Phoenixville Community Health Foundation’s Executive Leadership Institute – Class of 2019 – Graduates Eight
Back L/R: Jennifer Willford, AnneMarie Weden, Wendy Graham, Oliva Dimmig, Heather Rothman. Seated L/R: Marnie Melvin, Kimberly Dickinson, Elizabeth House.
Phoenixville: “ The theme which emerged for me after each session was the need to be more intentional, thoughtful and prepared in every role as leader. ”
The 2019 graduates of the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation’s Executive Leadership Institute included eight future leaders of the non-profit community. They were recognized on June 17th at Freedoms Foundation Valley Forge for their dedication. This is now the 7th graduating class with a total of 66 graduates. The mission of the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) is to provide executive-level and management-level staff within the non-profit sector, an opportunity to gain self-awareness, knowledge, and experience to become more effective leaders within their professional and personal lives.
This years’ leadership program assisted the following evolving leaders in understanding leadership principles and developing their own personal style of leadership: Kimberly Dickinson, Student Programs Manager, Chester County Futures; Olivia Dimmig, Public Health Nurse, Chester County Health Department; Wendy Graham, Executive Director, Kelly Ann Dolan Memorial Fund; Elizabeth House, Administrative Supervisor, Victims Services Center of Montgomery County; Marnie Melvin, Program Director, Citizen Advocacy – Chester County; Heather [Johnson] Rothman, Director of Programs, Variety-The Children’s Charity; AnneMarie Weden, President, Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area; Jennifer Willford, Administrative Assistant, Phoenixville Women’s Outreach.
This ten-month leadership program began with a personal self-assessment through the wellrecognized Myers/Briggs psychological instrument. From there, each class offered sessions on aspects of leadership presented by individuals from the for-profit/non-profit, academic, and philanthropic sectors. The students’ final assignment was to present their own personal leadership plans and goals. At the end of the program, there was an evaluation of the program. This evaluation recognizes that to be truly successful, enduring behavioral change is essential. It’s not just the learning, it’s the doing. The 2019 evaluation showed that 88% of students felt that ELI training had a major, pronounced, positive change upon them as persons; 88%, as well, felt that ELI training had both a major, pronounced, positive change upon them as a professional in the non-profit world; and 86% said the ELI training prompted them to initiate significant changes in their organization.
“Consistently Stunning Results…As in past years, students consistently reported strikingly positive comments giving strong evidence that: ELI had a major, pronounced, positive change upon them as persons; ELI had a major, pronounced, positive change upon them as nonprofit professionals; and, ELI prompted them to initiate significant changes in their organizations. Again, these are robust testimony to the efficacy of ELI!” Dr. Nancy Kelley, Independent Evaluator, Villanova University.
Some of the feedback from students included: • “ A catalyst for deeply impactful personal development .” • ” Transformative, eye – opening, and hugely impactful. ” • “ I really needed a safe space to experience this last year and I don’t think I would have been able to be so successful otherwise. ” • ” The self – awareness helped with my leadership behavior: balancing me, values, staff, and board that improves th e organization. ” • “ I am better equipped to lead at work… and am eager to consider bigger leadership roles as they arise for me in the future. ”
ELI has a maximum capacity of 12 students and is comprised of a 10-month curriculum, meeting monthly at the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation, in Phoenixville. This program is open to Executive Directors, Program Managers, and those staff identified by organizations as potential future non-profit leaders. The 2019-20 ELI will begin in September. Applications must be received by August 23, 2019. For more information on how to apply, please visit www.pchf1.org – Initiatives.
The mission of the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation is to improve the health and quality of life for people in the greater Phoenixville region by increasing access to quality healthcare services and promoting healthy communities through grant-making and collaborations with health, civic, business and community partners.
Additional Materials
- See a copy of the presentation made at the graduation ceremony.
- Download a copy of this Press Release
