Leadership Wyoming Class to Hold Orientation Session This Week at UW

July 30, 2013

Forty-six people from around Wyoming will represent their respective communities in the 14th Leadership Wyoming class.

An orientation session for new class members is Aug. 1-2 at the University of Wyoming. Since 2001, 531 people from throughout the state have graduated from the program, including Gov. Matt Mead, former first lady and federal judge Nancy Freudenthal, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, Adjutant General Luke Reiner and more than 15 legislators.

A Wyoming Heritage Foundation and UW program, Leadership Wyoming provides opportunities for a diverse group of approximately 40 Wyoming citizens to participate in a challenging and thought-provoking nine-month educational experience. Beginning in early August and ending in May 2014, the group will participate in eight sessions.

The orientation session at UW will feature speakers Carol Frost, UW associate provost; Phil Roberts, associate professor in the UW Department of History; and a presentation, “SF 104/Legislature as a Deliberative Body,” from House Majority Floor Leader Kermit Brown and Sen. Chris Rothfuss, both from Laramie.

Other programs are a retreat in Jackson in September; a “Natural Resources and the Environment” program in Rock Springs in October; the November “Education, Technology and Change” session is in Gillette; Lander/Riverton will host the “Entrepreneurship and the Economy” program in January; “Government and Politics” is the theme for February’s session in Cheyenne; Casper is the site for March’s session focusing on “Healthcare, Community Services and Quality of Life”; and graduation weekend is May 2-3 in Sheridan.

Training sessions provide a 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.

Members of this year’s Leadership Wyoming class, listed by hometown and the company they represent, are:

Arapahoe -- Amber Munoz Duran, Wind River Hotel and Casino.

Casper -- Carmel Brantz, Wyoming Behavioral Institute; Teresa Corkill, Casper College; Brian Deurloo, Linc Energy Operations Inc.; Becca Freeburn-Steinhoff, Wyoming Early Childhood Partnership; Eric Graney, Inberg-Miller Engineers; Bill Huppert, First Interstate Bank; Andy Mills, Black Hills Bentonite; Derek Oliver, Haselden Construction; and Scott Talbott, Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Cheyenne -- Pat Arp, Secretary of State’s Office; Angela Benner, Department of Family Services; Karen Bowen, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center; Jessie Dafoe, Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom; Mark Macy, Macy Law Office, P.C.; Hayley McKee, Department of Workforce Services; Pat Moffett, Wyoming Air National Guard; Stephanie Reid, Cameco Resources; John Shaffer, Martin/Martin Wyoming; Troy Thompson, Tri-State Veterinary Clinic; and Mike Williams, Jonah Bank of Wyoming.

Cody -- Lee Haines, Wyoming PBS Foundation.

Denver, Colo. -- Kelsey Campbell, Chesapeake Energy; and Lynn Welker, QEP Resources, Inc.

Diamondville -- Elaina Zempel, Wyoming Business Council.

Gillette -- Kory Hill, BW Insurance Agency.

Green River -- Kevin Green, OCI Wyoming LP; and Cindy Johnson, Mobilitat.

Hulett -- Linda Tokarczyk, Rare Element Resources (RER).

Jackson -- Paul Perry, Canvas Unlimited.

LaGrange -- Lisa Johnson, Goshen County Economic Development Corp.

Lander -- Ron Fossen, Wells Fargo Bank; and Jon Tonkowich, Wyoming Catholic College.

Laramie -- Jacquelyn Bridgeman and Sarah Konrad, both from the University of Wyoming; Cash Freeman, UW College of Law student; and Weston Welch, Pronghorn Technologies, LLC.

Meriden -- Alan Kirkbride, Harding and Kirkbride Livestock Co.

Pine Bluffs -- Sharon Fain-Steenbergen, Black Hills Corporation.

Pinedale -- Lauretta Welch, Sublette County.

Rock Springs -- Joe Drnas, Rocky Mountain Power; Laura Schmid-Pizzato, Southwest Counseling Service; and Rob Zotti, Wyoming Financial Insurance.

Sheridan -- Preston Farnsworth, Devon Energy Corporation; and Susan Miller, no business listed.

Story -- Ami Erickson, Northern Wyoming Community College District.

For more information about the program, call (307) 577-8000 or visit the Web site http://www.leadershipwyoming.org/.

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