Tompkins Chamber brings back Leadership Tompkins program

ITHACA, N.Y. — Leadership Tompkins is back after a three-year hiatus.

The Tompkins Chamber Foundation announced applications are open for the 2023-2024 class at the community-led leadership-development program. Leadership Tompkins focuses on helping participants grow their leadership skills while learning about the issues, challenges, and opportunities impacting the county’s residents, municipalities, human-service organizations, and economy.

“The Chamber Foundation is thrilled to lead the charge in re-establishing this critical program which supports development of leaders from diverse backgrounds and with varying perspectives throughout the community,” Tompkins Chamber Foundation President Jennifer Tavares said in a press release. “The last several years have highlighted how critical our leaders are to our shared success and how important it is to continue leadership-development programs to support our community’s needs tomorrow.”

The program was largely on hiatus since the spring of 2020, although the Tompkins Chamber Foundation offered several virtual leadership programs under the Leadership and Lemonade brand during the pandemic.

The in-person program will feature some modifications to the schedule and the monthly participation expectations.

Tompkins Cortland Community College continues to support the program by hosting the class for a day and sponsoring a participant.

Leadership Tompkins Facilitator Deb Mohlenhoff will lead the program facilitation for the 2023-2024 cohort.

Those interested in participating can learn more at tompkinschamber.org/leadership-tompkins. A firm commitment from the participant, and their employer if they are employed, is required to ensure acceptance in the program.

Some scholarship funding is available to support those who cannot afford the full tuition. The United Way has established a scholarship specifically to support BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, or immigrant populations participating in the program.

The Tompkins Chamber Foundation is seeking additional funding partners to provide scholarship assistance for those whose employers cannot support their full tuition fee or for those who are independently employed.