The momentum continues to build…
The excitement and momentum continue to build, and we are thrilled that so many of you have already registered to be with us when we celebrate Leadership Alabama’s 35th anniversary this August!  It promises to be another exhilarating gathering chock-full of dynamic speakers, festive cocktail gatherings, delicious food, an over-the-top dance band, the gracious hotel staff and YOU, the focus of everything we do.
As of today, 167 members and guests have registered to attend, and LA’s block of hotel rooms at the Grand Hotel is filling fast.  Once the rooms are gone, late registrants will be added to the Grand Hotel’s waiting list with no guarantees of securing a room. So, if you are planning to be with us, don’t delay!
You only need to do two simple things –Â
1. Register with Leadership Alabama andÂ
2. Reserve a room with the Grand Hotel. Â
Click the link below to learn more about the event, our gracious sponsors and our engaging speakers, and to see the registered attendees!
LA Class XXXIV – Birmingham Retreat
May 14 – 16, 2025
Wow, what a finish!  The Birmingham retreat was the final “official” gathering for Class XXXIV, and in addition to three incredibly strong program days, which included the class gathering at The Club for their graduation festivities and dinner, the class was dazzled by 32 presenters, most of whom are LA members.  Check out the retreat highlights and comments from class members below!
The hard charging agenda involved key issues facing our state and its citizens – prison reform, educational issues, healthy futures, the advancements in health-related fields, antisemitism, immigration and the arts, as well as the “current affairs” of five of Alabama’s vibrant cities.  This last session was the culmination of a fast-paced, challenging, sometimes difficult, but always rewarding program.
The evening before the retreat began, the Honorable Frank Brocato, the mayor of Hoover and member of  LA Class XXXII, graciously hosted a beautiful cocktail reception at the historic Hoover-Randall Home & Gardens for class members, LA board members who were in town for a board meeting earlier in the day, and Birmingham-area LA members.  This was the third year that Mayor Brocato enthusiastically welcomed LA members to his city, which is a wonderful opportunity to gather so many friends from throughout the state in such a relaxed setting.  As offered on the class evaluations, “I enjoyed meeting Frank, and the reception venue was well apportioned.”
Click here to see a video recap of the Birmingham retreat!
Congratulations to LA Class XXXIV!
State of Corrections: Sentencing and Prison Reform
Bennet Wright, Executive Director, AL Sentencing Commission, LA Class XXIX/Board Member
“Very powerful information and loved Bennet’s presentation.”
“Sobering but great presentation.  Bennet does an awesome job.”
A Path to Redemption
Carla Crowder, Executive Director, AL Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, LA Class XXXIII
Hon. Teresa Pulliam, Retired AL Circuit Judge & Executive Director, Redemption Earned, LA Class XXX
“Great to learn more about her organization.”
“I think continuing to incorporate feedback from past inmates would further enhance their topic & theme.”
Charter Schools: Imagine, Investigate, Innovate – i3 Academy
Martin Nalls, Head of School, i3 Academy, LA Class XXXIV
“I applaud Martin’s passion for investing in the next generation.”
“This was a good session, and I learned a lot about charter schools.”
K-12 Education at a Local Level in Alabama
Dr. Cristen Herring, Superintendent, Auburn City Schools, LA Class XXXIV
“Christen is such a wonderful presenter, and her heart for education is evident in her deliberate approach to sharing meaningful information and knowing all of the background data, as well.”
“This was a very good session! This is our future and how we set people up for success.”Â
Great Schools for Every Child in Alabama
Mark Dixon, President, A+ Education Partnership, LA Class XXXIII
“Had some good information and pointed out some points we really need to think about.”
“Excellent overview and information on education in Alabama.”Â
Q&A Discussion with Education Experts
Dr. Tommy Bice, Education Director, Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation, LA Class XX
Mark Dixon, President, A+ Education Partnership, LA Class XXXIII
Dr. Cristen Herring, Superintendent, Auburn City Schools, LA Class XXXIV
Dr. Martin Nalls, Head of School, i3 Academy, LA Class XXXIV
“Was a good session, and the panel did a good job of how they answered the questions.”
“I would have preferred more audience questions versus the panel asking the questions.”Â
Food is Our Foundation, Growing Healthy Futures
Amanda Storey, Executive Director, Jones Valley Teaching Farm Center for Food Education, ALI Class I
Sedrick Burton, Woodlawn High School Farm Director, Jones Valley Teaching Farm Center for Food Ed
“Loved the presentation by the Executive Director and her vision for this effort. She also has a great team.”
“Really great to learn about this farm program.”
Dinearound Dinners
“This is the cornerstone of Leadership Alabama. The conversations and fellowship were the best.”
“Another incredible dinner. Great time with classmates.”
UAB Welcome – Partnerships to Improve the Health of All We Serve
Dawn Bulgarella, CEO, UAB Health System, LA Class XXXI
“Very thoughtful and organized presentations with lots of relatable information.”
“Thoughtful and very interesting to learn about UAB’s macro impact on many levels.”
Shaping the Future of Medicine: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Dr. Anupam Agarwal, Senior VP Medicine/Dean, UAB Heersink School of Medicine, LA Class XXXIV
“Wow. The med school is in good hands.”
“His passion really came through! Great session.”Â
UAB Lessons and Interactive Small Group Experiences
Live HealthSmart Alabama –Â Teresa Shufflebarger, Chief Admin. Officer, Live HealthSmart Alabama
UAB Medicine Center for Patient Flow –Â Brittany Lindsey, Assoc. VP Clinical Operations, UAB
UAB Medicine Telehealth – Dr. Eric Wallace, Telehealth Medical Director/Professor of Medicine, UAB, Bart Kelly, Senior Director, Telehealth Services, UAB
Mental Health & Development Disability Simulation – Nate Horsley, Senior Health Care Policy Advisor, UAB Health System, Dr. Marjorie Lee White, Professor, Dept of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, UAB Heersink School of Medicine VP
Precision Medicine – Dr. Matt Might, Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute, Professor of Internal Medicine/Professor of Computer Science, UAB Heersink School of Medicine, Andy Crouse, Scientist, Hugh Kaul Precision Institute, UAB Heersink School of Medicine
“UAB has an impressive footprint and operation. Their staff and engaging tours were very educational and entertaining. I have a greater appreciation for the challenges plaguing the healthcare system.”
“The small groups were so engaging and then hearing about everyone’s experience from a classmate was perfect.”
“Loved the hands-on session.”
“Transformative experience.”Â
Alabama Holocaust Education Center’s “Darkness into Life”
David Silverstein, CEO, Five Stone Group, LA Class XXVI/Board Member and Lisa Bachman, Executive Director, Alabama Holocaust Education Center
“This was a heavy visit, very similar to the EJI Museum, but a necessary visit.  I’m grateful to have learned about the Center.”
“Must keep past mistakes at forefront so we do not repeat or at least do everything we can to educate people.”
Making the Nevers Possible: Kulture City
Dr. Michele Kong, Co-founder, Kulture City, Professor and Medical Director of the Sensory Integration Program, UAB, Pediatric Critical Care Physician, UAB and Children’s of Alabama, LA Class XXXII
“Real life issues with real life solutions.”
“This was really incredible and informative.”
!HICA! Championing Opportunities and Empowering Families
Dr. Carlos Aleman, Chief Executive Officer, Hispanic and Immigrant Center of AL, LA Class XXXIII
“Presenter did a good job of relating the message.”
“Very timely; very relevant, and very engaging.”
“I wonder if we could do a “speed dating” presentation with a number of high impact nonprofits.”
Graduation Dinner Celebration
“It was great to celebrate with classmates and actually see some of their personalities.”
“Excellent and fun way to conclude our Leadership Alabama experience. Thankful and grateful for this opportunity.”Â
Mayors Move Alabama Forward: A Discussion with Alabama’s Metro Mayors
The Honorable Frank Brocato, Hoover, LA Class XXXII
The Honorable Paul Finley, Madison, LA Class XXIX
The Honorable Walt Maddox, Tuscaloosa, LA Class XVII
The Honorable Mark Saliba, Dothan, LA Class XXV
The Honorable Randall Woodfin, Birmingham, LA Class XXVI
Moderated by Chuck Holmes, ED, Alabama Humanities Alliance, LA Class XXX/Board Member
“I really enjoyed the panel. I think there’s a lot of wisdom which was shared. I appreciate Chuck’s direct entry into the conversations and his steering the panel to transparent responses. It was nice to hear the unfiltered commentary from our attending Mayors.”
“Engaging discussion. Walt needs to run for Congress.”
“Great to hear from mayors from all over the state.”Â
Red Mountain Theatre: Fostering Artists, Inspiring Youth and Engaging Audiences
Jennifer Jaquess, Executive Director, Red Mountain Theatre, RMT Artists from “Frozen”, RMT Campus Tour
“The tour and preview of the performance were really impressive.”
“This was awesome.”
“Artists were great.”
Coming soon…
Leadership Alabama Class XXXVwill be announced in July!
And, in case you missed the recent news about LA, please click on the buttons below to read about Leadership Alabama’s upcoming Class XXXV and the article highlighting the fabulous 35th anniversary celebration at the Grand Hotel this past August!
LA Class XXXIV will convene in Birmingham for its last retreat of the program year on May 14 – 16, and the next newsletter will include all of the great things that the class experienced, especially the graduation dinner and celebration, and an update about the anniversary celebration.
The end of Leadership Alabama’s fiscal year road is near…
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