Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders
On April 24, OPALCO Communications Specialist Jo Lange successfully completed and graduated from the Leadership San Juan Islands program. The San Juan Islands-based program aims to help develop service-minded leaders with strong place-based understanding and compassion for the community in which they live and work.
What began in 2004 with a group of islanders who wanted the future of their community to be decided in the islands blossomed into a robust program that has hosted 17 cohorts consisting of more than 220 local leaders and community members, including six other OPALCO team members.
“Being a part of Leadership San Juans, and especially Cohort 17, feels so special,” Jo says. “Ours was the first in-person cohort to graduate from the program since 2021, due to the lasting effects of COVID-19.” The program relies heavily on the ability to meet in person for each challenge day to inspire strong interpersonal connections among members of the group and the community at large. While technology has been a useful tool for supplementary courses and keeping in touch, program organizers want to maintain an in-person aspect.
Program Structure
This year’s program kicked off with a two-day retreat on Orcas Island, allowing the group time to meet each other, share stories and experiences, learn the principles of leadership and complete the Myers-Briggs personality assessment.
The program included five in-person challenge days covering a variety of industries and topics, including governance, arts, history, culture, economics, agriculture and ecology. Challenge days were spread out over the six-month program and broken up by additional virtual learning circle sessions and small group meetings to work on a service project. To graduate, each small group must complete a service project on their own island and present on that project to the cohort at graduation.
Jo’s Highlights
Jo says the governance and ecology challenge days were some of her favorites. “Governance day was a favorite of mine that surprised me,” she says. “It took such a deep dive into our local county government and introduced me to so many of the people involved with making things run like they do.” Members of the cohort participated in three different panels in one day, including the opportunity to speak to staff of the town of Friday Harbor, the San Juan County courts, and the county council and administrative staff. “I am so grateful for the increased understanding of just how much goes on at the county level to keep things running,” Jo says. “It was such an informative day.”
Ecology day was hosted on Lopez Island. “We explored so much of Lopez in one day,” Jo says. “We got the chance to visit multiple farms and speak with community members who are deeply involved with agriculture. I feel so fortunate for that experience.”
How to Get Involved
The San Juan Islands are a vast and diverse group of islands, full of people doing important work to serve their communities. The well-rounded knowledge shared during the six months of Leadership San Juan Islands can be valuable to anyone committed to growing their service-based leadership skills. Visit LSJI.org to learn more about the program and get involved in the next cohort. Information sessions and open houses about the program are coming soon to an island near you, so stay tuned in to the website and the LSJI social media pages.
