Upcoming EMPOWERMENT@Work Events

Leadership Catawba

Leadership Catawba=Celebrating 50 YearsAugust 2024 – March 2025

Download the 2024-25 Leadership Catawba Information Packet here.

Meet the 50th class of Leadership Catawba here.

Gain first person perspectives contributed from the 49th Leadership Catawba class here.

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 2024 with orientation and a team building retreat and concludes in March.2025 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. (Value $250)
  • Participants organize and execute a Community Visioning Impact projects 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. 

2024-2025 Leadership Catawba Advisory Board
Alexis Abernathy, First Horizon Bank
Jerrica Broome, Broome Insurance, a Legacy Insurance Partner
Greg Copen, Catawba Valley Health System
Porscha Corpening, First Horizon Bank-Newton
Jeffrey Eudy, Catawba Valley Health System
Jodi Geis, The Manufacturing Solutions Center at CVCC
Jeff Helgerson, Green Park Dentistry
Ashley Jones, Abernethy Laurels
AJ Kerley, PACE@Home
Lala Kozischek, YMCA of Catawba Valley
Jordan Ledford, Council on Adolescents of Catawba County
Jenny Gerami-Markham, Catawba County Library
Kyle Mishler, City of Hickory Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism
Mary Mitchell, Western Piedmont Council of Governments
Travis Morgan, Skyline National Bank
Chris Murray Jr., Granite Insurance Agency
Jennifer Payseur, Shurtape Technologies, LLC
Justin Phillips, Landmark Roofing
Brandon Pope, BPope Productions
Sarah Prencipe, Lumin Strategies
Kimberly Propst,
Catawba County Economic Development Corporation
Sharine Sample, Goodwill Industries of NWNC, Inc.-Workforce Development Center
Alexandria Scarborough, Catawba County Partnership for Children
Laura Sigmon, The HOPE Center at the Hickory Soup Kitchen
D
r. Felicia Simmons, Catawba Valley Community College
Phillip Stepp, Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley, Inc.
Todd Watson, Just Dump It – Dumpster Rentals and Junk Removal
Mary Yount, City of Newton