There are fans, and then there are superfans. When it comes to Leadership Austin, Avalanche Consulting, Inc. falls into the superfan category. Of seven team members, three are dual graduates of both the Emerge and Essential programs. They have served on the Leadership Austin board of directors, participated in the Beyond Diversity seminar and volunteered for various committees throughout the years. The firm has also sponsored Leadership Austin programming. “If Leadership Austin offered jerseys, pompoms, and face paint, well, we would be the first in line,” says President and CEO Amy Holloway (Emerge 1 – 2007, Essential 30 – 2009).
The three employee alumni recently sat down to reflect on their experiences and the impact that Leadership Austin has made on them.
Tony DeLisi (Emerge 5 – 2011, Essential 40 – 2019): Amy, what impact has Leadership Austin had on our firm?
Amy: It has helped us better serve our clients, which has helped our business grow. The leadership lessons I learned in Emerge and Essential apply not only to my own personal approach to coaching communities, but also in the strategic direction that we set forth for them: set aside egos, actively listen, be collaborative, stay above the line.
Amy: What about you two? How would you answer that question?
Tony: We have taken Leadership Austin’s core values to heart and use them in our approach to economic development across the country. In particular, inclusiveness is an important national topic. Through our Leadership Austin experiences, and Beyond Diversity especially, Avalanche is able to lead with authenticity and care for all viewpoints.
Noelle Salerno (Emerge 6 – 2012, Essential 41 – 2020): Leadership Austin has contributed to each of our own leadership development, which strengthens our team and allows us to make a greater impact for our clients and industry.
Noelle, Tony and Amy
Noelle: Amy, when you encouraged Tony and me to apply to Leadership Austin, what were you hoping that would do for us professionally?
Amy: I knew what a meaningful impact Leadership Austin has had in my own life, and I wanted you two to experience that, too. My goal for you both is to be thought leaders in our field while being civically minded at home. I knew that Leadership Austin would help accelerate you toward that goal.
Amy: Can you reflect on your personal experiences with Emerge and Essential? How have those programs helped your careers?
Noelle: Emerge was an opportunity to understand my strengths and leadership style, while Essential has taught me how to apply my leadership skills to make an impact in Central Texas. Leadership Austin’s values of community trusteeship, inclusiveness, collaborative decision-making, and personal responsibility are so important to the work we do at Avalanche. Having an opportunity to apply these skills and values has made me a stronger leader when working with clients.
Tony: Before taking Emerge, I paid close attention to local and national issues but did not personally engage to make a difference, other than voting. Seeing my classmates do impactful work in Austin inspired me to push myself to serve the community. Essential took things to another level – to examine complex issues through the lens of my professional experience while connecting me with a large, engaged peer network. It put the lessons we share in other communities into a local context and demonstrated the role of relationships in affecting change.
Amy: How have you been involved in community service in Austin in recent years? What role did Leadership Austin play?
Noelle: Leadership Austin has impacted my awareness and understanding of the systemic inequities in Central Texas. In recent years I’ve been involved with the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life and now serve on their board of directors, helping to fulfill its mission to advance more inclusive public spaces in Austin and Texas through storytelling, research and education.
Tony: After completing Emerge, I found myself volunteering with the Waller Creek Conservancy (now Waterloo Greenway). I helped form and lead a young professionals group to support their work and helped fundraise. I’ve also continued to work with Leadership Austin on Essential curriculum and the St. Edward’s University Hilltop Leaders program. Since finishing Essential last spring, I am looking for more ways to be involved locally. If anybody needs help that matches my skillset, please let me know!
Amy: Your single greatest takeaway from Leadership Austin’s programs?
Noelle: As I mentioned earlier, I’m inspired by Leadership Austin’s dedication to inclusion and how they take this lens across all of their programs. To develop win-win, creative solutions that impact the greater good, we must have a diverse representation of stakeholders at the table.
Tony: The value of relationships. I’m a bit of an introvert and not one for networking, but Leadership Austin helped me understand the value of a strong community of peers who are committed to making a difference. Today, we are witnessing a lot of discord and unproductive dialogue, which discourages people from getting involved. Leadership Austin helped me see what we can achieve if we stay above the line and compound the positive work of a diverse network of individuals.
Tony at his Essential graduation in May 2019 with CEO Christopher Kennedy and 2019 Board Chair Mike Meroney
Amy: What advice would you give to others considering Leadership Austin?
Noelle: If you’re considering participating in a Leadership Austin program, talk to alumni to learn more about their experience! Attend Leadership Austin Engage breakfasts to learn about issues impacting Central Texas and meet leaders involved with the organization.
Tony: If you really want to positively impact an issue in Austin – or all the issues, why limit yourself?! – get involved with Leadership Austin. You will learn something new and also have a personal perspective that others need to hear. Most importantly, you’ll be surprised by the increased effectiveness you’ll have on your own journey with support from intelligent and compassionate friends you didn’t know you had.
Noelle: How would you answer that question, Amy?
Amy: Just do it! It’s an experience that will have far-reaching professional and personal impacts.
Avalanche Consulting, Inc. is a national economic development strategy firm headquartered in Austin. Clients include major U.S. regions like Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Miami. In the firm’s 15-year history, they have advised leaders in more than 150 communities on how they can work together to create economic growth.
Are you a superfan, too? Tell us about it! Not a superfan, but want to be? Recommend someone for one of our programs or make a financial contribution to support our work! Want to get involved in another way? Let’s make it happen!
Follow the 40 Stories in 40 Days campaign on Instagram and on our website.