third Flagship class to adapt to the challenges presented by the global pandemic. While we had hoped to be "back to normal" (whatever that means) by the start of this Flagship year, the Delta variant requires that we continue to adapt our sessions to meet current health recommendations. Leveraging all of the tools in our tool kit - vaccinations, rapid and easily available testing, outdoor spaces whenever possible, masks, distance, sanitizer - we will provide in-person experiences as much as possible and if/when we must be virtual, we will provide interactive, robust opportunities for the Flagship class to learn and bond and grow, together.

Leadership Anne Arundel remains deeply committed to providing people of diverse backgrounds with the education, resources and networks necessary to become successful proactive leaders. We do this because we need these leaders to persevere and thrive through these ever challenging, (and yes,) relentless times. 

Have you heard of pandemic flux? It's a thing. I recently listened to Brené Brown's podcast with Amy Cuddy on Pandemic Flux Syndrome. They discuss Cuddy's recently published Washington Post article, “Why This Stage of the Pandemic Makes Us So Anxious,” and how working through this collective, constant pandemic flux affects us as individuals and as leaders. 

Spoiler Alert: Leaders need other leaders to inspire them to get back up and persevere through pandemic flux. Following 18+ months of global pandemic, social justice reckoning and political unrest, providing our local leaders with the understanding and networks needed impact positive change in our community is more challenging and more rewarding than ever.

This morning I had the pleasure of hearing David Marriott in a Fireside chat with the BWI Business Partnership. When asked how he manages to "fill his cup" as a leader who so many rely on to stay optimistic in the face of unprecedented adversity, he stressed the importance of taking the time to reconnect with colleagues and recharge the batteries.

Fortunately, LAA has exactly that opportunity on the horizon. If you're looking for a dose of inspiration, a shot of optimism or just a little breath of hope for the future coming out of the last 18 months of extraordinary challenge, you must join us for the Program Kickoff and Homecoming Celebration on Tuesday, September 28th from 5:30p - 7:30p (outside) at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. Full details are available here.

In the meantime, if you're looking for a quick boost, treat yourself to the Flagship 2022 playlist on Spotify filled with loads of inspirational tunes to get you going and past a moment of flux.

Comment below to share how you are managing through flux and let us know how we can be of support in this next leg of the journey.

“Sunrise at Sandy Point” Photo by Jarvin Hernandez

The LAA Connector | Every new beginning 
by President & CEO, Kris Valerio Shock

It's that time of year. Following a joyful Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation event, and as our fiscal year comes to a close, we turn to planning and preparation to begin again. 

As we roll the credits on FY2021 (here, here and here) and I ponder the many opportunities on the horizon for the LAA community, I can't get the song "Closing Time" out of my head.

Seneca might have said it first, but Semisonic has it running through my head:

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

True, that!

While the sun has set on the 2021 Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy program years, summertime is all about planning and preparation for LAA and as we plan for a robust year ahead, never has it been more true that the "beginning's end" for our 2021 graduates only gives rise to abundant new opportunities to engage with the LAA community in the coming year. 

Meanwhile, new LAA Board Members (featured here) find new beginnings in their new leadership roles and we prepare to welcome the 2022 Flagship class at the Program Kickoff & Homecoming event in September.

If you are a recent or long ago graduate of Leadership Anne Arundel, we invite you to pause this summer to ponder how you might engage in a new beginning in the coming year:

• Program Planning - Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy sessions
• Program Sponsorship
• Alumni Event Development
• Class Happy Hours and impromptu connecting
• Attending LAA Signature events

Any of these opportunities offer a host of rewarding possibilities for new and veteran LAA graduates and all are up for discussion at the next LAA101 Community Connection virtual meeting. Click here for details or contact me today to discuss opportunities to expand your LAA connections in the new fiscal year!

Happy Summer!

In recent weeks I’ve been marinating on how to navigate LAA’s return to in-person gathering. Then, I popped my earpods in my ears and set out for a power-walk accompanied by Brené Brown’s recent Dare to Lead podcast episode featuring Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters.

Eureka!

“Gathering again, including returning to work is going to be complicated and possibly uncomfortable. Naming the elephant in the room is the most powerful tool we have. We need to make the implicit explicit. Even if the elephant is just awkwardness, naming what’s happening and making it explicit allows everybody to take a breath.” - Priya Parker

So, can we name the elephant and take a breath together?

While we’ve been toggling between virtual and in-person as we’ve been able for our program sessions, the New Leaders Celebration in April was the first in-person event for general membership and the community at large since the start of the COVID crisis. It was as perfect a day as one could imagine. Perfect location, stunning weather, top notch roster of New Leaders and LAA alumni; and yet, positioned early in our reopening and surrounded by evolving health recommendations, it was laden with mixed emotions.

In many ways we can’t wait to gather together again (so many expressed pure joy at being together again in-person), and in many ways we’re scared to death (masks on? even outside? what do we even wear for in-person now?  juggling coffee and a mask...). There is a whole spectrum of comfort levels to accommodate.  Now that restrictions have eased even more, some boldly reach to shake hands in greeting (are we doing that again?); while others shift to offer an elbow. 

We weren’t out of sync for a week or two or even a month. We’re reckoning with more than a year of covid-fatigue. Before we rush back, there is an opportunity to pause and ask: What have we learned? How do we want to do this now?

As we chart the course of LAA’s return to gathering, we will be asking these questions and more. You are invited to join in the conversation as we endeavor to inspire, develop and connect our local leaders with meaningful and necessary gatherings.

The next such gathering is the Tribute to Community Leadership & Graduation, scheduled for Monday, June 21st from 5:30p - 8:00p at The Hall at Live! Casino and Hotel.

Why is this gathering necessary?  

The purpose of the Tribute event is to celebrate the newest graduating classes of community leaders. It’s about welcoming them into the broader LAA Community and Celebrating their Flagship and NLA experiences. The 2020 and 2021 Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy classes leaned into their program experiences in spite of the obvious challenges the COVID-19 crisis presented. They powered through intense zoom sessions. They gathered outside when possible, masked, and sanitized. Sometimes they picked up materials and meals curbside prior to a session. Frankly, they deserve a great celebration. They’ve been there, done that with the virtual substitutes and with the full spectrum of eagerness and anxiety - they want to gather and own their unique experience. 

Tribute will celebrate the 2021 Flagship and NLA graduates and recognize the 2020 classes who graduated virtually last year. We will also recognize 2021 Excellence in Leadership and Distinguished Graduate, and Bertina Nick Scholarship Honorees.

The broader LAA community is cordially invited to join us to support and celebrate these resilient leaders. 

Not sure how you feel about attending an indoor in-person event?

That’s okay. Given graduates, honorees, LAA Board members and guests of honorees, we expect roughly 200 people in a space that can accommodate more than 800. In partnership with Live!, we will be taking every precaution to ensure a safe and uplifting in-person event. Even so, you may want to sit this one out, and that’s okay.  Or you may choose to attend, with mixed feelings. Either way, we hope you will join us in acknowledging the elephant in the living room. Post-covid in-person is awkward. But gathering in-person can provide an essential connection to wrap up a most uncommon program experience for our Flagship and NLA classes. 

And then...

Following Tribute, we will take the summer months to lean into questions about our future gatherings as we remain committed to providing relevant and meaningful in-person and virtual gatherings to inspire, develop and connect Anne Arundel County’s diverse community of leaders. 

If you are interested in exploring this terrain with us, send me a quick note and we’ll be sure to include you in the conversation.

#embracetheawkward

#meaningfulgathering

#returntogathering

#elephantinthelivingroom

#breathe

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. - African Proverb

It’s busy season for LAA. Not that there’s ever a slow season. But springtime, with both programs in session and New Leaders Celebration and Tribute to Community Leadership events on the horizon; plus new Alumni Development Events like the upcoming Conversation on Leadership exploring structural racism with Tiranny Thurmond and inaugural service events like the Community Planting, well let’s just say there’s a whole lot going on this season. 

At the same time, we are slowly but surely emerging from a year of unprecedented challenge. As more of our community is vaccinated and we begin to find ways to gather together - carefully and safely - there is a renewed opportunity to connect with LAA classmates and colleagues and chart the course for the recovery from the health and economic difficulties of the past year, together. 

As sure as new, green shoots emerge from the soil, there are new opportunities ahead for us to not just recover from the challenges we have faced, but to reimagine how we will approach similar and different challenges moving forward. As we progress from surviving the pandemic to building back better, we will achieve greater success if we grow together.

Seeds, soil, water, sunlight. Metaphorically speaking, this is the work of community leadership; and LAA is proud to offer a framework of events, programs and community to inspire, develop and connect our local leaders.

This is an open invitation to grow with the LAA community in the weeks and months ahead. Here are just a few seeds you might  consider:

If you have yet to go through the LAA Flagship program, apply for the next Flagship class (Deadline May 31st).

If you've graduated but you're not currently involved, invest in annual membership and explore a host of member engagement opportunities.

Already a member? Why not join a Flagship session planning team or Champion an Alumni Development Event?

There's an array of small, medium and large opportunities to invest in local leadership through LAA participation.

Not sure where to start? Join us for LAA101 this month and let's figure out the next steps to growing together moving forward.

#letsGROWtogether

On March 12, 2020, the Flagship Class of 2020 visited the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management Command Center as part of their Law & Public Safety Day. They toured the dispatch center where emergency management stakeholders gather in case of an emergency. 

What are you most looking forward to as we gently #springforward together?

February is tough. In "normal" times (anyone remember what "normal" felt like?), February is tough. As we approach a year of living with the pandemic, it's just that much more so. The holidays are behind us, the New Year's renewal/resolution spirit has evaporated, tax season is upon us and that blasted groundhog settled in for six more weeks of winter! As I write this message, the forecast is calling for a Winter Storm Warning with 3-6 inches of snow! Last month I shared that there are #betterdaysahead and while I still believe that to be true (have you noticed it's staying lighter, later?), February is tough.

All the more reason to lean into leadership and share your love of fellow leaders, mentors, classmates. We will make it to springtime together (and perhaps meetup for outside happy hour by the waterfront when we hit above 60 degrees?), but in the meantime, I invite you to consider the top five ways to #shareyourlove of Leadership and warm up the dreary month of February!

1. Call a LAA colleague and check-in: Whether you graduated from the first Flagship Class in 1994, the most recent NLA class in 2020, or anywhere in between, take a moment to reach out to one of your classmates and check-in. How have they fared in this year of unprecedented challenge? Are there initiatives you or we can amplify to help them in the coming year? A moment of connection will go a long way to warming up the weeks ahead. Click here to find your colleagues in the LAA Online Community.
2. Update your profile at leadershipaa.org: Did you know there's whole online community available to LAA graduates? Why not take a moment to take your place among fellow graduates - update your contact information, upload a photo, connect your social accounts and add volunteer activities and other additional information to your profile. Need help navigating the online resource? Join us for LAA101 or contact us today to make the most of the online community.
3. Like and share with us on Social: Have you liked us on Facebook? Do you follow us on Twitter? Are you with us on LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube? You certainly don't have to be everywhere we are, but if you find yourself on any of these social platforms, be sure to connect with us there and take a moment to #feelthelove for #community #leaders making a difference in Anne Arundel County. 
4. Upgrade to Annual or Lifetime Membership: LAA Membership supports Anne Arundel County's Leadership ecosystem - funding the NLA program to inspire, develop and connect our grassroots leaders, expanding Alumni Development events and creating new and innovative ways to serve our community leaders. If you are a graduate but not yet a member, you can upgrade to Annual Membership for less than $10/ month. Already a member? Never think of renewal again with an investment in Lifetime Membership. Click here to explore all of the options.
5. Make a Donation: Already with us for life? Consider making a tax deductible donation of any amount to the General Fund or the Flagship Scholarship Fund to enable more emerging leaders in Anne Arundel County to participate in upcoming Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy classes! Click here for more information and to donate today.

Do you have other ideas for how to #showyourlove for Leadership this month? Share them in the comments below.

One thing is certain - whether you're trying to get through a year of pandemic or a dreary February, leaders need other leaders to inspire us, support us and cheer us on to lead another day! That's what LAA is all about! #inspire #develop #connect #uncommonaccess #uncommonconnections

Image Credit @randyloftusphotos

The New Year is here, at last. For months, we couldn't wait to be done with 2020. And here we are. And yet, there's no magic. Have you seen the meme making it around the internet: "I'd like to cancel my subscription for 2021. I've experienced the 7-day free trial and I'm not interested." (LOL)

It seems the fog of heavy challenges of 2020 has followed us right into the New Year. We're weary and ready to turn the page. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Nevertheless, there are signs of new beginnings bringing better days ahead. The fog IS lifting.

On January 13th the 442nd Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly got underway. While it will look and feel very different this year, the start of the session marks the start of another season of opportunities to make Maryland a better place to live and work for everyone. (Check out  the past and present Chair of the Anne Arundel County Delegation, Senator Pam Beidle (FLG96) and Senator Sarah Elfreth).

Starting January 18, Anne Arundel County's Vaccination Phase 1B began rolling out with county residents who are age 75+.  Social media feeds are filled with images of first responders and front line workers with their vaccination shot images. The vaccine we wished for is here. It's happening. We have a rollout plan and we are on our way.

Wednesday, January 20th will mark another milestone as we witness the transfer of power to a new Presidential administration. Whatever your politics, this will bring new energy and approaches to challenges we've faced over the last year. With new leadership, comes new opportunities to collaborate and work together for the common good.

Indeed, I believe better days are coming; and yet, we still have a long road ahead. New strains of the virus bring new challenges. In some ways it may seem that "it gets worse before it gets better". Now, more than ever, we will need to lean on each other and support and celebrate our local leaders in the weeks and months ahead. When given the choice to critique or lend a hand, we must step up and offer that extra push to get us all on the other side of this difficult time. 

There is good news: The days are getting longer, the fog will lift and there will be better days ahead. And LAA will continue to provide opportunities to connect and gain strength from fellow leaders. This month, join us for a Leadership Speaker Series featuring Dr. Dawn Lindsay (ELS13), President of Anne Arundel Community College, in conversation with FLG95 Alumni, Larry Ulvila. Grab your lunch and log on to join LAA classmates and colleagues and get the second (or third, or fourth) wind you need to press on to #betterdaysahead.

#sharethejoy

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." 

-Mahatma Gahndi

These days are tough. It's easy to get caught up in the daily challenges in front of us. They're real. That said, if there is anything I've learned from working with community leaders, it's that the antidote to personal difficulties, is to focus on helping others. No matter how insurmountable one's personal picture might be, shifting focus outward on helping others, always brings needed energy, perspective and optimism.

On Saturday, November 21st LAA hosted a Food Collection event in partnership with Feed Anne Arundel, The Anne Arundel County Food Bank and the Greater Parole Community Association. Throughout the day, 40 volunteers (FLG and NLA alumni and current class members) collected more than 3,000 pounds of food and essential supplies and raised $1364 in cash to feed families in need across the county.

The photo album from the event is available here. It is certain to become an annual LAA event. 

On the same day, across town (FLG07) Lisa Seborowski's #justonesweater initiative soared to new heights with interim totals including:

• 3476 sweaters 
• 572 coats 
• 10 bags of infant clothes 
• 10 bags children’s clothes
• 750 items for Purple Heart 

Meanwhile, LAA Flagship grads and Annapolis Rotary Breakfast Group friends: Elaine Shanley (FLG14), Trish Farrell (FLG17), and Barb Eilertsen (FLG18) spread the joy of the season downtown Annapolis, “ringing the bells,” the sound of the season, to support the Salvation Army’s traditional holiday fundraiser.

These are just a few ways LAA grads bring joy to the season in the spirit of helping others. 

If you are looking for a little joy this holiday, we hope you will join us on Wednesday, December 13th to #sharethejoy of the season with LAA colleagues on the LAA Virtual Holiday Party. We'll gather over a virtual cup of cheer, celebrate leadership through the challenge of 2020 and toast to a fresh start in 2021. Featuring festive live music zoomed live from Brian Boru, (optional) curbside cocktails and appetizers from Soul* and lively breakout groups, polls and more to drive uncommon connections. 

We hope you'll join us and share what brings you joy and perhaps how you have "lost yourself in the service of others" this season!

Full details and registration are available here. Hope to see you there!

(*Deadline to order form Soul is Monday 12.14.20)

In the early days of the pandemic, I got a tip from Leadership Rhode Island, to begin virtual meetings with an uplifting music video. It has served me well. It covers the awkward moments when people are signing on and gets everyone on the same page for the start of the event.

Earlier this week, looking for a video to start the Flagship Talk, I stumbled upon Times Like This featuring Darius Rucker. Do yourself a favor and take a moment to watch the video.

"In times like this we could all use an angel.

In times like this, in times like this.

In times like this we can all use somebody to help us get through it."

It’s my new favorite song. In times like this, the LAA Community rises and shines. The Food Collection Event we have planned for Saturday is living proof.

On Saturday the LAA Community will come together to collect food and other necessary items to help those in need this holiday season. From the first moment the idea sparked, LAA alumni and the community at large jumped onboard to support the effort.

• Susan Thomas (FLG21) and the Anne Arundel Food Bank will have a truck on-site accepting donations.
• Monica Alvarado (FLG09) and Feed Anne Arundel will be helping with the collection and accepting donations to feed families this Thanksgiving.
• The Greater Parole Community Association, Lon Powell (NLA19, FLG20), Beryle Downs (NLA20) and Sherry Hutton (NLA20) stepped up to host the event at Chambers Park.
• Liquified Creative donated the event graphics. Thanks to Shawn Noratel (FLG19), Caitlyn Wiggins (FLG20) and Chad Phillips (FLG21).
• Thanks to an introduction by Derek Matthews (FLG19), Chick-fil-A has more than 70 customers signed up to drop off donations and are donating 50 sandwiches to feed volunteers!
• Leigh Rand (FLG14) and Fast Signs are donating the signage.
• Rise Up Coffee is donating coffee for volunteers.
• Elaine Shanley (FLG14), Finance Forward, is lending her pop-up tent and table for the volunteer refreshment station.
• 27 LAA alumni volunteers are already registered to direct the flow of curb-side donations and collect, sort and load contributions.

There are loads of ways you can support the effort:

• Volunteer: A handful of volunteer spots remain open for the afternoon shift (12:00 – 2:30p). You can register to volunteer here.
• Donate Curb-side: You can swing by Chambers Park with a donation between 10:00a – 2:00p. Items in most need are listed here.
• Donate via Text: You can Text "AACFB49" to 71777 to donate – benefitting the Anne Arundel County Food Bank AND Feed Anne Arundel
• Share: You can share the call for donations with your network!
• Join us LIVE on Facebook at noon on Saturday, broadcasting from Chambers Park and sharing an update from the Anne Arundel County Food Bank and Feed Anne Arundel on the greatest need during the coming months of the COVID-19 crisis.

If you find yourself struggling with the relentlessness of the COVID crisis, lean into the LAA community. We are made for times like this.

I remember incentives to stop asking that question as a small person on long family road trips. Anyone else feeling the weight of this extended journey of disruption?

This is your safe space. Leaders need other leaders. For inspiration and encouragement. For the reminder that we're in this together and we're in it for the long haul.

I love how Simon Sinek puts it (at left). For a dose of inspiration, click here and check out a quick video from Simon explaining how important it is to lean on each other when the going gets tough.

Then, think back to your LAA program experience and take a moment to reach out to a classmate you haven't spoken with in a while. Ask them how they're managing in these tumultuous times. 

You just might get that little jolt of inspiration you need to make it around the bend.   @simonsinek #togetherisbetter

I am beyond proud to share that on September 8th the Flagship 21 class kicked off their program year with the Opening Retreat at London Town. The full roster of the flagship class is available here and photos from the Opening Retreat are captured here.

For weeks prior to the retreat, we had individual and group conversations managing expectations around what the Flagship 21 year would look like. Would it be all virtual? Could we meet in-person safely? Will the 2021 class get the same value we've come to expect from the Flagship experience?

It is a known concept that good leaders must be able to adapt in times of challenge. The Flagship 2021 class is putting that concept to the test in a true case study on adaptability. Our hybrid approach to session planning is to provide safe, in-person opportunities whenever possible coupled with robust innovative and interactive virtual sessions.

The class of 37 participants represents a broad spectrum of appetite for in-person interaction during these challenging times. Some class members are in front-line positions and have therefore been in the community and with the public since the early days of the pandemic. Others have been isolated in their home offices and on screens. Some crave more in-person interaction, others are wary of the risks. All have embraced the Flagship experience in these uncertain times. All are adapting to new ways of connecting and showing up in their role as leaders.

The Opening Retreat was its own lesson in adaptability. With morning sessions planned outside at London Town, foul weather called for adjustments and quick reshuffling of the game plan. Hopping online, leveraging online polls and breakout groups we adapted "the way we've always done it" to the way we could get it done - to great success! It was a great energizing couple of days and a great start for the Flagship class of 2021!

Of course Flagship 2021 adapting has only just begun. Each Flagship Day committee will create plans A and B to prepare for the unknown - peaks and valleys in our health numbers, evolving health guidelines, ever-changing weather. Fortunately the Flagship Committees are packed with LAA Alumni all rolling and adapting in their own leadership roles on a daily basis.

LAA is far from alone in our necessary adaptations. Look around and organizations and individuals are swiftly embracing new ideas and approaches. Examples are everywhere. To name just a few, click the links below to explore:

Wellness House - Fall Rock n Roll Benefit on the Bay - On Thursday, September 24th, in support of Wellness House of Annapolis' free services to our community touched by cancer, they will offer an exciting virtual concert experience - exclusively for the Wellness House - with gourmet dinner and wine! Read more.

Maryland Hall - On September 11th Maryland Hall transitioned their famous "Arts Alive" fundraiser into a livestream launch party for their new Front Stairs Concert series and statewide mission. Read more.

Annapolis Symphony Orchestra - The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is in the process of rolling out a new at-home symphony experience, finding ways to comply with pandemic restrictions while delivering their standard of musical excellence to patrons in their homes. To do so, they've invested in Symphony+, a comprehensive virtual platform powered by Vimeo Over the Top (OTT) comprised of three unique components: ASO Live!, ASO RePlay and ASO Chats. Read more.

Each of these innovative approaches to disruption are inspiring examples of adaptive leadership. They are also deeply challenging and downright exhausting. Adaptive leaders need other adaptive leaders to share ideas, work out concepts and leverage partnerships; challenging us to reimagine what is possible and celebrating our collective success. 

Leadership Anne Arundel provides our local leaders with peers, colleagues, mentors and lifelong friends to power through the transformational change thrust upon our community by disruption. We are excited to nurture a new class of community leaders to support, encourage and challenge each other to adapt and thrive in the weeks, months and years to come.

August is an internally busy month for LAA. While our external calendar is quiet and alumni and the community at large soak up the last weeks of summer, internally we are busy with preparations to welcome the Flagship 2021 class with their Opening Retreat on September 9th at London Town. Days are chock full of planning meetings and logistic preparations.

Parallel to the flurry of preparation activities, I continue my personal commitment to reflect inward on my understanding of my part in racial inequity. Months into my personal exploration I don’t have answers, but I have a greater desire for understanding.

In Austin Channing Brown’s book, I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness she said: "Our only chance at dismantling racial injustice is being more curious about its origins than we are worried about our comfort."

During Anne Arundel Community College’s Virtual Event with Robin DiAngelo, Ph.D. - Author of "White Fragility", Dr. DiAngelo called for white people to be "a little more humble and curious."

The more I read and understand about race inequity and my own whiteness, the more I am called to humility and curiosity. The journey continues.

Reflecting on a summer of challenge and unrest, I lean into curiosity and humility to better understand how Leadership Anne Arundel can best serve to inspire, develop and connect our local leaders in these extraordinary times.

Looking forward to the incoming Flagship class, I am deeply curious about more than 35 individuals who have chosen this moment in time for their Flagship experience and I am humbled by their commitment to positively impacting their community.

I am curious about the creative and innovative ways session planning committees will overcome COVID limitations and I am humbled by the passion and commitment of the planning teams to deliver extraordinary experiences for the incoming class.

LAA is built to dig into the challenging topics ahead. Our leadership, alumni and program of work provide ongoing opportunities to come together virtually as needed and in person when possible to tackle tough conversations and emerging opportunities.

Don’t let the external quiet fool you – a whole new season of insight and connections is just around the bend.

You can choose courage or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.
-Brene Brown 

This month we begin again. 

July marks the beginning of LAA’s fiscal year.  Following last month’s successful Tribute to Community Leadership celebration, we shift our attention to welcoming new Board members and preparing for a new program year, starting with the Flagship 2021 class opening retreat in September. 

I am an organizational leader. My comfort zone is delivering impactful experiences and driving connections. In this time of challenge, uncertainty, and transformation, I struggle with nagging discomfort.

Digging into the discomfort I recognize parallel sources: the deep desire to exceed expectations for the incoming Flagship class in spite of challenges due to  COVID-19 and profound understanding that we must dig into the work of greater understanding around racism  and social injustice. 

The cornerstone of the Flagship program value is unique  access and connection to community leaders and experiences. This week, we will be reaching out to 30+ Flagship candidates to confirm participation in the class. It is inspiring and humbling to read the applications of these dedicated community leaders who choose to lean into leadership in a time of such unprecedented challenge. I simply cannot wait to meet them. 

The Program Planning Committee will be meeting this month* to begin the process of charting the journey for the incoming Flagship class. Courage comes from the strength of the LAA community who will rise to the challenge and craft each carefully planned Flagship session, leveraging their knowledge and connections to benefit the new Flagship class. While much is still unknown, we will adapt to evolving health considerations and embrace new ways of delivering  value like never before. We will deliver on our mission to inspire, develop, and connect a new cohort of community leaders in a time they are needed more than ever. We will provide a Flagship experience filled with opportunities and experiences beyond imagination.

*LAA Flagship program alumni are invited to participate in Flagship program planning. An info session is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22nd at 4:00p on Zoom.

Click here for details and registration.

To not have the conversations because they make you uncomfortable, is the definition of privilege. Your comfort is not at the center of this discussion. – Brene Brown

In the challenge of real conversations around equity and privilege, reflection brings deeper awareness and deeper discomfort. My initial discomfort springs from the realization of my superficial understanding of racial inequity.

For me personally, before discussion, I must lean into education. This summer, I am leaning into education through a plethora of resources. I am determined to make time to dive into the abundant information available to broaden my understanding of our history, where we are in this moment, and personal actions that may lead to greater understanding and progress for the collective good of our community.

If you find yourself also on a seeking path this summer, I invite you to join me in exploring some of the resources below. From books and podcasts to online events and potentially a LAA virtual book club. Please consider the resources below and let me know if you would like to join the conversation.  

Kris

Kris Valerio Shock (FLG06)

President & CEO, Leadership Anne Arundel

Brene Brown: I'm a big fan of Brene Brown in general. If you are new to her approach to leadership, her book Dare to Lead is a good place to start.

*I will begin the 28-day guide in August and invite any LAA Alumni who would like to connect virtually during August to share the journey to contact me directly.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” —Maya Angelou 

In this time in America, our community of Anne Arundel County, and in our hearts we are challenged to understand and take our place in dismantling structural racism. It is important to say the names of those who have died from police brutality: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland, Korryn Gaines, Freddie Gray and others. Attention must be paid to these individuals, their names, their stories, their untimely deaths and what that means for all Americans. Moving forward with business as usual, whether it be in your personal, professional or community life, without acknowledging the lived experience and injustices inflicted on black and other marginalized community members continues to cause harm for those directly affected, and for our society at large. But memorializing these lives through spoken word is not enough. To ensure a future of equity and justice for all, action is essential and can take many forms. 

The mission of Leadership Anne Arundel is to provide people of diverse backgrounds with the education, resources and networks necessary to become successful proactive leaders. Appreciation for the value and importance of diversity is central to our purpose and value. 

In this time of unrest in our community and across the nation, it is important to state clearly LAA's unequivocal support for equity and racial justice. We are also called to reflect. 

This summer LAA will focus inward to examine practices and policies we can put in place to strengthen our support of equity and racial justice. First, the Board has made a commitment to look inward and examine its thinking and actions and will participate in training and discussion. We have reaffirmed our commitment to learning from other’s thought leadership on the issues of racial inequity and related topics.  

We are considering forming a subcommittee of the Alumni Forum to explore actions we can lead or efforts by other groups that we can support to effect positive change. We invite LAA Alumni to participate in the effort. We will leverage our audience to amplify the leadership of LAA alumni and the broader community on social justice issues.

In these weeks of protest I have found myself  at a loss for words (literally). I was moved by Delegate Sheneka Henson’s passionate remarks at the Vigil for Auhmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd at Susan Campbell Park on June 7th when she exclaimed “If you’re here for a photo-op, I don’t need you.”  She continued by saying that what is needed is people willing to do the hard work, to go beyond the photo-ops, soundbites and platitudes. 

Acknowledging there is a problem, being open to other’s ideas, embracing the opportunity to learn and grow and having the courage to speak out when there is injustice and take action when needed is true leadership. LAA intends to roll up its sleeves and do the hard work that Delegate Henson described. We want to “know better” so we can “do better.”

Last week I had the opportunity to watch a TEDxMidAtlantic webinar on Racial Inequity in a Time of Pandemic. In that program Judy Lubin, PhD, MPH, Sociologist + Racial Justice Advocate at Center for Urban and Racial Equity (CURE) stated that white people need to "show up for this fight having done the internal work." I know that I have work to do. That my role in the present moment is to get quiet and do my homework. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “If you want to change the world, start with yourself.”

Fortunately, I have the power of the LAA community to support this journey. I  am grateful to Diedre Dennie (FLG19) for posting a powerful working document of collected resources to facilitate growth for white people to become allies for anti-racist work and for being willing to have a conversation about racial injustice. I am grateful to Deonte Ward (NLA19, FLG20) and Comacell Brown, Jr, (NLA20) for their stunning mural of George Floyd (created at the Vigil in Annapolis, featured below).Their art memorializes George and what his death represents and encourages us to consider the pain caused by institutional racism. 

“The Master Plan” by Chris Wilson was included as part of this year’s Neighborhood Leadership program and Chris joined the class in-person on Zoom to share his story.  Chris’ story is not a textbook on racial inequality but rather his lived experience of racism which is representative of the greater problem, much the same way that George Floyd’s death is a call to action for those not personally affected by racism. 

Beyond our local community, in recent weeks I have found Brene’ Brown’s podcast Unlocking Us extremely helpful. In particular, her interviews with Austin Channing Brown and Ibram X Kendi.

These resources have inspired me to add How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad and I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown to my summer reading list. I share this in case you are inspired to read any or all of these books as well. Perhaps we can begin an informal LAA book club on Zoom and learn together this summer.

Another mantra that has inspired me over my personal journey is “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” We are at an inflection point for racial justice in our community and in our nation. The value of LAA lies in our 1400+ alumni to provide  the education, resources and networks necessary to be the leaders we need to be in this moment -  to do the thoughtful, transformative work of real leadership. I look forward to reflecting,  listening, learning and partnering to effect change - to do better - together. 

These are extraordinary times. The confluence of a global pandemic and tragic racial injustice have created a fever pitch that demands more of our community leaders. These challenges can’t be fixed with sound bites and photo ops. They require digging deep, listening to conflicting views, and embracing creative approaches to problem solving. As leaders, we are called to do the work, to get some rest, and to get up and get back at it. To “bounce forward to what we may become.”

Challenging times also bring great opportunities. And leaders seek out and respond to opportunities.

In recent weeks, we have received many inspiring applications for the Flagship 2021 class. It is especially compelling to read the stories of community leaders inspired at this specific moment in time to step up and serve our community by committing to the Flagship experience. Their collective passion is deeply moving.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, we have received requests to extend the application deadline and questions about how we will proceed with the Flagship class of 2021. In response to these requests, we have extended the application deadline to June 30th and I am eager to share our approach to the Flagship 2021 class.

LAA’s greatest asset is more than 1400 alumni from more than 25 years of programs. Many of these alumni serve on program committees responsible for planning Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy sessions. Others serve on LAA event committees who plan the alumni professional development and social events. LAA alumni volunteers are guided by their cherished LAA experience to create meaningful, impactful, and perception-changing experiences for the upcoming Flagship class.

LAA was swift to adapt to COVID-19 challenges with virtual sessions to maintain momentum for our current programs.  Moving forward, we will leverage the experience and passion of LAA alumni, expanding our creative approaches to in-person and virtual engagement for the Flagship Class of 2021, starting with the Opening Retreat hosted by Historic London Town & Gardens in September.

We will confirm a smaller class than usual by design (approximately 30 participants) to ensure flexibility with regard to physical distancing. The upside to a smaller class will undoubtedly be a more intimate and personal group dynamic for the class to fuel the lifelong relationship development so valued by LAA alumni.

Other upsides to this next normal include access to speakers and facilitators we might not otherwise be able to engage. For example, last month we were fortunate to feature nationally renowned speakers Chris Wilson and Eric McNulty for LAA programs as they were homebound from their standard speaking tours and graciously joined us via Zoom. We were fortunate to have USNA Captain Rick Rubel present on Ethical Leadership in April and we will be developing more ongoing professional development for LAA alumni in the coming year. The possibilities are endless.

As we look forward to welcoming the next Flagship class and expanding alumni programs in September, first we have much celebrating to do this month!

On June 16^th, we welcome the 2020 New Leaders for a Members-Only Virtual Happy Hour to thank them for their leadership and introduce them to LAA Board Members and Membership at large. Click here for details.

Then, on June 23^rd, we have a massive virtual Tribute to Community Leadership celebration in the works to recognize our 2020 Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy classes! Classes and featured guests will gather on Zoom and we will broadcast to Facebook Live. Click here for the full scoop.

So, as we turn our attention this month to celebrating the graduating Flagship and NLA classes, we also look forward to embracing creative solutions to deliver the best possible Flagship experience for the incoming class of 2021. Because leadership doesn’t stop in times of crisis. It bounces forward. 

We made it to May. Together. As I pause for just a moment, looking back on the month of April in these strange, surreal times, I am overwhelmed with admiration and gratitude for the community leaders rising to meet the challenges of each day.

Shifting between the global picture and our local response, one thing is clear: We are the leaders we've been waiting for. Never has it been more important to start where you are, use what you have and do what you can. Each and every day we are called to show up, connect and serve.

Last month, I shared just a few examples of LAA alumni rising to meet the the early challenges. As I attempted to do the same this month, it was dizzying. LAA leaders are simply everywhere in the COVID-19 response: healthcare, food distribution, emergency management, education, economic development and finance... to name a few would inadvertently leave out so many.

Just a glance at the LAA Board roster or current Flagship and NLA class lists and you will see leaders at every level, leading our key institutions and developing grassroots initiatives on the fly. They are at the frontlines of healthcare, education and food delivery and helping small businesses get PPP funds, and they are getting chrome books and art supplies in the hands of kids who otherwise wouldn't have access.

Great News: We are currently accepting nominations for the Distinguished Graduate Award! The purpose of this award is to recognize exceptional Leadership Anne Arundel graduates. Recipients are individuals who have adopted “the heart of community trusteeship” and have made significant and notable contributions for the betterment of our community. Click here to learn more and submit a nomination today.

LAA is proud to serve these leaders in this unique moment, providing visibility, resources and connections for immediate relief initiatives. We will also be there in the months to come. Celebrating the 2020 graduating classes and welcoming a new Flagship class in September. In between, we will offer valuable training and connections to help local leaders access all of the resources available to see our community through these challenging times.

For instance, last month we welcomed Captain Rick Rubel for the first ever Conversations on Leadership with Griff Hall program. Rick led an interactive and highly valuable three hour virtual conference on Ethical Leadership. We dove into challenging conversations around morals and character. The top take away seemed to be the concept of intentional moral fitness: "Be mindful and ready when ethics issues arise as they come quickly. Unless you are thinking about them and aware, the wrong decision may be made."

This month's Leadership Speaker Series - You're IT: Leading Through Coronavirus and Beyond, scheduled for Thursday May 21st - offers an insightful and practical talk on leading in times of crisis with Harvard-affiliated Author, Speaker and Educator, Eric McNulty.

And in these swiftly changing times, we've refocused the monthly LAA101 meetings to focus on our community's evolving initiatives and needs. We invite leaders to hop on and share volunteer opportunities and the community at large to join in to learn how to get involved. 

Finally, this month we'll be coming down the home stretch accepting applications for the Flagship Class of 2021. The deadline to apply is May 31st.

We can't predict exactly what the limitations may be in terms of social distancing in the fall, but we know for certain that leadership doesn't stop. We have proven with current Flagship and NLA classes that we can and will continue to deliver our mission virtually when needed, and we are currently drafting parallel program plans for in-person and virtual sessions to provide interactive, immersive, behind the scenes experiences for the 2021 class. We also know the Class of 2021 will have a most unique year, building relationships and sharing a deep dive into our community opportunities and challenges in these unprecedented times. We hope you will consider investing in the Flagship 2021 class by applying to participate in the class, sponsoring a Flagship session or donating to the Flagship scholarship fund.

After all, we are the leaders we've been waiting for.

“It is in times of crisis that great leaders emerge.” – Anonymous

Great leaders need support. They need inspiration, development, connection. Here's a dose of inspiration, brought to you by your LAA colleagues.

Want some GOOD NEWS?

"These are unprecedented times." How many times have you read that phrase in the last few weeks? Each day there are new urgent realities to the evolving pandemic. There are also amazing leaders rising to the occasion, lending their passion, grit, wisdom and even humor, to see us through the immediate crisis to better days ahead. With more than 1400 alumni, many of these exceptional leaders are graduates or current participants of LAA programs. I'll feature just a few below with a few tangible ways you can help, but ask everyone reading this message to send us news:

What are you doing? How can we help?

We also encourage you to follow the LAA Facebook page and Twitter feed where we'll be amplifying the work of so many inspiring LAA alumni so we can lend the strength of the broader LAA community to your efforts and provide much needed inspiration to power us through the challenging days ahead.

Monica Alvarado (FLG09) - #FeedAnneArudel

Monica Alvarado’s goal is simple - support local restaurants and provide meals for community members in need during the COVID 19 crisis. Keep people fed, keep people employed, and keep businesses afloat.

In the first days of this crisis Monica, owner of Bread and Butter Kitchen, teamed up with Anne Arundel Connecting Together (ACT), restaurants across the county and the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families. Now the  Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation has jumped onboard to manage & distribute funds raised to ensure accurate management and reporting. Click here for a quick video story about the initiative or click here to read a quick article.

Donations can be made through the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation website. Visit: https://www.ripkenfoundation.org/donate and select #FeedAnneArundel from the drop down menu. Or you can also text to donate. Text FeedAnneArundel to 76728.

Dee Ward (NLA19 and FLG20) and Rob Levit (FLG09) - Art supplies for youth in need

Creating Communities, a local arts and educational nonprofit directed by Rob Levit (Divine ’09), is partnering with Dee Ward (NLA 2019) and City of Annapolis Community Relationships Specialist William Rowel to distribute arts and educational supplies to children living in subsidized housing and/or attending Title I schools. Over $2,000 in supplies were raised in just under 48 hours and will be delivered early next week. Rob is a proud Lifetime Member of Leadership Anne Arundel, a volunteer for NLA and Flagship, and the only two-time recipient of the Community Trustee Award. Dee works diligently in the Annapolis community where he was born and raised. He has started countless initiatives to improve his community and mentor young people. Check out a recent article about Dee featured in the Capital. To donate supplies click this Amazon link and be sure to select Steve Poole for the delivery address.

Amy Chase (FLG11) - Maryland Food Bank

Leadership in crisis requires clarity. Everyone wants to help, but how? In the early days of the crisis Amy Chase (FLG11) of the Maryland Food Bank was super clear: Money and Volunteers. To lend a hand, you can contribute to MFB’s Virtual Food Drive online here  and you can find volunteer opportunities here.

There are countless more stories of LAA alumni bringing their time, talent and treasure to meet the needs of the COVID-19 crisis. In the days and weeks to come we will share as much timely information as possible to provide our local leaders with vital support throughout this crisis and beyond.

To let us know what you are doing and how we can help amplify your efforts, contact us today.

I had the good fortune to study under Maravene Leoschke as an undergrad student in the Theater Department at Towson University. I learned a great deal about the theater and acting from Maravene; but I learned more about leadership. And even more about being a female leader. So much of what I learned from Maravene in those days took me years to fully realize.

As luck would have it, I had the opportunity to introduce Maravene at a Signature Breakfast with the BWI Business Partnership after she had returned to Towson as President of the University (pictured at right). It was one of the single greatest honors of my professional career, to introduce my good friend and mentor to a ballroom full of business leaders.

Sadly, shortly after that event, Maravene became ill and passed away very early in her tenure as President. The above quote was shared by the University in tribute to her following her passing. Even several years after her death, I can hear her voice in this quote and I find it deeply inspiring. 

I pondered over this quote as I was in the interview process for my current role with Leadership Anne Arundel and as I read it again today, I feel strongly that it speaks to the heart of the present opportunity with LAA.

How are you going to make positive change in your professions, your families, your communities, the state, the country and the world?

Leadership Anne Arundel is not a program. Or a class. While LAA Alumni have been through a LAA program and are members of a particular class, the real opportunity far exceeds a specific experience. Leadership Anne Arundel is a powerful network that holds within it the connections, pathways and thought leadership to make real, positive change in our community. 

This uncertain world needs you, your leadership, your passion, your vision and your commitment.

These days, we are all pulled in a million directions. Capacity is a challenge. But our uncertain world needs good leadership more than ever. The LAA opportunity is not about a date on your calendar, it's about contributing your leadership, passion, vision and commitment to benefit your local community, as you are able, on any given day.

Our job as an organization is to make it easier for you to engage at the speed of life; to enable you to have the impact you want to have.

LAA sits at the intersection of professional, personal and community development. The new online community expedites connecting with 1400+ alumni, sharing your thought leadership and joining the conversation. LAA is an increasingly nimble organization focused on delivering value to our members, alumni and the community at large.  We're here to help you make the positive impact you want to make. And then to share it and celebrate it.

Ask yourself how the world will be better because of you.  Then tell us how we can help.

Do you have fond memories of your LAA experience? Well as you know, inspiring, developing and connecting local leaders is never done, so throughout the month of February we’re inviting LAA Alumni and the community at large to Show your Love of Leadership!

LAA relies on membership from alumni and sponsorship in order to provide powerful leadership programs and events so that we can continue to provide people of diverse backgrounds with the education, resources and networks necessary to become successful proactive leaders. Your investment powers our Flagship and NLA programs, Alumni event development, online communities and countless other efforts in building a strong leadership family in Anne Arundel County.

WE'LL GO FIRST: Announcing Rolling Renewal!
To get us started LAA is showing our love by adding value to LAA Membership investment. Historically LAA Membership has been based on July 1st renewal regardless of when you paid for Membership. Not anymore. Now LAA Membership renewal is based on the date you invest - so if you paid for Membership in December, you'll be due for renewal a year from December. That's a whole year of value, regardless of when you jump onboard!

Here are three ways ways you can to show your love for leadership this month:

SHOW YOURSELF SOME LOVE: 
LAA Alumni are invited to upgrade to an Annual or Lifetime Membership and join us in expanding your leadership journey. Membership is less than $10/month. Lifetime Membership is only $1,000 offering you all of the benefits of membership for life!

JOIN IN THE LOVE: 
Already a member? Update your LAA online profile (add a photo), attend an upcoming event, join a LAA interest group and/or comment on one of the discussion forums.

SHARE THE LOVE: 
A donation of any amount will support us as we develop and strengthen new leaders in our county. Click here to donate.

Need help navigating the options? Contact us today or join us at LAA101 this month and make the most of new and expanding LAA opportunities!

LAA | 2020 Vision

A New Year

A New Decade

A New Generation of Leadership

A year ago, I was inspired to apply for this role because I see vast, untapped potential in the LAA Community. I believe we have barely scratched the surface of what we can create together by harnessing the collective thought leadership, insight and experience of individuals who choose to live and work in Anne Arundel County. 

Last June we celebrated our 25^th Anniversary as an organization. There is much to be proud of in our first 25 years, representing nearly a generation of local leaders. There is even more opportunity in the next 25 years as leadership challenges grow more complex with the advancement of technology and the always accelerating pace of life.

So, here’s my take on the Why, Who, What and How of LAA 2020:

The WHY

Good leaders don’t just happen.

Good leadership (not to mention great leadership) requires inspiring, nurturing, developing, mentoring, supporting, reflecting, connecting and engaging.

That’s what we do.

Together we ask:

What is needed?

What makes leading today different from leading 10 or 20 years ago?

What remains constant? In general – and for you personally?

What are incremental changes that need to be made to advance our community?

How can we get there, together?

The WHO

LAA – the COMMUNITY 

LAA is at the intersection of personal, professional and community leadership.
LAA is a community of dedicated leaders at all phases of development.
LAA is the Alumni, Board of Directors, Committee Members and Membership at large.

With more than 1400 alumni over more than 25 years of programming, participation among the community will naturally ebb and flow. I like to think of this as “Seasons of Engagement.” The challenge is to stay connected across the ebb and flow of capacity; to toggle up and down as time permits; to roll with change; to revisit; to reinvent. To reach back to the most successful and influential leaders among us and draw from their experience to benefit the community overall.

·      If you are seeking support to get to that next place in your development, it is here.

·      If you have come to a place in your journey where you have something to give back – give here.

·      If you are somewhere in between, join us. Engage. Share your perspective, your challenges and your vision of leadership.

In the LAA Community, the rising tide truly lifts all boats. This is your community. It’s always the right time to reengage – whatever your season of engagement and to whatever degree your capacity permits.

THE WHAT

LAA – the ORGANIZATION

As an ORGANIZATION, our job is to make it easy for you to engage.

To facilitate.
To respect your capacity.
To provide the structure and the tools. 

In the eight months since I came onboard in this role, with the support of the LAA Board, we have worked to implement a community platform to provide the structure and tools needed to facilitate member engagement. Lots of tools are already setup and ready to roll and much more can be developed based on member interest and engagement.

THE HOW

·      Invest in Membership – Membership sustains the structure

·      Contribute Content – Update your profile, Join Discussion Forums, Post in the Community, Join Interest Groups (Tip – download the mobile app. Click here to learn more.)

·      Volunteer – Join a Program Committee, the Alumni Forum or the Women’s Executive Forum. Together we are developing relevant programs that tackle ongoing leadership challenges.

·      Show Up – Join us for upcoming events (bring a friend)

As we embark on a new decade, let’s build the central hub for leadership inspiration, development and connection in Anne Arundel County TOGETHER.

Looking forward,

Kris

Kris Valerio Shock
President & CEO
Leadership Anne Arundel
Flagship ‘06