Phoenixville: The 2017 graduates of the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation’s Executive Leadership Institute included six emerging leaders of the non-profit community, were recognized on June 21 at Freedoms Foundation Valley Forge for their dedication. 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 emerging leaders in understanding leadership principles and developing their own personal style of leadership: Joan Cadigan, Executive Director for the Phoenixville Community Education Foundation; Moriah Hall, Operations Manager at Camphill Soltane; Cecilia Jenkins, Program Manager for Self Determination Housing Project of PA; John Meisel, Operations & Planning Manager for the Transportation Association of Chester County; Robyn Slater, Program & Development Consultant of the PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics; and Janet Zeis, the Volunteer Management Coordinator at the Chester County Department of Emergency Services. See attached photo: L/R: Cecelia Jenkins, Janet Zeis, Robyn Slater, Joan Cadigan, Moriah Hall [not pictured: John Meisel]
This ten-month leadership program began with a personal self-assessment through the well-recognized Myers/Briggs psychological instrument. From there, each class had two 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 2017 evaluation showed that 83% of students felt that ELI training had both a major, pronounced, positive change upon them as a professional in the non-profit world and 100% of them said that the $500 fee was worth it.
“As in past years, the ELI students offered thoughtful and frank feedback and recommendations that will be carefully considered by PCHF staff in a continuous effort to refine this already well designed and delivered leadership program that already boasts convincing evidence of strong positive outcomes.” John M. Kelley, PhD, Independent Evaluator
Some of this feedback included: “ELI was a powerful impetus for me to flourish, both as a human and a professional leader. It was tremendously valuable. ELI is about transformation – a short journey that has lasting effects, refreshing and an opportunity for self-reflection in a complex world.” Overall, they felt that “ELI covers a breadth and depth of essential leadership concepts and that the journey intersects ones professional goals with personal understanding.”
ELI has a maximum capacity of 12 students and is comprised of a 10-month curriculum, meeting monthly at the Phoenxiville Community Health Foundation building. This program is open to Executive Directors, Program Managers, and those staff identified by organizations as potential future non-profit leaders. The 2018 ELI will begin in September but all applications must be received by August. For more information on how to apply, please visit www.pchf1.org.
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.
