Leadership Wyoming Class to Hold Orientation Session at UW

Forty-six residents representing 12 Wyoming communities are members of the 15th Leadership Wyoming class.

An orientation session for new class members is scheduled Aug. 7-8 at the University of Wyoming. Since 2001, 577 class members 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 state 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 2015, the group will participate in eight sessions.

New class participants will attend other programs throughout the year: a retreat in Jackson in September; a “Natural Resources and the Environment” program in Gillette during October; the December “Education, Technology and Change” session is in Evanston; Worland will host the “Entrepreneurship and the Economy” program in January; “Government and Politics” is the theme for February’s session in Cheyenne; Sheridan is the site for March’s session focusing on “Healthcare, Community Services and Quality of Life”; and graduation weekend is May 1-2 in Casper.

Training sessions provide a practical, nonpartisan, hands-on understanding of a broad spectrum of public policy issues, and participants develop an appreciation for trusteeship, with lasting commitments to civic involvement at the state and local levels.

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 visit the website at http://www.leadershipwyoming.org/.

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

Casper -- Brent Berg, Cameco Resources; Wayne Heili, Ur Energy; Scott Hoversland, Wyoming Community Development Authority; Adam Johnson, Manufacturing-Works; Nicol Kramer, Beatty, Wozniak and Reese; Ryan McConnaughey, Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis’ staff; Dirk Montgomery, Porter, Muirhead, Cornia and Howard; and Kathy Swanson, Wyoming Medical Center.

Cheyenne -- Sharon Catellier, First Interstate Bank; Matt Kaufman, Hathaway and Kunz, P.C.; Khale Lenhart, Hirst Applegate LLP; Joe Milczewski, Black Hills Corporation; Mandy Monjaras, Simon Contractors, DBA Mountain States Materials; Nicole Novotny Smith, Wyoming Real Estate Commission; Nancy Nuttbrock, Department of Environmental Quality; and Pete Obermueller, Wyoming County Commissioners Association.

Also from Cheyenne -- Heather Roe Day, Wyoming e-Health Partnership; Wendy Soto, Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics; Eydie Trautwein, Wyoming Supreme Court; Mel Turner Jr., Southwest Wyoming Recovery Access Programs; Bill Whipple, Wyoming Military Department; and David Willms, Dray, Dyekman, Reed and Healey PC. 

Cody -- Kathy Crookshanks, Northwest College; and Sandy Newsome, Newsome Investments.

Gillette -- Zach Clark, BW Insurance; and Rick Mansheim, Peregrine Leadership and Academics.

Jackson -- Reed Armijo, Jorgensen Associates P.C.; Cindi Jacobsen-Brinton, Teton Science Schools; Joe Kola, First Interstate Bank; and Sue Mason, CLIMB Wyoming.

Lander -- Jeff Buchanan, National Outdoor Leadership School; and Kevin Roberts, Wyoming Catholic College.

Laramie -- Erick Arens, Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company; Leslie Capps, Wyoming Humanities Council; Susan Frye, Jean Garrison and Paula Lutz, all from the University of Wyoming; Dan Furphy, Laramie Chamber Business Alliance; and Ray McElwee, Groathouse Construction.

Pinedale -- Matt Gaffney, Sublette County Attorney's office.

Powell -- Dusty Spomer, GDA Engineers.

Rawlins -- Julie Webb, BP America.

Rock Springs -- Brett Doak, Rocky Mountain Power; and Phillip Stanton, Vaughn's Plumbing and Heating.

Sheridan -- Mercedes Aguirre Batty, Northern Wyoming Community College District; and Jake Haseman, Throne Law Office, P.C.