03/08/2006: "Leadership SJI Recruiting for Class of 2007"

ig_LEADERSHIP-2005 (41k image)
(Photo of Class 2006:Top Row: Matt Maher, Orcas; Richard Civille, San Juan; Mieka Neenan, Orcas
Second from Top: Helen Venada, San Juan; Kristine Odle, San Juan; Kathy Hagn, San Juan
Third from Top: Shannan Sword, San Juan; Bonnie Bossler, Orcas; Susie Teague, Lopez; Kris Bayas, San Juan; Bottom Row: Deborah Hopkins, San Juan; Chinmayo, San Juan; Nick Teague, Lopez)

The Leadership San Juan Islands program is hosting Open Houses on Orcas, Lopez and San Juan for those interested in learning more about the program or would like to apply to join the Class of 2007. Leadership San Juan Islands is a countywide program, founded in 2004, to educate and motivate emerging community leaders. Applications are available on our website (www.leadershipsanjuanislands.com) or by request, and are due April 30th. Class 2007 runs from September 2006 – May 1007.

Open Houses
Orcas Open House: Tuesday, March 14th, Orcas Library Meeting Room, 12 – 1:30 pm and 6-7:30 pm
Lopez Open House: Wednesday, March 15th, Lopez Library Meeting Room, 5 – 6:30pm
San Juan Open House: Thursday, March 16th, SJ Library Meeting Room, 12-1:30 pm and 5:00 – 6:30pm

Leadership San Juan Islands is a tuition-based program to educate and motivate community members interested in developing their professional leadership skills and in learning more about issues affecting San Juan County. Community leadership programs are a means by which local communities take the initiative in developing a trained network of people engaged in community work. These programs train future politicians, business leaders, agency heads, educators, board members, and volunteers. Leadership San Juan Islands began in Fall 2004 under the auspices of Skagit Valley College, United Way San Juans, and the Economic Development Council. LSJI has Alumni committed to service in many areas of the County including agriculture, transportation, environmental issues, business development, land use, governance, education, community development, recreation, and the continuing success of LSJI.

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The class meets monthly for Challenge Days, focusing on county issues and skills development. There are also three weekend retreats focusing on leadership skills in a more in-depth setting. We meet in a variety of settings to familiarize class members with the different islands. Both years have started with a retreat on Orcas in October and then Governance Day at the County Courthouse in November. This year class members met with Bob Myhr, Randy Gaylord, King Fitch, Marion Melville, Jon Shannon, Jeff Bossler, David Bayley, and Jack Cory to get an overview of governance issues in the county. They spent the morning in a skills session on "The art of planning and facilitating an effective meeting" by Gretchen Krampf, a graduate of last year's Leadership Class and Co-Chair of LSJI for 2006. This spring the class members have been designing their own challenge days and on March 3rd met on Orcas to get an in-depth look at Environmental systems in the County. They spent time in the field with Russel Barsh, a local paleobiologist, at the Youngren's salmon hatchery and archeological site and then with Lincoln Bormann of the Land Bank to learn more about Crescent Beach and adjacent Land Bank properties and the issues surrounding land preservation in the county. Between the field trips, Julie Knight did a workshop on the Islands Oil Spill Association and how they motivate and mobilize volunteers.
Other challenge days have covered county issues such as economics, social systems, and last one on April 7th will look at education and technology.

Class One graduated in May 2005 and its members are now engaged in service commitments to the community (each graduate commits to 100 hours of community service in the coming year) Class Two will graduate on May 21, 2006 and begin their service projects.

Class 2005:
San Juan: Shannon Calverley, Kyle Davies, Sally Kerr, Randy Martin, Sonia Nash, Marilyn O'Connor
Orcas: Jeff Bossler, Kathi Ciskoski, Gretchen Krampf, Rena Patty, Kim Skarda Anderson, Sandy Thompson, Dacia Youngren
Lopez: Brent Charnley, Amalia Driscoll, Brian Kvistad, Rosie Sumner

Class 2006:
San Juan: Kris Bayas, Richard Civille, Chinmayo, Katherine Weller Hagn, Deborah Hopkins, Kristine Odle, Shannan Sword, Helen Venada
Orcas: Bonnie Bossler, Matt Maher, Mieka Neenan
Lopez: Susie and Nick Teague

Each graduate commits to a service project of at least 100 hours for the following year. Here are some of the projects Class 2005 is involved in for 2005-2006:

1) San Juan Representative to State Ferry Advisory Committee
2) Established, Organized, and Actualized the Islands Women's Summit
3) Participated in forming Agricultural Resource Committee and serve on this committee. Initiated farm community meetings on three islands and facilitate meetings.
4) Advocate for US Department of Peace – grassroots to national levels
5) Conferring with County Council, candidates, and State transportation Commissioner regarding global energy issues.
6) Precinct Committee Officer-local and state caucuses
7) Joined the Economic Development Council
8) Chair Political Action Committee regarding Home Rule and participate in Public outreach/open information process.
9) Draft, Edit, and present Freeholder and Home Rule materials
10) Conducting non-violent communication sessions
11) Assisted in restructuring Montessori board and in integration of Montessori classroom in Public School on Orcas Island
12) Commence Grant investigation: Collective Community Poetry Project
13) Writing local agricultural articles for Navigating our Future and Islands' Weekly
14) Coordinated water flow-form at Lahari hospice, Orcas Island
15) Helped Prepare Orcas Pathways grant proposal
16) Coordinating and Implementing Leadership '06 Program/Curriculum
17) Membership in the Town of Friday Harbor Planning Commission
18) Family Resource Center Outreach to the Hispanic Community
19) Leadership role in Winegrowers Association
20) Membership in the Lopez Chamber of Commerce
21) Youth Shakespeare Program on Lopez

Quotes from Participants:

Gretchen Krampf, Orcas Island, LSJI Co-Chair and Class 2005 graduate:

"Leadership San Juan Islands provides an opportunity for participants to build strong connections across the water. We are a community comprised of islands and San Juan County leaders need to have a whole system perspective to create solutions that meet the needs of all islanders."

"Every Board and Business in San Juan County would benefit from sending a member of its organization through Leadership San Juan Islands. This is the best professional development and networking opportunity around."

"In our third year, LSJI is looking forward to offering networking and business development workshops to others in the community. We would like to create a Leadership Alumni Network that brings together islanders who have been part of other Leadership programs in the country."

Shannon Calverley, San Juan Island, LSJI Program Coordinator and Class 2005 graduate

"San Juan County is unique in that each island has to function independently and yet is part of the greater whole. Each island has an amazing network of community members who give their time so generously for the benefit their fellow islanders and for the county. Leadership San Juan Islands provides a forum to nurture current and future community leaders from all walks of life and to strengthen the bonds within our community and between our islands.

Jeff Bossler, Orcas, Class of 2005:
"For me, the opportunity to participate as a class member of LSJI and to be a member of the Board of Freeholders came at the same time. LSJI influenced me profoundly. It deepened my understanding of how we, as citizens, fit into the larger "whole system picture: of economy, ecology, and community.

LSJI is a way to discover your own personal strengths and weaknesses, discover avenues of community service within your sphere of interest, and a great way to meet other people much like you from the other islands. Best of all, LSJI unlocks that unused toolbox inherent within us all and motivates a more confident use of our "action button." Go for it!"

Kathy Hagn, Class 2006
KATHY HAGN moved to San Juan Island in 2004, and is currently a member of the 2005-2006 class of LSJI because of her very positive experience in the Monterey Peninsula Leadership program in the early 90's. With a child in the schools there and a career in social work as a private psychotherapist, Kathy wanted a fresh view of the community she'd grown up in, to learn how change happens in a community and how local government handles social and environmental services. The Monterey Peninsula Leadership program was a very positive experience, helping Kathy gain an understanding of how the community had evolved on many levels.

"Rather than step back and watch changes in the community, you really have to be involved in order to ensure how change will happen, but you don't have to be the president or chairman to have a positive impact on community issues." Because of her positive experience in the previous leadership program, Kathy didn't hesitate to sign on for LSJI here, to help her understanding this community and build relationships throughout the islands.

Halfway through the program, Kathy says it has helped her awareness and understanding of island issues, she's met wonderful people and she's pleased that our program is different in that it has a greater emphasis on the process community groups go through and on how systems work in our community.

Kathy has established her psychotherapy practice in Friday Harbor, is involved as a parent with Spring Street school and she is co-owner of Pearl Point Inn, a bed and breakfast.