First cohort completes training at UW Presidential Leadership Institute

Members of the inaugural cohort of the University of Washington’s Presidential Leadership Institute gather with President Ed Seidel at his home to celebrate the completion of their leadership experience. (UW photo)

The first cohort of the University of Wyoming’s Presidential Leadership Institute (PLI) successfully completed the program.

This leadership development initiative is designed to equip UW employees with the skills to strengthen their roles and expand support for the UW campus community. Over the course of five months, 25 university staff came together to take part in a series of immersive leadership sessions.

“The Presidential Leadership Institute gave me the opportunity to network with other leaders across the university and allowed me to become more aware of the specific challenges they face and their diverse approaches to those challenges,” says Natalia Brown, program and business director. Services Manager for the WWAMI Medical Education Program at the University of Washington (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) and a member of the inaugural cohort. “I now have new friends with whom I have discovered that I have so much in common both professionally and personally.”

President Ed Seidel emphasized the importance of fostering a strong leadership culture among UW employees.

“Developing strong leaders among our employees is one of the best investments we can make,” he says. “The success of the first cohort is a testament to the talent we have at the UW, and I am excited to see how the next cohort continues to grow and shape the future of our university.”

In addition to Brown, members of the first PLI cohort are:

— Cheryl Baker, UW Foundation Information Technology Project Manager.

— Maria Bennett, Academic Advising Manager, School of Pharmacy.

— Megan Candelaria, deputy director of the NASA Wyoming Space Grant Consortium.

— Dawn Carver, senior project coordinator at the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing.

— Allison Covey, manager of academic advising, College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.

— Adam Comeau, Student Activities/Campus Recreation Coordinator.

— Andre Fecteau, Data and Reporting Manager, Information Technology.

— Carrie Gomez, senior program coordinator at UW-Casper.

— Jamie Greene, Director of Organization and Description, American Heritage Center.

— Tiffany Couch, senior partner, recruiting and recruiting.

— Dilnoza Khasilova, Assessment Specialist, Elbogen Center for Teaching and Learning.

–Jennifer Kirk, marketing and communications specialist for UW Libraries.

— Sunny Liu, UW Foundation manager of social media content strategy, marketing and communications.

— Christine Lewis, coordinator of MBA and professional graduate programs in the College of Business.

— Nicole Lumadue, senior project coordinator, High Plains American Indian Research Institute.

— Richard Miller, director of the Center for Counseling and Career Services.

— Elizabeth Nisson, McNair Fellows Program Project Director in the Office of Research and Economic Development.

— Jessica Steward, senior program coordinator at UW-Casper.

— Taylor Stumki, associate athletics director for internal operations.

— Li Teng, Academic Advising Manager, Honors College.

— Chantelle Utton, Associate Director of Engineering and Utilities Management.

— Frankie Vogt, business manager, School of Energy Resources.

— Elizabeth Wommack, curator of the Department of Zoology and Physiology.

— Judy Yates, administrative associate, School of Computing.

About the Presidential Leadership Institute

PLI directly supports Goal 3 of the UW Strategic Plan: “Enabling Community Support.” By providing university employees with vital leadership tools, the program fosters a workforce that is both motivated and equipped to support the university’s mission. The skills learned through PLI support participants’ personal career growth and contribute to the success of the university.

Designed for UW employees up to the director level, the PLI program focuses on five areas: understanding your strengths; change management; leadership and relationships; communication; and stress and conflict management.

The program equips participants with the leadership, communication and conflict management skills needed for professional growth. More information is available here.