First Cohort Completes UW Presidential Leadership Institute

The inaugural cohort of the University of Wyoming's Presidential Leadership Institute (PLI) has successfully completed the program.

This leadership development initiative is designed to equip UW staff members with skills to strengthen their roles and enhance UW's supportive campus community. Over the course of five months, 25 staff members across the university came together to participate in a series of immersive leadership sessions.

"The Presidential Leadership Institute gave me the opportunity to network with other leaders across the university and made me more acutely aware of the specific challenges that they are confronted with, and their varied approaches to these challenges," says Natalia Brown, the program and business services manager for UW's WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program and a member of the first cohort. "I have now gained new friends with whom I discovered I have so much in common, professionally and personally."

President Ed Seidel has emphasized the importance of building a strong leadership culture among UW's staff.

"Developing strong leaders within our own staff is one of the best investments we can make," he says. "The inaugural cohort's success is a testament to the talent we have here at UW, and I'm excited to see how the next group continues to grow and shape the future of our university."

In addition to Brown, members of the first PLI cohort are:

-- Cheryl Baker, UW Foundation project manager for information technology.

-- Maria Bennett, School of Pharmacy academic advising manager.

-- Megan Candelaria, assistant director of the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium.

-- Dawn Carver, project coordinator-senior in the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing.

-- Allison Cawvey, academic advising manager in the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.

-- Adam Comeau, coordinator of student activities/programming for Campus Recreation.

-- Andre Fecteau, Division of Information Technology manager of data and reporting.

-- Carrie Gomez, UW-Casper program coordinator-senior.

-- Jamie Greene, American Heritage Center head of arrangement and description.

-- Tiffany Kautzsch, Human Resources employment and staffing partner-senior.

-- Dilnoza Khasilova, assessment specialist in the Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning.

-- Jennifer Kirk, UW Libraries marketing and communications specialist.

-- Sunnie Lew, UW Foundation manager of content strategy for social, marketing and communications.

-- Kristin Lewis, program coordinator-senior for MBA and professional graduate programs in the College of Business.

-- Nichole Lumadue, senior project coordinator for the High Plains American Indian Research Institute.

-- Richard Miller, director of the Center for Advising and Career Services.

-- Elizabeth Nysson, McNair Scholars Program project director in the Research and Economic Development Division.

-- Jessica Steward, UW-Casper senior program coordinator.

-- Taylor Stuemky, associate athletics director for internal operations.

-- Li Teng, Honors College academic advising manager.

-- Shantel Utton, deputy director of engineering and utilities management.

-- Frankie Vogt, School of Energy Resources business manager.

-- Elizabeth Wommack, curator in the Department of Zoology and Physiology.

-- Judy Yates, School of Computing administrative associate.

About the Presidential Leadership Institute

PLI directly supports UW's Strategic Plan Objective 3: "Provide a Supportive Community." By empowering the university's staff with vital leadership tools, the program fosters a workforce that is both engaged and equipped to support the university's mission. The skills gained through PLI benefit participants' personal career growth and contribute to the university's success.

Designed for UW staff members up to the director level, PLI focuses on five areas: understanding your strengths; change management; leadership and relationships; communication; and stress and conflict management.

The program equips participants with the leadership, communication and conflict management skills essential for professional growth. More information is available here.