Dear Leadership Austin family and friends,
I am so pleased to be the new Board Chair and I look forward to serving in this exciting and challenging time in Austin. It’s a privilege to be a part of such an exceptional organization. Please allow me to brag on what makes Leadership Austin special.
Leadership Austin helps Austin. Our programs not only help develop leadership skills in participants but also encourage community engagement. This ensures that Leadership Austin alumni are well positioned to help the city with the many changes and challenges we face due to our inexorable growth and societal pressures.
Leadership Austin alumni are connected. I love that our alumni leave their programs with strong networks and friendships with classmates. We are in the process of creating more opportunities for alumni to engage with each other through the organization; but more importantly through areas of interest in our community. It is my hope that each of us, as alumni, will take advantage of these opportunities to be involved.
The talent within our organization can move mountains if we pull together–for both Leadership Austin and community-wide endeavors.
Leadership Austin is inclusive. I am very proud that we consistently model one of our core values: inclusiveness. Our current board is the most diverse board in the history of Leadership Austin. From the optics of gender, ethnicity and industry we want voices directing the organization that represent our community. We are 52% female and 48% male; and for the first time have a Board of less than 50 percent white with a strong representation in all minority categories. We also have representation across most industry segments in Austin. In these times of heightened divisions, Leadership Austin wants to be sure we are engaging in the conversations that we need to have in our community. As we move forward we will continue to rely on the board’s diverse voices to help us make thoughtful and strategic decisions for our organization.
With your trust and support we can exceed the high expectations we set for ourselves.
Sincerely,
Debbie Johnson