Larry Minnix Leadership Academy

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Applications for the 2024 program year will be available June 2023.

The Leadership Academy is designed to develop the leadership capacities and core competencies of aging services professionals by tapping into their natural talents and authentic leadership styles, irrespective of their professional experience, job title or type of position within an organization.

Unlike many leadership programs that focus on building a core skillset for new leaders or are geared toward nurturing a specific career path for “emerging” leaders, the Leadership Academy provides a leadership foundation rooted in reflective practice—developing a deep understanding of one’s self, uncovering one’s unique leadership attributes, and learning how to stretch and leverage those capacities to have the most impact as leaders.

About the Academy

The year-long curriculum draws on adult learning theory to delve into the core principles of reflective leadership through a variety of components. The program emphasizes self-exploration and relationship-building to enable participants to embrace diversity of thought, move beyond pre-conceived assumptions and view their own experiences and those of others as learning opportunities.

Leadership Theory

Readings, group discussions and exercises throughout the year delve into the various ways (and contexts) in which the leadership theories are and can be applied to real-world settings within and outside of the aging services field.
Member Site Visits

Site visits expose Fellows to a variety of housing and service settings and the people (at all levels) responsible for creating unique environments and programming across the full range older adult services.
Leaders in Residence

Intimate conversations with a wide range of leaders in our field give Fellows insight into the different actions, personal beliefs, values and goals that shape individual leadership styles and approaches.
Study Circle

Through a variety of discussions and exercises, Fellows explore gaps in our field from many points of view, identify areas of common interest and generate ideas for action or areas for further exploration.
Action Learning

The action learning process encourages Fellows to move a project forward while at the same time reflecting on their Academy learnings, actions and the hands-on, practical experiences that enable leaders to more effectively navigate change.

Leadership Academy Information

2023 Schedule

Site visit locations vary each year and are designed to give Fellows a deeper understanding of the full continuum of older adult services that LeadingAge members offer throughout the country.

Please Note: dates and locations are subject to change.

The 2023 Academy year unfolds over in-person and virtual gatherings.

Winter Experience and Member Site Visits

February 14 – 16, 2023

Tucson, AZ (visiting Archie Hendricks Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living and experiencing the Tohono O’odham Nation)

Leadership Summit Experience

Held in conjunction with the LeadingAge Leadership Summit.

April 16 – 19, 2023

Washington, DC

Summer Virtual Experience

June 13 – 16, 2023

Via Zoom

Fall Experience and Member Site Visits

September 12 – 14, 2023

Pittsburgh, PA

Annual Meeting Experience/Final Gathering

Held in conjunction with the LeadingAge Annual Meeting & EXPO.

November 3 – 6, 2023

Chicago, IL

The team responsible for the programmatic design and implementation of the Leadership Academy brings together a unique set of complimentary talents to the program’s ongoing curriculum development.

Judy Brown, Ph.D.

Educator in Private Practice, West River, MD

Judy Brown is a leadership educator, author, poet, speaker and coach. She has developed and facilitated countless leadership initiatives for organizations ranging from the federal government and Ford to the Urban Library Council. Her work in organizations revolves around themes of leadership, change, learning, dialogue and creativity. She has served as the lead facilitator for the LeadingAge Leadership Academy since its inception.

Wendy Green, M.A.

Vice President, Leadership Engagement and Development, LeadingAge, Washington, DC

As vice president of leadership engagement and development, Wendy leads a variety of leadership initiatives and learning opportunities for executive-level peer groups, including the design and implementation of the Leadership Academy. Before LeadingAge, Wendy worked in DC-based associations and think tanks to strengthen capacities of current and emerging leaders. She uses her expertise to create engaging education opportunities for leaders at every level.

BreAna Moss, M.A.

Leadership Program Specialist, LeadingAge, Washington, DC

BreAna draws on her Master’s in Management of Aging Services to contribute to all aspects of the content development of conference-based programming and online learning opportunities. In her role, she is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the organization’s leadership programs and related initiatives, including the coordination of all programmatic aspects of LeadingAge’s flagship leadership program, the Leadership Academy.

LeadingAge seeks inclusive participation within the field of aging services, representative of its diverse workforce. Any individual who works for a LeadingAge provider member organization is eligible to apply, irrespective of professional experience, type or level of position. It is far more important for an applicant to demonstrate deep leadership potential within their organization than it is for them to have a specific job title or tenure in the field. In addition, we strive for an exceptionally diverse cohort of fellows with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, including but not limited to age, gender, race, ethnic, religious and geographic diversity.

Eligibility Requirements

Participation in the program is contingent upon employment by a LeadingAge provider member. In addition, attendance at all in-person and virtual program gatherings is required as is the completion of all projects, assignments, and readings.

If at any point a Fellow is unemployed or unable to meet any of the eligibility requirements, continued participation in the program is subject to review by LeadingAge.

Fees and Expenses

The sponsoring organization/employer is responsible for covering the $6,000 non-refundable participant fee as well as all hotel and travel expenses (including meals) associated with each of the five in-person program gatherings.

LeadingAge provides reading materials as well as complimentary registration to the Annual Meeting and Leadership Summit that take place during the Academy year. In addition, some meals are provided onsite.

Financial Hardship

Guided by our DEI Commitment, LeadingAge seeks to eliminate barriers to participation by making financial support available to sponsoring organizations that are unable to cover the full participant fee. Interested individuals should complete the financial hardship statement in their application.

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated using the following criteria:

How well does the applicant demonstrate a personal commitment to the field of aging services?
How well does the applicant demonstrate a dedication to lifelong learning?
To what extent does the applicant possess the leadership capacity needed to be a transformational leader?
How well defined, insightful and introspective are the leadership essays?

Please Note: In cases where there is more than one application from a single-site or multisite organization, participation in the program may be limited to only one individual from the organization.

For an applicant to be considered for review, the following application components must be completed by the application deadline.

Background Information

Applicants will be asked to provide general information about themselves and their sponsoring organizations.

This program is only eligible to employees of aging services provider organizations who provide direct care/services to older adults (not those associated with a business firm).

Professional and Learning Experience

Applicants will be asked to describe their professional background, including learning and/or educational experiences that have contributed to their leadership development.

References

Applicants are required to obtain a letter of reference from their direct supervisor or the CEO of their organization (CEO applicants should ask a board member to provide a reference letter). The references are submitted through an electronic form within the application site. We strongly suggest approaching this individual early in the process to ensure the reference is submitted prior to the application deadline.

Personal Essays

We recommend applicants draft each of the following three essays in advance and then copy and paste the text directly into the application.

Leadership Capacity Describe the capacities that you possess that make you an effective leader and the specific ways you have utilized these attributes, professionally and personally. Please refer to a significant professional achievement, your role in attaining that achievement and the impact it had on your organization.
Transformational Leadership Describe the perspective and knowledge you hope to acquire because of your participation in the Leadership Academy and how these insights will enable you to become a transformational leader.
Aging Services Describe your personal commitment to aging services, share your journey into the field and illustrate your vision for the future of aging services.

LeadingAge is pleased to announce the 2023 Leadership Academy Fellows.

This group of Fellows will meet throughout the year to explore diverse perspectives from aging services leaders, learn from innovative care and service models, enhance their leadership skills and core competencies and advance person-centered programming in aging services.

Congratulations to all the individuals selected and their organizations for supporting their journey!

The 2023 Fellows:

Yadira Aldana, Channing House, CA
Alberto Aldrete, St. Paul’s PACE, CA
Don Backstrom, Clermont Park, CO
Erica Badillo-Pagan, Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center, NY
Jennifer Barker, Covenant Village, Inc., NC
Lauri Ann Brooks, Wesley Woods Senior Living, GA
Elizabeth Byrd, Sharon Towers, NC
Cori Cansler, Galloway Ridge, Inc., NC
Corey Crismon, Pioneer Place, OR
Natalee D’Antoni, RiverWoods Durham, NH
Rebecca Daniels, Kendal at Hanover, NH
Adam Day, Foxdale Village, PA
Jack Dempsey, Pennswood Village, PA
Natallia Dziatsel, Plymouth Harbor on Sarasota Bay, FL
Kate Eagler, Arbor Acres, NC
Caroline Edasis, Mather, IL
Jodi Eyigor, LeadingAge, DC
Christopher Gianfriddo, Summit ElderCare, MA
Stephanie Goetz, Sheboygan Senior Community, WI
Christian Grunder, Givens Communities, NC
Kate Harkness, Lenawee Medical Care Facility, MI
Mary Helton, A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab, GA
Brooke Hodge, Aldersgate, NC
Karen Holden, Carolina Meadows, NC
Erin Hoversten-Majewski, Friendship Haven, IA
Ryan Hust, Covenant Living of Turlock, CA
Stephanie Igoe, Bethany Home of Rhode Island, RI
Cynthia Iwunze, Good Shepherd Community Care, MA
Casey Jones, Presbyterian Senior Living, PA
Kayla Kelly, The Osborn, NY
Jennifer Knecht, Christian Horizons, MO
Anna-Liisa LaCroix, Central Baptist Village, IL
Kelsie Lane, LeadingAge Arizona, AZ
Tammy Lindsay, Nascentia Health, NY
Aryeh Markowitz, Jewish Home Assisted Living, NJ
John McDonough, Asbury Communities, PA
Dan Miller, Parkvue Community, OH
Susan Nail, Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury, VA
Alexandra Piriz-Mookerjee, Westminster Communities of Florida, Inc., FL
Sharon Pitt, The Forest at Duke, NC
Bonnie Polak, Trinity Woods, OK
Liz Pomerleau, Goodwin Living, VA
Marianne Ratcliffe, Carol Woods Retirement Community, NC
Taylor Reed, Acts Retirement-Life, Southampton Estates, PA
Shonia Russelle, Otterbein SeniorLife, OH
Laura Santangelo, Waverly Heights, PA
Kristin Shanks, Ingleside, MD
Sarah Starcher-Lane, Byron Health Center, IN
James Stovall, Hermitage Roanoke, VA
Kim Stratman, St. Paul’s Plaza, CA
James Tavormina, Springpoint Senior Living, NJ
Courtney West, St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System (STARSS), MO
Sarah Whitmarsh, Heron’s Key at Gig Harbor, WA
Natalie Wynegar, Brandon Oaks, VA

View the full list of the Leadership Academy Alumni.

Action learning is a foundational component of the Leadership Academy program curriculum. It provides a structured method for Fellows to apply new ideas, approaches and strategic thinking that enable them to navigate and advance change more effectively and with greater impact.

Working toward an Action Learning Project throughout the program year enables Fellows to begin working on long-term projects that will advance person-directed practices and approaches in their organizations and the field of aging.

Since 2006, Fellows have embarked on a variety of projects to advance person-directed practices and approaches in their organizations—tapping into their passion for aging services and highlighting the many ways they are helping to advance innovations in our field.

View the Action Learning Project Presentations from over the years!