Creating a Thriving Community Through Informed and Connected Leaders
TESTIMONIALS
TESTIMONIALS
"I have supported Leadership Fauquier during my tenure as a local government manager and as a non-profit executive and Board member, because I, personally, view it as the most important institution in our community focused on developing next-generation leadership. The program is important to the Piedmont Environmental Council because of its 'whole community' thinking, in engaging a broad cross-section of interests to help its graduates understand all of the various factors that make our community great. Leadership Fauquier is the county's pipeline for creating educated, engaged, and empowered community leaders."
John McCarthy
Senior Adviser & Director of Strategic Partnerships - Piedmont Environmental Council
I am a proud graduate from Leadership Fauquier’s Class of 2018! I currently serve as Budget Services Manager in Fauquier County’s Office of Management and Budget, but at the onset of the Leadership Fauquier program I was a Budget & Management Analyst II. As I’ve grown in my career, it has become increasingly important to not only understand what makes Fauquier unique, but also meet with and network among private and non-profit sectors. I thoroughly enjoyed my LF days – often filled with a field trip, discussion, and networking. The program renewed my love of service to the community and was a catalyst to long-lasting relationships.
Mallory K. Stribling
Fauquier County Government, Cohort 2018
As a business owner and regular sponsor, we feel that Leadership Fauquier provided an invaluable resource to learn about all things Fauquier and inform residents on how to be a productive member of the community. We have sent and will continue to send all our people through this program.
Nathan Gilbert
Meridian Financial Partners, LLC - Ongoing Sponsor and 2017 Cohort
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.
Michelle Cribbs
Laurel Ridge Community College, 2019 Cohort
For me, as a relative newcomer to Virginia, Leadership Fauquier was an invaluable way to learn and become acquainted with my new community in a deeper way than I’ve known any community in which I’ve lived. Now that I think about it, it would’ve been a great way to learn more even if I’d lived here for years. I finally understand how complex layers of nuance there are to the successful functioning and “running “of a community. As well, I now realize just how critically important it is that residents be intimately involved in matters of their community if it is to serve them well.
During Leadership Fauquier’s monthly classes, I really enjoyed learning about so many different facets of Fauquier County, services and programs I’d not have otherwise had reason to encounter. Through its programming, I grew as both a leaders and a team member, meeting and interacting with amazing colleagues with whom I hope to stay connected with in various ways going forward. I am especially grateful that experiences throughout Leadership Fauquier challenged many of my habits, assumptions, and judgements in ways that have given me greater compassion, broader perspective, and space for self awareness and growth.
Cindy Sabato
Piedmont Environmental Council – 2022 Cohort
Participation in Leadership Fauquier was pivotal for me both as a community leader and for our organization (The Arc of NCV). I gained invaluable insights about our community from the unique opportunities to directly connect with local leaders. In addition to personally building confidence and skills over the course of the year, our organizational connections within the community multiplied. This growth was instrumental in meeting our first major funder. The comradery of Leadership Fauquier continues to be a cornerstone of growth.
