Community Foundation joins with CiviCO Leadership Academy for statewide leadership program

CiviCO recently announced the launch of the CiviCO Leadership Academy, the first cross-sector, cross-region program of its kind in the United States. This program is very focused on bringing together people from the public, private and nonprofit (social) sectors to make a lasting community impact. City managers from Fort Collins and Greeley are joining with business and nonprofit leaders in this inaugural class.

“We believe this program will be transformational,” said Suzanne Peterson, chair of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado Board of Trustees. “Our excitement not only stems from each participant’s leadership development opportunity, but we also believe this is a program that can help build stronger regional cooperation here in Northern Colorado while also establishing stronger connections between our region and the rest of the state.”

Announcing the 2019-2020 Northern Colorado cohort:

Name Title Org/Affiliation Sector
Darin Atteberry City Manager City of Fort Collins Public
Chris Banks CFO & Co-owner Odell Brewing Company, Inc. Business
Ray Caraway President Community Foundation of Northern Colorado Social
Chase Christensen Broker Cushman & Wakefield Business
John Dellenbach Executive Manager Dellenbach Motors Business
Jennifer Guerriero CEO Light Center Inc. Business
Ann Hutchison Executive Vice President Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Social
Douglas Johnson Chair TIGER21 Business
Mindy McCloughan CEO & President Loveland Chamber of Commerce Social
Kevin Mullin Executive Director Estes Park Health Foundation Social
Roy Otto City Manager City of Greeley Public
Brent Porter Construction Manager Nutrien Ag Solutions Business
Michelle Provaznik Executive Director Gardens on Spring Creek Public/Social Partnership
Kim Tobin Vice President Colorado State University Public
Cheryl Zimlich Executive Director Bohemian Foundation Social

The nine-month program combines world-class digital curriculum in partnership with leading management consultant firm McKinsey and Company, one-on-one executive coaching and personal development planning with BetterUp, and hands-on training led by CiviCO.

After two years with a pilot cohort in the Metro Denver region, CiviCO has partnered with the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado in Fort Collins, the Quad Innovation Partnership in Colorado Springs, and Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction to deliver in-person offerings in each region.

“Across the country, we have never seen a true leadership program to bridge communities across a state,” says co-chair Ryan Heckman. “The CiviCO Leadership Academy will be that first transformational opportunity that includes participants from communities across Colorado. We have incredible partners who have made this vision into a reality.”

The CiviCO Leadership Academy is made possible by generous contributions from the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, Boettcher Foundation, El Pomar Foundation, the Gates Family Foundation, and anonymous donors.