LEADERSHIP ACADEMY BOARD MEMBERS

Mark Biermann

Stephen Bolton
Past Chair

Jessamyn Clark

Larry Cole
Past Chair

David Corlett
Vice Chair

Patricia Day-Ryan
Chair

Patrick Garman

Sharron Grzybowski

Natalie Hogeboom
Secretary

Coco Pameditis

Past Chair
Past Chair
Vice Chair
Chair
Secretary
The Fountain Hills Leadership Academy is a rewarding program that extends well beyond the initial weekly class sessions and progressively leads to becoming a part of the growing Alumni Community. Each year, the Academy accepts only 15-20 candidates. Throughout the program, each participant is expected to be fully committed and fulfill the following requirements:
Actively participate in the initial 8-week course. Classes are held once per week, generally 8 am to 1 pm, but may go longer. With the exception of illness or family emergency, absences are generally not permitted.
Conceptualize, research and present a Project that identifies a solution for an area of our community that may be improved. Projects may be done individually or as teams with fellow program participants.
Volunteer to assist—as a team—with the annual Poinsettia Tree project, an FHCCA fundraiser, including promotion, sales, resource coordination and project execution.
Lead, plan and carry out —from beginning to end—the entire Leadership Academy experience for the next year’s incoming class. This will include a series of planning meetings, starting shortly after graduation and continuing through November of the following year. All class members will automatically become a part of the Planning Committee responsible for overseeing and coordinating the next Leadership class including:
Establishing the weekly class schedule
Proctoring class sessions
Coordinating speakers
Engaging sponsors
Managing the entire program experience from the candidate’s application to graduation
Maintain an annual membership in the Fountain Hills Cultural and Civic Association (FHCCA) also known as iLoveFountainHIlls.org
Once accepted in the program, you will receive a welcome letter from the Leadership Academy Board of Directors. To register for the Leadership Academy program, payment of a non-refundable $250 tuition fee is required. The fee covers an initial year of membership in FHCCA, the Leadership Academy program materials and also partially offsets other class related costs.
Sanitary District & Environmental Stewardship
Know Your Town Government
Fountain Hills Schools
Public Safety
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
Business Development & Fountain Hills Times
Local Non-profits, Youth & Senior Services
Cultural and Civic Engagement
At graduation, either working in teams or individually, participants present a project based on what they’ve learned throughout the eight week program and propose what they would do to improve our community. Past projects have included addressing wrong-way drivers on Palisades Blvd, creating an arts district in the downtown, recognizing outstanding students, enhancing public transportation services for employees who don’t live in town, and more.