Oxford’s Leadership Lafayette 2019 Class Kicks Off 8-Month Program

The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce kicked off its 2019 class of the Leadership Lafayette program today with its opening session at Coleman Funeral Home.

The program began in 1988 and celebrates 31 years of Leadership Lafayette with this year’s class.

The Chamber announced a new partnership with Your Extra Closet as the program’s presenting sponsor for the 2019 class. President and CEO of Your Extra Closet Floyd Hubbell spoke to the class at the opening session on “leadership and Success

“I am very excited about this year’s program,” said Torie White, Leadership Lafayette chair. “This program is extremely competitive to get into, and we applaud these leaders for being chosen for this year’s class. We anticipate the work they will do through their projects will enrich our community. We are also eager to see them use their skills to get involved in different facets of the community beyond the program.”

The 2019 class includes: Rachel Alcorn, Communicare; Celesia Blackmon; Kurt Brummett, United Way of Oxford and Lafayette County; Chase Buchanan, BancorpSouth; Anginita Butler, Next Gear Solutions; Edy Dingus, Magnolia Montessori School; Alison Doyle, MSDH: Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); Hunter Haney, North Mississippi Regional Center; Blake Horton, Oxford Police Department; Danielle King, Grantham Poole; Katie Krouse, Oxford Newsmedia, LLC.; Daniel Lenard, Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi; Jessica Lynch, Visit Oxford; Katrenia Meeks, Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi, Inc.; John Melton, Communicare; Michael Newsom, University of Mississippi Office of Communications; Bess Nichols, The University of Mississippi- Office of Admissions; Tanya Nichols, University of Mississippi; Clifton Odom, Chancellors House Hotel; Doug Odom, mTrade; Wendy Pfrenger, University of Mississippi; Joel Reeves, Charter Road Hospitality; Andrew Reynolds, A2H; Nishanth Rodrigues, The University of Mississippi; Hunter Taylor, The University of Mississippi; and Amy Woodward, American Addiction Centers/Oxford Treatment Center.

This eight-month Leadership Lafayette course is designed to ensure the continuity of leadership in the Lafayette-Oxford-University community. The class training builds community leaders through shared knowledge, skills and experience. The program emphasizes developing leadership skills through activities promoting community awareness, team building and project development.

Objectives of the Leadership Lafayette Program are to: Identify potential community leaders; Develop individual leadership potential; Acquire knowledge about community and current issues in Lafayette County; Create dialogue and rapport among participants and current community leaders; Provide opportunities to network with alumni of prior Leadership Lafayette programs; and Promote a sense of “community” through shared efforts benefiting the local community.

“The Leadership Lafayette steering committee has been diligently working on details of the program, planning the sessions, speakers, community tours and agendas,” said Pam Swain, Leadership Lafayette program administrator and Senior Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce. “These volunteers have been through this program and similar programs and have spent countless hours ensuring that each session is of great value and interest to the class.”

Courtesy of the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce