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Community Corner

Leadership Coachella Valley - Now Accepting Applications for 2014-15

  NEWS RELEASE

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Contact: Linda Davis (LeadershipCV@gmail.com)
760-346-6111                                                                                  Anna Frost 949-310-3502                                                                 CALLING ALL COACHELLA VALLEY LEADERS

 (Palm Desert, CA.) Applications are currently being accepted for the 2014-15 class of Leadership Coachella Valley (LCV). Up to 40 applicants will be selected to participate in the ten-month program designed to identify, motivate and develop future community leaders. The program, known for “Creating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today”, encourages involvement by providing knowledge and perspective on valley-wide needs and concerns. Participants meet current community leaders and experts in forum and group discussion settings once a month for ten months, from September to June.

The first class session will take place on Friday, September 19, from 8:00am until 4:30pm, following a welcome reception and orientation the evening before, Thursday, September 18, from 6:00 – 8:00pm.

Applicants are screened based upon their demonstrated leadership potential, commitment to community, and desire to assume a greater responsibility in a leadership role.  Applicants must have lived or worked in the Coachella Valley for at least one year and must be over 18 years of age.  Many class members are already accomplished professionals in the Coachella Valley, including business and non-profit executives, tourism representatives, and elected officials.

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Current tuition is $950 and includes all ten full-day sessions, lunches, break refreshments, class materials, field trips, graduation dinner and ceremony. Tuition must be paid in full before the first class session. Tuition for most students is paid by their employers and / or may be paid by the student personally.  There are a limited number of scholarships, for which an application request may also be completed.

Applications must be fully completed and received in the Leadership office by 4:30pm on Friday, August 15, 2014, and all applicants will be notified of their status on or before September 1.  Interviews for applicants may be scheduled by the selection committee.  Applications may be obtained online at www.leadershipcv.org, or by emailing LeadershipCV@gmail.com.  Hard copies of completed applications should be sent to: Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce, Attn: LCV Application, 72559 Highway 111, Palm Desert, CA  92260.

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LEADERSHIP COACHELLA VALLEY:

Leadership Coachella Valley, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, was founded in 1999 by six valley chambers of commerce: Cathedral City, La Quinta, Palm Springs, Indio, Palm Desert, and Rancho Mirage.  LCV maintains a Board of Directors, an Advisory Board, as well as an Alumni Council, and several events are held throughout the year so that each year’s current class has an opportunity to network with prior year’s graduates.  The newly inducted Board President for the 2014-15 year is Scott Wilson, Founding Director, Wilson Johnson Commercial Real Estate.  Immediate past president is Tracy Stockman, Vice President, Pacific Western Bank.

In addition to President Scott Wilson, the Board of Directors for the 2014-15 year include: Anna Frost, Account Executive, Time Warner Cable; Greg Grub, VP Business Development, First American Title Company; Jan Harnik, Councilwoman, City of Palm Desert; Alexis Ortega, Integrated Communications Associate, Desert AIDS Project; Matt Rifkin, Energy Consultant, HelioPower; Erin Scott, Director of Business Development, Integrated Wealth Management, with honorary members Amir Afsar, President, Afsar Law Group; and Tracy Stockman, Vice President, Pacific Western Bank.

Class participants represent a wide variety of business and community interests as well as age ranges.  Graduates have included many elected officials as well as business, non-profit, communications, and education professionals from throughout the valley.  The goal of LCV is to cultivate a sophisticated base of knowledge within each year’s class so that, upon graduation, those graduates may then provide an enhanced level of contribution, expertise, and community leadership to strengthen valley businesses and organizations.

Monthly topics and curriculum include the following:

  • Leadership, Team Building and History
  • Government, Judicial Process, and Public Safety
  • Housing, Poverty and Agriculture
  • Health Care and Social Services
  • Art, Culture, and Recreation
  • Communications and the Media
  • Transportation and Energy
  • Education
  • Economic Drivers of Valley
  • Environmental Issues

Past class speakers have included well respected leaders such as: Stan Sniff, Jr., Sheriff  of Riverside County; Richard Oliphant, Developer, Indian Wells Tennis Garden; Jan Harnik, Palm Desert City Council Member; Aubrey Serfling, President/CEO, Eisenhower Medical Center; Chauncey Veatch, National Teacher of the Year; Dr. Doug Barnum, USGS Salton Sea Science; Skip Page, Goldenvoice/Coachella, and many others.

Corporate sponsorships allow the continuation of the LCV program and are critical to its success.  A variety of high visibility sponsorship opportunities are available, including sending an employee to participate in LCV, sponsoring a specific session, or supporting LCV at a designated level such as gold or bronze.  Sponsor levels range from $500 to $10,000.  

Sponsors from the previous class year are displayed on the LCV website at www.leadershipcv.org.  

Interested sponsors are asked to email the LCV office at LeadershipCV@gmail.com for more details on getting involved for the upcoming year.

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