Leadership Academy Fellows Begin Year of Engagement and Growth

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Barbara Landeen

The 27 fellows in our 2020 Leadership Academy kicked off the second decade of our leadership development program with a unique start: meeting via Zoom due to social distancing guidelines.  

LeadingAge Minnesota President & CEO Gayle Kvenvold was the featured speaker at this first session, which focused on Authentic Leadership. Chronicling her leadership journey and sharing stories of crucibles and milestones, she set the tone for a year of discovery and growth ahead. Among the valuable takeaways was a look forward to a post-pandemic era that will bring positive changes to our field.

This was the first of four quarterly sessions designed around interactive and experiential learning that cultivates high potential and transformational leaders in the field of aging services.

Leadership Academy is led by a dedicated group of professionals who have themselves graduated from this prestigious program. We thank the volunteer coaching team for their time, talent and expertise in guiding the Fellows through the next year of discovery and growth:

• Kathy Olson, Executive Director, Three Links Millstream Commons, Northfield;
• Stacy Carlsrud, Campus Administrator, Presbyterian Homes Timber Hills, Inver Grove Heights;
• Amy Koehnen, Campus Administrator, Ebenezer Meadows on Fairview, Wyoming;
• Patty Ryan, Center Manager, Cassia Augustana Open Circle of Heritage Park, Minneapolis; and
• Leanne Wollerman, Director of Comprehensive Home Care, Sholom, St. Paul.
• Jennifer Rutschke, Executive Director, Ebenezer Park Apartments, Minneapolis serves as a program assistant.

We recognize and thank Business Partner members and Annual Sponsors Healthcare Services Group and Ziegler for their financial support as the sponsors of Leadership Academy.