Leadership Niagara 2011 Graduation
Leadership Niagara 2011 Graduation – Destinee May Henderson Receives Top Speaker of the Year
Lockport, NY (December 9, 2011) – Leadership Niagara hosted its annual graduation event for twenty-three class members representing business, education, government, law enforcement, and the military who participated in a year long leadership development program in the Niagara region. The event took place last night at the Tuscarora Inn in Lockport and included Leadership NIagara alumni, board members, and speakers.
LN Class of 2011
The organization presented it’s Top Speaker Award to Destinee May Henderson of the Mental Health Association. Mrs. Henderson served as a guest speaker on the topic of overcoming a prescription drug addiction for the organization’s Criminal Justice session in September. She was selected by the 2011 Class from over 70 speakers who presented to the class throughout the year.
During the awards program, Destinee Henderson was invited to speak to the graduation class and received a standing ovation from the audience. Following her speech, Leadership Niagara’s executive director, Molly Anderson, presented Mrs. Henderson with a special invitation to join Leadership Niagara’s 2012 Class which will begin in January.
“Destinee has shown remarkable courage and has been an inspiration to all of us,” stated Anderson. “For us it is no longer about Destinee’s past – it is about her future. On behalf of Leadership Niagara we would like to welcome her to join our Leadership Niagara’s 2012 Class.”
Destinee May Henderson - 2011 Speaker of the Year
Leadership Niagara is the region’s premier leadership development program and has graduated over 1000 leaders in Western New York since 1984. The Class Experience program in 2011 introduced a new graduate-level leadership competencies curriculum and coaching and mentoring program. Participants learned from industry experts and leadership development professionals on topics including: change and transformation, creativity and innovation, agribusiness, economic development, education and workforce development.
“We have been provided with a year long foundation from which to continue to grow and lead within our workplace, community and family,” stated Adam Savard of HSBC and graduate of LN 2011. “From the very beginning our class was challenged with who we are as individuals and what we believe about topics perceived to be sensitive, and ultimately that we cannot be effective leaders without first understanding and reflecting on who we are and what we stand for.”
“We were challenged to view topics and people from perspectives other than our own, to listen to positions we had never considered, and ultimately to gain a greater respect for the differences we have as people and the important roles people play throughout the community,” added Noelle Gaetano of Niagara Falls School District and fellow graduate of 2011.
Graduates of Leadership Niagara’s 2011 Class are as follows:
Jacqueline Agnello of Niagara University
Jeff Calarco of Niagara Gazette
Sara Carella of Family & Children’s Services of Niagara
Anthony Dell’Isola of New York Power Authority
Sandy Felicetti of Niagara Gazette
Richard Fremming of New York Power Authority
Noelle Gaetano of Niagara Falls City Schools
Dawn Harris of 914th Airlfit Wing
Laura Jacobs of e3communications
Patricia Jacus of 914th Airlift Wing
Tasha LeFevre of First Niagara Bank
Stephanie Magnuszewski of Niagara Tourism & convention Corporation
Donald McGuire of 107th Airlift Wing
Nathalene Mosley of Community Missions
Jennifer Pauly of Niagara River Region Chamber
Lisa Perry of M & T Bank
Angela Santiago of Niagara Falls City Schools
Adam Savard of HSBC Bank
Andrew Schuler of Cannon Design
Anthony Suess of Niagara County Sheriff’s Office
David Tighe of Covanta Energy
Anedda Trautman of Orleans Niagara BOCES
Brian Wentland of Lockport Police Department
The top presenters for 2011 included: Dave Burke, LN ‘01 Bob Confer, LN ‘07, Ken Franasiak, Destinee May Henderson, Kevin MacDonald, LN ‘05 Kristen Neubauer, LN ‘10 Krista Snell, LN ‘07 Joseph Steinmetz, LN ‘07 Judge William Watson, LN ‘98 And The White (Roger, Beth, and Scott) Family.
Leadership Niagara’s mission is to strengthen regional leadership. For more information contact Molly Anderson, Executive Director of Leadership Niagara, at 949-3223 or visit our website at www.leadershipniagara.org.
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