2022 Leadership Academy Fellows Selected

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Barbara Landeen

Fellows for LeadingAge Minnesota’s 2022 Leadership Academy have been selected.

This year, 56 leaders will comprise the largest cohort in this program's history. They represent the diversity of the profession, service settings, geographic regions, and organizational profiles within our membership.

Their leadership development journey begins next week in St. Paul for a session on Authentic Leadership. Kari Thurlow, LeadingAge Minnesota President and CEO, will be the first guest leader to visit with the cohort, sharing her leadership journey and insights.

Leadership Fellows will learn, do, practice, visit with top leaders, and lead an action learning project for their organization through the year ahead. They will emerge as better and stronger leaders, ready for new opportunities and challenges.

View the 2022 Class of Fellows.

Supporting the fellows in their experience are eight leaders who are graduates of the program, carefully selected to help facilitate learning and serve as mentors to the cohort in small coaching teams. The coaches are:

• Lola Amendt, Director of Kaleidoscope Resident Services, Walker Methodist Care Suites, Edina
• Teri Drake, Executive Director, Ecumen Abiitan Mill City, Minneapolis
• Wendy Kingbay, Campus Administrator, Presbyterian Homes & Services Boutwells Landing, Oak Park Heights
• Jennifer Rutschke, Executive Director, Ebenezer Park Apartments, Minneapolis
• Patricia Ryan, Volunteer Coordinator, Cassia/Mount Olivet Grace Hospice, Edina
• Rachel Staven, Executive Director, The Waters of White Bear Lake, White Bear Lake
• Thomas Westlund, Manager, Training & Development, Sholom, St. Louis Park
• Brooke Zabel, Chief People Officer, Knute Nelson, Alexandria

Started in 2010, 2022 marks the thirteenth year of this exceptional leadership development program, with more than 350 graduates. The program year is organized into four sessions: Leadership, Rethinking Thinking, Inspiring & Motivating Others, and Transformational Leadership. It combines leadership theory, independent study, small group work, and conversations with seasoned leaders.