JAX’s Hewett leaders celebrate a journey of growth and collaboration

The Jackson Laboratory's (JAX) Hewett Leadership Program celebrated the conclusion of its 2023-2024 session with the presentation of group projects to JAX leadership and other key stakeholders, as well as a facilitated reflection session, on July 31 and August 1. The program, designed to develop JAX's emerging non-scientific leaders through a series of workshops and team-building exercises, runs every other year and is in its third iteration. This year's cohort consisted of 11 individuals from across JAX departments and campuses.

Established in 2018, the program is supported by endowment funds established by and in honor of JAX's Emeritus Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Charles (Chuck) E. Hewett, Ph.D., and his wife Jackie. "This fund continues Chuck's remarkable legacy of recruiting, cultivating, and developing the best talent at our Laboratory," said Emeritus President and CEO Edison Liu, M.D at the time of the announcement.

Participants began the program in August 2023 with a master class and lecture on non-profit leadership from Daniel Weiss, Ph.D., MBA, President Emeritus of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The following day, the emerging leaders were pulled out of the office - and their comfort zones - for a day of challenge and discovery with Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (HIOBS) in the island town of Frenchboro, Maine, located on Long Island, at the entrance of Blue Hill Bay, just eight miles south of Mount Desert Island.

While in Frenchboro, HIOBS invited the Hewett Leaders to participate in fun and challenging activities that required teaming and leadership behavior similar to those needed in the workplace. Participants leaned into the experience and came away with insights about themselves and the larger group as a whole.

Throughout the year, the Hewett Leaders had the opportunity to meet with members of JAX's executive team and ask questions about their varied leadership experiences. As a capstone to their program experience, the cohort worked on two projects aligned with JAX's strategic priorities and then celebrated the conclusion of the program with presentations to JAX's senior leadership and other key stakeholders.

A regular partner throughout this year's program, HIOBS supported the JAX team and maintained an ongoing connection with the cohort, meeting virtually with participants, identifying their individual leadership strengths, and guiding a reflective closing session to wrap up the program. Using insights gained from the Gallup Center's well-known CliftonStrengths assessment, HIOBS worked with participants to identify their unique strengths, and the group examined how these qualities are influenced and enhanced by the talents of others.

Bringing everything full circle for the closing session, the cohort reflected on understanding and awareness gathered throughout the program, including the island day in Frenchboro at the very start, through the CliftonStrengths learnings, and their meetings with JAX leaders.

According to participant Mandy Olsen: "The most valuable result from the Hewett Leadership Program is the network of friends who work in completely different parts of the organization. I may never have met them without Hewett and knowing them aids cross-department connections. The biggest surprise: making long-term friends."

The Hewett Leadership Program will begin working with a new group of participants in 2025 , continuing to be a cornerstone in fostering leadership and innovation within JAX.