Leadership Porterville Class of 2013 off and learning

The Porterville Chamber of Commerce will host a welcome reception tonight to congratulate the members of the Leadership Porterville Class of 2013 on their acceptance into the program.

The group of nine emerging community leaders is the 22nd class of Leadership Porterville.

Through the years, the program has provided leadership training and development to more than 225 participants. Some graduates have impacted the greater Porterville area in visible roles of community, business and governmental leadership, while others have utilized their newly refined leadership talent in places of employment, outside associations and even quietly, behind the scenes in other venues.

Making up this year’s class are: Josie Chapman, Chris Craig, Enoth Kim, Michael Knight, Jamie McGlasson, Maria Mena, Maria Padilla-Leon, Jenna Salazar and Jon Zimmerman.

The curriculum for Leadership Porterville is designed to meet the needs of individuals interested in personal leadership growth and potential roles as community leaders. The goal is to focus both on creating an in-depth knowledge of the characteristics of the greater Porterville area and its region, as well as the development of individual leadership skills and strategies for effective group dynamics.

Sessions during the nine-month program will touch many topics, ranging from community history and demographics, to present and future issues. Subject areas explored are education, workforce and economic development, agriculture and water, health care, public safety, and local, state, and federal government operations. Training will include an analysis of complex and controversial issues, civic and legislative organizations, participation in problem solving and decision making activities, public speaking, team building, and organizational, stress and time management. The class will also coordinate a fund-raising event and a community service project to carry-out during their class time.

Class members:

Josie Chapman

A longtime area resident, she is creative and production manager for the Porterville Recorder, where she has worked more than 10 years. “I’m hoping to have a better understanding of the organizations in the community, the way the city is managed and what opportunities there are for me to get involved,” she wrote in her application.

Chris Craig

He is director of information technology at Porterville College and is a member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the South Valley Cycling Charitable Association and Porterville Unified School District Pathways MTA board. As for his goals, “I hope to gain a better understanding and knowledge of the community I have grown up in. I would like to meet and get to know the community leaders and develop relationships with them.”

Enoth Kim

A fairly recent resident of Porterville, he works as a supervising dentist at Family HealthCare Network in Porterville. He is an English ministry deacon at the Together Presbyterian Church.

“My primary goal is to learn applicable leadership skills for myself. Through this, I hope to become stronger leader in my family, church, work and community,” he wrote in his application.

Michael Knight

A 33-year resident of Porterville, he is the water utility superintendent for the city of Porterville and is a member of the California Water Environment Association and the American Water Works Association. He hopes “to gain a better understanding of the business and service community and how I can do more with their advancement.”

Jamie McGlasson

A vice principal in the Burton School District, he lives in Porterville and is a member of Henderson Avenue Baptist Church. “I hope to become more confident in my ability to lead and to gain an appreciation for other leadership styles,” he wrote in his application as one of his goals.

Maria Mena

A lifelong resident of Porterville, she works at Family Real Estate. She is a member of St. Anne’s Catholic Church, the Exchange Club and SETCO Republican Women. Her goals for being in the class are, “To know how the city leaders work inside the city; to know more about our community.”

Maria Padilla-Leon

A training coordinator at Walmart, she has lived in Porterville for 43 years and has been active in school activities. She said in her application she hopes “to be active in the community of Porterville and become a servant leader.”

Jenna Salazar

An Army veteran, she is self-employed — Rethought Reborn — providing marketing and advertising assistance to small businesses. Her plans include getting involved with the chamber in the near future. “I feel the experience gleaned by participation in the Leadership Porterville program will be extremely valuable in understanding business-government relations and personal growth,” she wrote in her application.

Jon Zimmerman

A resident of Exeter, he works as a coordinator and agent for Aflac in Tulare County. He is a member of the Porterville Breakfast Rotary Club and grew up in Porterville. He is involved in his church and youth programs and in his application stated his hopes from the class is to “expand my ability to impact Porterville and the surrounding communities through service, leadership and cooperation with civic organizations.”

Tonight’s welcome will include greetings from Porterville Mayor Virginia Gurrola and a Leadership Challenge address by alumnus Gary Giraudi. The Tule River Tribal Council and Eagle Mountain Casino are the reception sponsors. The program is a project of the chamber and supported by a collaborative effort of various local private and public entities. It operates under the direction of the Leadership Porterville Steering Committee, chaired this year by Debbie Estrada.