Committees
Leadership Springfield Committees are the infrastructure of our programs. Learn more about our various committees, their function and goals, and meet the alumni leading the way!
Signature Class Advisors
The role of the Signature Class Advisor is to provide guidance and mentorship to Signature Class participants, serving as program day advisor for a specific group. The Signature Class advisors aim to help program participants effectively carry out the program year. This year’s committee chair is Megan Neyer. Vice chairs include Kami Bailey, Dr. Kevin Kropf, and Tami Smith.
Committee Milestone: highest number of advisors ever in the 2024-2025 program year
Academy Class Advisors
The role of the Academy Class Advisor is to provide guidance and mentorship to the high school Academy Class participants, serving as program day advisor for a specific group. Academy Advisors work in teams to support students, providing professional advice, support, and expert guidance to help students effectively carry out the program year. This year’s committee chair is Chris Hoeman. Vice chairs include Dustin Bobbitt and Dr. Laurie Edmondson.
Committee Milestone: highest number of advisors ever in the 2024-2025 program year
Alumni Committee
The Alumni Committee is responsible for ensuring alumni from all programs and years are engaged and knowledgeable of events. This committee helps plan One Big Class Reunion and provides planning and onsite event support for ongoing alumni engagement events. This year, the Alumni Committee aims to launch subcommittees and develop more defined alumni engagement metrics. This year’s committee chair is Sarah Sissel-Bidello, and the committee vice chair is Diana Tyndall.
Committee Milestone – This year the Alumni Committee developed a subcommittee structure to divide and conquer alumni engagement:
- Networking & Professional Development: helping plan and execute 4 alumni events per year
- Metrics & Marketing: defining metrics for alumni engagement and helping with communications and engagement between events
- Alumni Impact Series: Signature Class 45’s inspired initiative to develop shorter, program-day-like opportunities to learn and volunteer
- One Big Class Reunion: helping plan and execute our annual graduation and class reunion event in June
Communications Advisory Group
The Communications Advisory Group assists staff in providing communications and marketing expertise, reviewing marketing, media and campaign strategies, and content as needed.
Curriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee develops and implements learning outcomes and curriculum to ensure consistent delivery across all Leadership Springfield programs. The committee creates evaluation tools to support all facets of the Leadership Springfield organization. The committee convenes to analyze program and facilitator evaluation data to make recommendations, when appropriate, for revisions to programming. The Curriculum Committee aims to develop a process to review the effectiveness of programming to meet the intention of high-quality professional learning and applicable takeaways for every leader and to maintain cultural, regional, environmental, and community relevance in programs through analysis of learning objectives and discussions with subject matter experts. Dr. Nicole Holt is this year’s committee chair, and Dr. Spencer Harris is vice chair.
Committee Milestone:
- Comprehensive review of Academy curriculum, survey of Academy past students & work with Academy Advisors to modify program delivery to meet student needs
- Comprehensive review and mapping of Signature Class learning objectives to Community Focus Report Blue Ribbons & Red Flags, resulting in adjustment of program day themes to stay relevant
- Responding to participant feedback, added mandatory leadership development training to every program day in all programs
- Implemented required facilitated debrief within all programs to maintain quality and ensure learning objectives are met
- Creation of additional course content to respond to ever-changing needs of community and Signature program, including Be Curious, Outcomes-Based Learning Objectives, Social Capital and more.
DEI Committee
The DEI Committee identifies and supports the inclusive excellence framework and efforts of the organization, including program curriculum, program delivery model, outreach, promotion, and staff education. This committee annually reviews LeadSGF’s inclusive excellence commitment to ensure accountability and compliance and recommend continued goals and revisions. This year, the DEI Committee aims to review, measure, and report demographic metrics from each program application & acceptance to monitor the organization’s goals to increase representation from historically underrepresented groups on committees, the board, speakers, and program facilitation and intentionally promote and showcase the intentional inclusive environment present within Leadership Springfield as an internal organization and external program delivery. Maggie Rollwagen is the committee chair, and Dr. Subha Basu Roy is vice chair.
Committee Milestones:
- Comprehensive review of Signature class application process and implementation of data-driven scoring matrix and methodology to reduce bias
- Completed line by line review and updated Signature Class application; updated Academy Class application with recommended edits
- Actively bridging social capital through relationships developed with historically excluded groups
- Grant funding secured for increased access to programs for people of color, individuals with disabilities and other historically underrepresented groups to create pathways to engagement and eliminate barriers; Hired sign language interpreters for Access Class in 2024.
- Recommended and implemented intentional instruction and preparation for Signature Class and Academy Class program day teams to be more culturally relevant and intentionally inclusive when inviting speakers, facilitators, panelists and others to share in their area of expertise with the program; continue to see year over year increase in number of speakers secured by class participants through program year who are from historically underrepresented groups.
Development Advisory Group
The Development Advisory Group assists staff in providing development expertise, including major donor programs, sponsorships, and grants, on an as-needed basis.
Finance Committee
The role of the Finance Committee is to provide financial advising to the staff and Board Treasurer, review the monthly financials, annual review of financial management policy, and assess responsibilities and performance of the ‘triangle’ of financial duties, including but not limited to all staff, treasurer, and accounting firm. The Finance Committee aims to conduct an annual review of the financial management policy, implementing at least one necessary update to reflect efficiencies, best practices, and/or organizational needs this year. Gretchen Russell serves as chair of the Finance Committee.
Committee Milestone: This committee focus has been financial oversight to ensure responsible management and alignment. They review and interpret financial statements to identify any issues or areas of concern. The finance committee developed internal controls to evaluate effectiveness of financial procedures and oversees stewardship of resources to support our mission.
Program Outreach Committee
The Program Outreach Committee provides advisory support to the staff team on outreach for programs and employer relationships. Members may be asked to hand write cards, make phone calls, and send electronic communication to follow up on staff outreach for the Access Class program. This committee serves as a connector to new industries and contacts and builds business relationships between LeadSGF and area businesses as well as provides feedback on custom program development and opportunities. Brad Coy serves as committee chair, and Lindsay Bauer is vice chair.
Committee Milestones: In the last couple years, the program outreach committee has made tangible efforts to grow Leadership Springfield programs in various ways. Together they have explored the potential for new custom program opportunities and suggested successful marketing and outreach strategies for program growth. The committee has also bolstered our current programs through one-on-one invitations to our Access Class within their own personal and professional networks. The committee is invaluable in expanding the reach of staff and spreading the word about Access Class and custom programs, leading to a consistent increase in program attendance and community partnerships.
Rosie Committee
Rosie is a free women’s network with a mission to help connect, partner, collaborate, and continue to increase the support and access to resources for women as it relates to professional development, business assistance, and leadership. This committee is comprised of Leadership Springfield alumni and non-alumni community members. The Rosie Committee operates as a working group with subcommittees (professional development, networking, book club, 100 Wise Women, and communications). Dr. Judith Martínez-García is the chair of the Rosie Committee, and Ashley Silva serves as vice chair.
Committee Milestones:
- Sold-out 100 Wise Women events in year 1 and year 2, expecting the same for year 3!
- Largest general networking group in Springfield according to SBJ
- All networking and professional development events reach capacity, averaging around 70 women at each event. Our only limits are the venue size and budget for attendee food/supplies.
Strategic Planning Advisory Group
The Strategic Planning Advisory Group serves to advise senior leadership in a wide variety of ways, making recommendations on how to improve business performance and provide strategic guidance, guided by The Great Game of Business High Involvement Planning process and tools.
Committee Milestones: The committee’s work over the past few years focused on assisting with our GGOB High Involvement Planning process. We worked on defining objectives, goals, strategies and measure for sustainable stability – especially during the pandemic. Additionally, we reviewed key business drivers, analyzed competitive and industry data, set critical numbers, and implemented mini-games to help achieve set goals.
