An orientation session for the 12th Leadership Wyoming class is Aug. 4-5, at the University of Wyoming. This year's class has 45 members representing 19 Wyoming communities.
A Wyoming Heritage Foundation and UW program, Leadership Wyoming provides opportunities for a diverse group of Wyoming citizens to participate in a challenging and thought-provoking nine-month educational experience. Beginning in early August and ending in May, the group will participate in sessions at Laramie, Jackson, Gillette, Rock Springs, Lander/Riverton, Cheyenne, Casper and Sheridan. Since 2001, 443 people from throughout the state have graduated from the program.
Training sessions provide practical, nonpartisan, hands-on understanding of a broad spectrum of public policy issues, and develop an appreciation for trusteeship, with lasting commitments to civic involvement at the state and local level.
Leadership Wyoming gives participants an opportunity to better understand general public policy issues, economic and social diversity and the challenges facing the state. The experience prepares them, through shared mutual interests and the leadership skills developed, to be active in building a better Wyoming, says Bill Schilling, Wyoming Business Alliance/Wyoming Heritage Foundation president and Leadership Wyoming executive director.
For more information about the program, call (307) 577-8000 or go to the website at http://www.leadershipwyoming.org/.
Members of the 2011 class, listed by hometown, are:
Afton -- Dan Dockstader, Star Valley Publishing, publisher.
Bedford -- Doran Fluckiger, Silver Star Communications, accounting supervisor.
Casper -- Kevin Christopherson, PC Transport Inc., vice president; Dax Collins, Porter Muirhead Cornia & Howard, senior manager; Joe Gallagher, Wyoming Behavioral Institute, chief executive officer; Dina Kamboris-Betts, Wyoming Medical Center, director, transitional care and case management; Dan McGlade, Energy Transportation, president/owner.
Cheyenne -- Nick Agopian, Devon Energy, government and regulatory affairs specialist; Maryt Fredrickson, Holland & Hart LLP, associate attorney; Kyle Geffre, First Interstate Bank, vice president/wealth adviser; Peg Nighswonger, State of Wyoming, Wyoming state election director; Lucie Osborn, Laramie County library system, county librarian; Greg Porter, Wyoming Army National Guard, chief of staff; Ellen Rutledge, Child Support Services of Wyoming, district manager; Kate Wright, Wyoming Conservation Voters, executive director.
Chugwater -- Dan Kirkbride, Harding & Kirkbride Livestock Company, partner/operator.
Cody -- Brian Nesvik, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, regional wildlife supervisor.
Evanston -- Tom Saprony, Uinta County Sheriff's Office, lieutenant.
Gillette -- Kelly Barlow, Gourmet Lamb of Wyoming, partner; Steve Crow, First Interstate Bank, vice president/commercial lending; Jessica Seders, Gillette College, director of development.
Green River -- Pat Robbins, Wyoming Business Council, south central regional director.
Jackson -- Brett Kroger, Wells Fargo Bank, senior vice president/regional private banking manager.
Kinnear -- Kris Benson, Fremont County BOCES, career and technical director.
Lander -- Aaron Bannon, National Outdoor Leadership School, stewardship coordinator; Arlen Lancaster, The Nature Conservancy, conservation initiatives director.
Laramie -- Dave Coffey, Coffey Engineering & Surveying LLC, CEO; Dan Ewart, UW Information Services, director; Jim Geesey, Mountain West Farm Bureau Insurance, senior vice president/marketing; Matt Greene, Wyoming Army National Guard, brigade aviation officer/helicopter pilot; Richelle Keinath, Wyoming Women's Foundation, executive director; Jill Kline, UW Small Business Development Center, associate state director; Devon O'Connell, Pence and MacMillan LLC, partner/attorney; Kay Persichitte, UW, College of Education dean; Lesley Wangberg, edCount, senior associate.
Pinedale -- Heather McKee, Sublette Center, executive director/administrator.
Powell -- Shawn Warner, Sletten Construction of Wyoming, president.
Riverton -- Jenni Wildcat, Northern Arapaho Gaming Agency, regulator.
Rock Springs -- Joe Barbuto, United Way of Southwest Wyoming, director of regional partnerships; Sandy DaRif, office of Sen. John Barrasso, constituent service representative; Fred von Ahrens, FMC Corporation, manufacturing director.
Sheridan -- Colin Betzler, Sheridan Community Land Trust, executive director.
Wilson -- Bob Grady, Cheyenne Capital Fund, partner/managing director; Bob Kopp, The Walden Asset Group, LLC, president.
Yoder -- Wally Wolski, farmer.
