For me, Leadership Fauquier strategically connects Fauquier County human capacity/resources, provides the structure of understanding the community, and sets the precedent for ongoing collaboration and actionable change. During the 10-month program, I gained in depth appreciation and understanding of how communities work. The critical contributions of each sector inherently depend upon each other.
My takeaway was the critical importance of all community sectors working alongside one another to champion change. The Leadership Fauquier cohort puts names and faces to county resources, so each member knows who/how to contact when an opportunity to initiate a change lands in front of you. It starts small, with a phone call to a classmate to ask a question. Before you realize it, you and your classmates have actioned an improvement, initiated a recommendation, or made an impact.
Our 2018-2019 class coined the name “19 Strong” as we were an original group of 19. Our cohort continues to meet 5-6 times a year to honor the mission of “Creating a thriving community through informed and connected leaders.