The Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute is opening its doors on January 31 as one of the newest leadership training organizations in the area under Executive Director Stacy Edds-Ellis.
Modeled after the Kansas Leadership Center, the Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that was established in Fall 2022. Officials hope to foster a deliberative approach to civic engagement, community challenges and leadership development.
“We are working hard to provide a network of people that can help be a part of that dialogue and help be a part of those solutions are those opportunities to move our community forward,” Edds-Ellis said.
Edds-Ellis said the Institute aims to bring in entrepreneurs and business leaders to speak to those in the training program. The Institute also plans to work alongside the higher education institutions in the area to build a stronger network.
“We’re also trying to complement some initiatives that our local higher education institutions are working toward and those range from like diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to permanent leadership initiatives,” she said.
One of the major initiatives is creating a candidate school, while would be able to help educate people wanting to run for public on how the process works and what the positions entail.
The organization is going to be an open-cohort program where anyone in the community can join and stay for the duration of that cohort.
“We don’t want to limit the opportunity, that’s for sure. But there are just natural constraints and limitations on cohort sizes that you can train and the amount you can have,” she said.
An open house for the Institute will be held at 200 E. Third Street at 11:30 a.m. on January 31.
