The Queen Creek Town Council recognized 53 graduates of the Queen Creek Citizen Leadership Institute at the May 17 Town Council meeting. Mayor Julia Wheatley congratulated the graduates for completing the program and for taking the initiative to learn more about the community.
Certificates were presented to the following graduates: Abigail Matsuyoshi, Adrianne Lynch, Alberto Marin, Ann Marie J. Stone, Avery Koperniak, Beverly A. Goldstein, Brandon Collinwood, Cathy Fox, Cheryl Engel, Daniel G. Martinez, Daran Orchard, David B. Rowe, DeAnn Schnepf, Denine M. Ryder, Donna Johnson, Elisa Thompson, Garry J. Samrick, Gil Figueroa, Jared Beauchamp, Jay Peck, Jeff DeBellevue, Jeffrey A. Kramer, Johanna Downs, Julie Hartman, Kathleen A. Coupe, Kerri Ann Ronquist, Kip D. Steill, Kirill Bylkov, Larry Shawn Watson, Linda Barnes, Lindzie Head, Lisa Parcells, Makayla Hardy, Maria Elisabeth Dezenberg, Mark Wegele, Mark P. Garera, Matthew B. Ross, Melissa Boillot, Michael A. Kincaid, Michelle Cruz, Mike Parcells, Nathan Hunt, Patricia L. Taylor, Patti Herrera, Rebecca Martin, Scott Roney, Scott Engel, Shawn Echols, Steven Kortsen-Pebler II, Theodore Eckmann, Timothy Kingery, Tina Faust, and Walt McGuinness.
The Leadership Institute consists of 10 sessions where participants learn about local issues and how local government works. Participants get to know their mayor and council members, town staff and local leaders from other organizations. Topics range from planning and zoning to economic development and transportation. In order to graduate, participants must attend at least seven of the 10 sessions and attend one Town Council meeting, one town committee or commission meeting, participate in one volunteer activity and one group project.
The following class projects were completed this year:
Supporting Hoof Beats with Heart. The group assisted with the organization’s sensory trail, replenishing sand, creating a sensory garden and painting various areas. The group also reconstructed the observation deck.
Supporting the Friends of the Queen Creek Library. The group helped reduce the excess inventory by creating a mystery bag sales day and upgraded their storefront signage enhancing the overall appearance.
The purpose of the Queen Creek Citizen Leadership Institute is to:
- Provide an avenue for residents to help plan the community's future.
- Spark an interest in local topics.
- Present information about important questions facing the town.
- Develop a pool of informed residents willing to serve as local leaders on boards, commissions and among their neighbors.
The 2024 Leadership Institute will begin in January, and participation is free. Anyone who lives or works in the Queen Creek area is welcome to attend, however most town committees require residency in the town limits in order to qualify for appointment.
For more information about the program, or to complete an interest form, visit QueenCreekAZ.gov/CitizenLeadership.
