It has been almost seven years to the day that our first Leadership Launch student joined us. Over the years, we have all worked hard to grow the program exponentially each year, while still maintaining our intentional focus on a smaller number of students who will create a ripple effect of positive impact across the community.

 

In January 2022, it became clear that we had taken Leadership Launch as far as we could under current executive leadership. Dan and I poured our hearts and souls into this program for years, and we knew the time had come to bring in new leaders who could bring a new perspective and extra eyes, hearts, and hands to carry this important work further.

 

Luckily, we did not have to look far. These eyes, hearts, and hands were already in the work with us. As the year progressed, it became clear that Jamila Taylor (our Fundraising Coordinator) and John Rollins (the Chair of our Board of Directors) were the right people to move Leadership Launch forward. Recently, we also welcomed Raquel Vincent as the Co-Facilitator of Programming with John. Now, the team is truly complete.   

 

Watching these leaders work is inspiring. Their heart, passion, drive, and love shines through in everything they do. It is beautiful to see the evolution of our Leadership Launch program, especially through the different facilitation styles, interactions with students, capacity for increased partnerships, and communication with parents and families that John, Jamila, and Raquel bring. Please give John, Jamila, and Raquel a LYLO family welcome. 

 

We see this leadership transition and moment in Leadership Launch’s history as an opportunity for exponential growth. Our circle, our family, and our community is growing. John, Jamila, and Raquel are working with an amazing group of students, families, mentors, donors, partners, volunteers, and more.

 

Of course, if you know Dan and me, you know that this work is our passion. Leadership Launch and everyone involved in the program will always be a key part of our lives. Our Leadership Launch family is for life!

 

Going forward, we want Leadership Launch to be stronger and better than it has ever been before. We know that it will be. At every part of this journey of starting Leadership Launch, we have been faced with the question, “But how are you going to do this?” The answer has always been the same—YOU. You, our amazing community. You have turned up. You have brought food, mentored students, volunteered countless hours, sponsored events and dinners, donated money, attended events, loved on our students and other team members, partnered with us, and been there through it all. You are Leadership Launch. Together, we have changed lives—and we will continue to do so. This is just the beginning. We are excited about the growth that lies ahead for Leadership Launch, and we are grateful to have such a great team in place to take us to heights beyond our biggest dreams. 

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