Month: August 2019

BIG NEWS!

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For many of us, being a part of the Leadership Fresno Program was much more than learning about our community and making a positive impact through our class project. It was also about networking with other leaders and building longstanding relationships with like-minded professionals. Over time, those relationships have allowed us to uplift each other and our community. Together, we’ve become greater catalysts for change! Your experience in the Leadership Fresno Program was likely one of the most memorable in your professional career – it certainly was for me as well!

Our new website was designed to keep that momentum going! In addition to discounted networking and mixer events, your paid membership will give you access to many new features on the website including:

 – Your own personalized profile to highlight your current employment, achievements, contact information and links to your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts
 – Access to the Leadership Fresno Alumni directory, including the most recent contact information for all past graduates
 – The ability to submit news about you or your company for publication on the website and newsletter
 – Post job openings and volunteer opportunities

In addition to a fantastic new website, we look forward to a fall full of opportunities to connect, learn and serve together! Our next Fresno Famous Fireside Chat will take place in October with President of Fresno State, Dr. Joseph Castro. We will have the privilege of hearing from him in his home and the University House … how cool is that? We are also going to get together and GIVE BACK by launching the Class Project Revisited service opportunity. This will allow all of us a chance to “get our hands dirty” again, like we did during our class years. And of course, I can’t forget the always anticipated and well attended LFAA Holiday Party where we can look forward to a lively evening of cocktails, prizes and holiday cheer!

On behalf of the entire Leadership Fresno Alumni Association, we are truly honored and excited that you have continued your journey with Leadership Fresno and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Christa Atchley (Short)
Leadership Fresno Alumni Association President 

Alumni Spotlight: Lisa Burger, Class 27

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In our new monthly series, Leadership Fresno Alumni Association will catch up with former classmates to see what they are currently doing, hear about their experiences in the class and learn about a few of their favorite Fresno destinations.

Lisa Burger, Class 27

Class Project: Al Radka Community Garden

With a career spanning 15 years in news, Lisa Burger is now the news director KSEE24 and CBS47. After taking jobs in San Diego and Denver, she is back in Fresno and is still using the knowledge and insight she gained during her Leadership Fresno class days and applying it to how she approaches her job.

When asked what brought her back to Fresno after five years, Lisa couldn’t help but gush about her love of Fresno, the proximity to her best friend and a job offer she couldn’t pass up.

As news director, Lisa oversees 60 employees — from reporters and anchors to producers, photographers, and the assignment desk. She oversees everything that goes into the daily newscasts on two different stations.

 

What’s one part of your job that people don’t understand?

I think there is a misunderstanding about the media and its intentions. We take our responsibility very seriously. The responsibility to tell the truth, without bias, serve the community and be the watchdog for the public. To be the eyes and ears. To tell the good and bad with appropriate balance. Not balance of right or left – but within the newscast. You don’t want to watch and be overwhelmed with sadness. People may not see the deliberation every day and the impartial role we take.

 

As someone who works in news, did seeing all the things you saw in LF open your eyes even more? Did you gain new perspectives?

Absolutely. It was life-changing. There is a perspective that you need to have in news. It’s hard when you don’t grow up in the community you work in. The context you get within the program was invaluable.

Spending the day at the dairy farm, going through Chinatown, understanding that the new art gallery opening is vital to the historic parts of our town were all important. The history and the background that I gained has opened my eyes and has given me better depth and perspective which improve the stories we tell.

 

You went through the program and then left to take an opportunity outside of the market. Did you take any of the knowledge you gained in the program and apply it to your new job in a new place?

It’s interesting, I did. It opened my eyes to see the greater community.  The program showed me how important a vibrant downtown is to building a healthy and thriving community. Someplace that people feel good about living in.

When I moved to San Diego, I wanted to live in downtown because of what I learned in the program. The first call I made, personally, was to the head of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. I wanted to be a part of the community and the issues because the love started in Leadership Fresno. We are still really good friends to this day.

 

Do you still see a lot of what you learned about Fresno is still applicable? Has the city changed?

It’s so interesting. There have been big changes in terms of landscape. North Fresno has grown so much. Dave & Busters was a Christmas tree lot when I lived here before. Copper River was nothing except for the golf course. Now there are so many homes!

I was really involved with FLYP [Fresno’s Leading Young Professionals] before I left and we were supporting accepting the TIGER Grant to open Fulton Street. When I came back, one of the first things I did was drive down it, and I cried. It was such a big deal.

The fear of Fulton Mall opening was big.  The gentrification of the area and small businesses getting pushed out by higher rents. But you know what, so many of the same businesses are still there. Los Panchos is still there. The dress shop is still there, and the doors are still open. It’s interesting and exciting and makes me hopeful.

The people are still here. Jerry Dyer is still Fresno Police Chief. Lee Brand is the Mayor of Fresno. Nathan Madsig isn’t on the Clovis City Council anymore but on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. They are all still here but in different roles. The leadership hasn’t changed just titles.

 

FIRE AWAY: Rapid-fire questions where our guest picks their Fresno faves

 

Place to eat?

I like trying different locally-owned businesses when possible.

Get coffee?

Kuppa Joy

Hang out?

My best friend’s backyard or mine.

Place to take an out-of-town guest?

The Brewery District, checking out Chukchansi Park, driving down Fulton Street and ending up in Tower at Sequoia Brewing.

Hidden gem?

I just wish people in North Fresno would make the choice to see what there is downtown. There are a lot of locally owned businesses to support. Having a great downtown is vital to our community. We, as a community, have to come together to support downtown Fresno. I encourage people to give it a try.

Local event?

The best event is Ice Cream Zoofari. Ice Cream every ten yards or so and you are supporting the zoo. It’s the best!

Nearby adventure?

Love the coast. Any chance I have to get over there I go. I also like the Madera Wine Trail.

Leadership Fresno Class 35 Dedicates Project to Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Survivors

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Leadership Fresno Class 35 proudly unveiled its project – a serene pathway filled with flowers and reflective benches on the Fresno State campus earlier this year. The Pathway of Hope, dedicated to the journey domestic violence and sexual assault survivors must walk, also created a place of healing and reflection for survivors.

Dignitaries like Congressman Jim Costa and advocates like Lisa Casarez, CEO of Angels of Grace were among the speakers who shared stories of personal triumph and advocacy during the lunchtime ceremony.

Prior to the unveiling, Class 35 partnered with Nexstar Broadcasting to run a five-part news series covering various aspects of domestic violence and sexual assault aimed at educating the public and highlighting local resources. The segments ran on during the news and were shared multiple times on social media.

If you’d like to see the Pathway of Hope, you can find it next to the water fountain on the Fresno State campus. 

Leadership Fresno Class 35 unveils ‘Pathway of Hope’ at Fresno State

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A group of community leaders in Fresno is bringing attention to survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault. The latest class of Leadership Fresno just wrapped up the program with a final project at Fresno State University.

The 23 class members have worked on their final project for months and Friday community leaders unveiled the finished product, a “Pathway of Hope.” It’s a small walking path on campus with benches, serving as a space for survivors and to raise awareness about domestic abuse and sexual assault.

“Just last year I was able to get the restraining order I needed to keep my abusive father away from me but I’ve been dealing with this for 30 years,” said Class 35 member Nikki Henry.

Henry is a survivor herself and found the project to be therapeutic.

“There are so many survivors, men, and women, who don’t have a job that lets them take off so they can go to court, get that piece of paper to fight their abusers and who don’t have the support or financial means to move out and move on with their lives,” said Henry.

The Fresno Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Fresno program meets once a month to learn the ins and outs of the city of Fresno.

“I kind of say it’s kin to drinking water out of a fire hose because in a ten month period you’re going to learn more about Fresno that you could probably learn in ten years or more,” said David Hoffman with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.

Each month is dedicated to a new aspect of the city like education, healthcare, and agriculture and more.

“It’s about working together as a team toward a common goal and especially, in this case, an extremely worthy goal,” said Hoffman.

The Fresno Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications for the next Leadership Fresno session that will start in August. The application deadline is May 17. Find out how to apply by clicking here.

Full Store Here

Leadership Fresno class dedicates Pathway of Hope at Fresno State

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The Pathway of Hope is open at Fresno State.

The pathway is the project Leadership Fresno Class 35. The sponsoring Fresno Chamber of Commerce says its annual leadership class  members choose a project that will have an effect on the community in a significant way. Class 35 dedicated its project to educating the public and honoring the survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse with the pathway, a physical representation of a survivor’s journey intended to shine a spotlight on the courage and strength realized through the survivor’s experience.

In a statement from the chamber, Class 35 presidentn Sarah Frauenheim says, “Our goal was to not only provide resources for victims but to also help provide a place for healing for survivors. The pathway may be the final step of our class project, but our hope is that it serves as a reminder to engage further education, awareness and healing.”

Inside A Program To Hatch Fresno’s Emerging Leaders

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The 35th class to participate in a yearly program to boost community leaders in Fresno is about to graduate. But before that, they must finish a group project that benefits the city. Here to tell us more about the Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Fresno program is Sara Frauenheim, a coordinator with the Saint Agnes Medical Center Foundation and the project manager and president of this year’s leadership class.

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As a dues paying member of the Leadership Fresno Alumni Association, there is an opportunity to promote upcoming events and/or volunteer opportunities on the website.  Submissions must be made to the organization via email (leadershipfresno@gmail.com) a minimum of 3 weeks before the postings are to be published.

All Events to Be Shared:

  • Must align with the mission of LFAA and fit who we are as an organization.
  • Must help our community, our alumni or further the mission of LFAA.
  • Submissions should include preferred date of when it should be posted. 
    • Please note: No specific date is guaranteed.
  • Submissions must include short description of need to be filled (duties, physical requirements, etc.), how many volunteers are needed, location, time frame and how to contact organizer.
  • A thumbnail photo is required. This can be an image of the location where volunteer duties are to be performed or logo of the organization requesting assistance.
  • A website for the organization requesting assistance.

Note: Fundraising opportunities are excluded  |  All submissions are subject to LFAA approval.

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