August 2025 – March 2026

Meet the 50th class of Leadership Catawba Graduates here.

Access the Class of 2026 Information Packet here. 

Gain first person perspectives contributed from Leadership Catawba alumni here.

Interested in joining a future Leadership Catawba cohort? Express your interest here.

Online applications will open for the 2025-26 Leadership Catawba cohort on May 20, 2025 at 9:00am. The application will be found on this page. 

Since 1974, Leadership Catawba has provided the opportunity to connect on a deeper level to our county and interact directly with key community leaders, preparing individuals to grow personally and professionally as a future leader. The program challenges each participant not only to be an effective and influential leader within their own organization, but to lead within our greater community through personal commitment and involvement. 

Over the 8-month duration, participants are immersed in community issues and challenges that we position ourselves to directly address in the areas of Reinventing Community, Telling our Story, Serving our Community, Building for Jobs, Workforce Connectivity and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.  

For Leadership Catawba questions, please contact: 
Kim Dahlsten, IOM, CCEC
Director of Leadership Catawba
Vice President of Operations
The Chamber of Catawba County
Email or call (828) 431-7230

Diversity Statement: Leadership Catawba is committed to identifying and nurturing leaders who reflect the diversity represented in our businesses and in the greater community.  We recognize the positive relationship between diversity and a thriving economy and therefore are intentional in our efforts to recruit, grow, and support leaders from diverse ethnic, racial, gender, socioeconomic, and professional backgrounds. We strive for inclusiveness in our programming, class participation, advisory board leadership, and community partnerships and actively seek to include individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds. We encourage business leaders to consider all aspects of diversity when recommending individuals for participation in Leadership Catawba.

Leadership Catawba Quick Facts:

• Leadership Catawba pulls together thirty-six (36) business and community leaders of diverse backgrounds and experiences who have demonstrated leadership potential throughout our community.
• The program kicks off in August 2025 with orientation and a team building retreat and concludes in March 2026 with graduation.
• Each participant graduates with approximately 16 hours of situational leadership training from a diverse array of community leaders and contracted consultants.
• Leadership Catawba participants receive a full PXT Select Leadership Report and full post analysis. 
• Participants organize and execute a Community Visioning Impact project which directly address critical issues our county is facing aimed at making a sustainable impact.
• To graduate, attendance at all scheduled events is expected. No more than 12 total hours may be missed to complete the program and graduate.