As a founder & CEO of the Kids to Love Foundation based in Madison, Leadership Alabama has afforded the opportunity to build a strong network of support for the children we serve. It’s a gateway to see our state and connect with professionals who have a passion to propel our state forward.
There is a tremendous amount of need within our state. My experience in Leadership Alabama has reenergized me to do all I can to make Alabama better. I love this state, and pledge to do all I can through civic and community engagement to improve the quality of life of Alabamians and to strengthen the communities in which they live.
When I think about my Leadership Alabama experience, I can’t help but reflect on the relationships forged during our four weekends together. I still keep my Class XXIII directory on my desk, reaching out to classmates on a regular basis. Without my Leadership Alabama experience, I don’t believe that I would have been in a position to be involved with an organization like Accel.
At the heart of our leadership environment are opportunities and threats throughout the state that we are better equipped to address because of Leadership Alabama. My involvement has affected my vision and growth with both my business and community involvement. It’s provided access points with fellow alumni to form partnerships and get to work on issues that matter to me personally.
In life, it’s easy to get into “silos of sameness”. We naturally migrate to people of the same life experiences, same political beliefs and socioeconomic situations. Leadership Alabama has allowed me to examine my perspective and be more open to and understanding of different views.
Leadership Alabama has helped to shape my actions. It motivated me. Having seen how one person can make a difference with a group of young men from Valiant Cross was inspiring. This challenged me to find out what and who is trying to improve my town, my county, my region, my state and then to make a difference.
Leadership Alabama gives established leaders across Alabama exposure to the broader fabric of the state. It develops a network of relationships and provides a structure for this network to seek mutual understanding of problems and priorities for Alabama’s future. Leadership Alabama encourages its members to act, individually and in concert, to move Alabama forward to help our state reach its full potential.
Leadership Alabama is a statewide nonprofit organization that brings together each fall a class of 60-70 participants for four two-day retreats. The program objective is to present a series of issues-oriented forums based on the belief that knowledge is a key element and prime motivator of leadership. Class members visit communities across the state, and as they seek a mutual understanding of the state’s problems and priorities, they also seek to invent vital solutions to the challenges that define the future of Alabama.
I was privileged to be selected for the first class of Leadership Alabama, and I am more convinced today, thirty years later, that it was one of the best experiences of my professional and civic life.
Leadership Alabama enabled me to gain perspective on our state. In the company of a diverse group of outstanding individuals from very different communities, I learned about the sources of many of our problems and celebrated our many successes.