Leadership Accelerator Academy honors Class of 2022
Twenty-three community members were honored on July 14 at Lake Michigan College’s Welch Center for Wine & Viticulture for completing the 2022 Leadership Accelerator Academy.
Leadership Accelerator is a professional development program designed to nurture leaders who will effectively grow, sustain, and lead local organizations and communities throughout Southwest Michigan. This is the first year LMC has helmed the Leadership Accelerator Academy.
The program, which began on Jan. 27, features 12 instructional sessions on Thursdays twice a month taught by a diverse group of local leaders. It is designed to be an individual journey with participants focusing on personal evolution and professional development to promote engagement and leadership in the community. Participants assess strengths, emotional intelligence, community perspectives, barriers to community success, communication skills, and more.
"The Leadership Accelerator far exceeded our expectations because of the incredible engagement between each of the class participants combined with the expertise of our local subject matter experts," LMC Dean, Career & Workforce Education Dr. Kenneth Flowers said. "It was a great experience from beginning to end."
Certificates of completion were awarded to Alexander R. Schrader (Chikaming Township), Alton Warren Smith (French Paper), Ashley Regal (City of Buchanan), Barbara Gordon (Cass District Library), Caleb Colp (Kinexus Group), Chris Woodruff (Lake Michigan College), Devon Floor (Integrity Real Estate Professionals), Fernanda Nishikawa (Whirlpool Corporation), Gabrielle Engle (Mosaic CCDA), Grace Kelmer (Lake Michigan College), Guy Miller (Berrien County Health Department), Jennifer Tomshack (United Way of Southwest Michigan), Jessica Boyd (Cornerstone Alliance), John Humphrey (City of New Buffalo), Kate Seaman (1st Source Bank), Kaylee Ronn (Honor Credit Union), Kyna Johnson (Kingdom Business ETC), Maureen Ovington (United Way of Southwest Michigan), Maureen Stroud (Shinka Sustainability Consultants), Nate Springer (Honor Credit Union), Ryan Kitron (YMCA of Greater Michiana), Stefanie Murphy (Region IV Area Agency on Aging), and Yolanda Mendez (Region IV Area Agency on Aging).
Formed in 2015 by leaders from dozens of local, private, public, and nonprofit organizations at Michigan's Great Southwest Strategic Leadership Council, the Leadership Accelerator Program moved to Kinexus Group in 2019. It was driven by Kinexus and partners Spectrum Health Lakeland, United Way of Southwest Michigan, and The Strategic Leadership Council. More than 140 leaders graduated from the program before it went on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program, now led by Lake Michigan College, receives continued support from Kinexus Group, Spectrum Health Lakeland, United Way of Southwest Michigan, and The Strategic Leadership Council.
Individuals or employers interested in learning more about Leadership Accelerator should contact Dr. Kenneth Flowers, Dean, Career & Workforce Education at 269-927-4103 or flowers@lakemichigancollege.edu or Pam McVay, Director of Culture and Talent Success, at 269 927-8105 or mcvay@lakemichigancollege.edu.
