Leadership Oakland, one of the region’s longest-running leadership programs, has kicked off its 31st cohort, LOXXXI. For more than three decades, Leadership Oakland has played an important part in the personal, professional and public development of nearly 1,300 influencers throughout Southeast Michigan.

Its signature program, Cornerstone, attracts high-aspiring leaders of all levels from corporate, civic, non-profit, and entrepreneurial organizations, who take a nine-month in-depth exploration of the Southeast Michigan region and how their own leadership growth can make a difference. This year, the LOXXXI cohort is comprised of 37 highly accomplished individuals from throughout the Southeast Michigan Region and Windsor, Ontario.

Due to COVID-19, this year’s class is virtual. The program started with a three-half day retreat beginning Sunday, September 13, 2020.

The creative and talented class members will be challenged to connect, learn, grow and contribute to their communities in ways never before considered.  Using a virtual program format, the class will conduct a case study on COVID-19, learn to use Design Thinking as a problem-solving tool, and practice Adaptive Challenge Leadership techniques. Design Thinking is a solution-based approach to solving problems, it revolves around a deep interest in the people whom you are serving and pushes you to question everything. Adaptive Challenges are situations where there are no known solutions or too many solutions with no clear choice. Utilizing these tools will help the participants in our class become better leaders for our community and their companies.

Congratulations to the new cohort:

·       Tina Ascione, Beaumont Health

·       Tedra Boedigheimer, Beaumont Health

·       Frances Borg, Beaumont Health

·       Elizabeth Carr, Oakland Family Services

·       Jolene Chapman, Oakland Community College

·       Elizabeth Crenshaw, Honor Community Health

·       Carrie Curnow, Flagstar Bank

·       Sara DeMont, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

·       Thomas Fields, Oakland County

·       Amanda Ford, Wilshire Benefits Group

·       Todd Godbey, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

·       Amanda Harrison, Detroit Institute of Arts

·       Jonathan Hayes, Presbyterian Villages of Michigan

·       Stacie Hillier, Total Health Care

·       Mark Huizenga, Health Alliance Plan

·       Rosana Hull, General Motors

·       Rachel Hurst, The Kroger Co. of Michigan

·       Linda Kozianowski, Easterseals Michigan

·       Yvonne Langley, Baker College

·       Adam Lupcke, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

·       Manu Malhotra, Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital

·       Ryan McGerty, Beaumont Health

·       Liz McLachlan, Community Housing Network

·       Erika Mobley, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

·       Kordilia Noble, Training, Development, Education and Operations Leader

·       Neil Patel, Butzel Long

·       Nashara Peart, Miller Canfield

·       Pamela Scales, Oakland Schools

·       Leanne Scott, City of Rochester Hills

·       Megan Sellers, Oakland County Board of Commissioners

·       Lucas Thomas, Easterseals Michigan

·       Tyrone Thorpe, Northwestern Mutual

·       Rachel van Dinkel, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services

·       Ashley Werkmeister, Chief Financial Credit Union

·       Ebony Williams, Oakland Community Health Network

·       Michael Woods, Oakland County

·       Cristina Zatek, Health Alliance Plan

To learn more about the program, please visit: https://www.leadershipoakland.com/cornerstone/

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