Fact Sheet

Leadership Midpeninsula works to build collaborative leadership in East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, and surrounding communities by developing effective local leaders. Founded in 1988 by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce as Leadership Palo Alto, the year-long program offers monthly seminars that develop skills and provide information about community issues. The program seeks to reduce barriers and strengthen community bonds by bringing together professionally and ethnically diverse individuals with a common interest in the Midpeninsula communities in which they live and work.

What is the focus of Leadership Midpeninsula's curriculum?

Leadership Midpeninsula's program takes 30 community leaders through a ten-month series of day-long seminars with three main focus areas:

• leadership theory and practice in a context of diversity
• knowledge of local issues, agencies, systems, and challenges
• networking with community leaders

What do participants in Leadership Midpeninsula do during the program year?

During the program year, program participants engage in the following activities:

• participate in program days (one Friday/month from September through June, two Saturday half day sessions, and one overnight retreat in October)
• develop and practice leadership skills and theories
• reach out into the communities (research, readings, and "community sampler" activities)
• participate on a team to develop and present one program day, assisted by advisors and local experts in the topic area

What are the program day topic areas that participants and their advisors plan?

Leadership Skills Consensus Building & Conflict Resolution

Systems Thinking Diversity

Power & Public Policy Health and Human Services

Prosperity & Economic Vitality Arts and Media

Sustainable Communities and Social Equity Education

Reflections on Community

How do leaders get involved with the full year Leadership Midpeninsula Program?

Potential participants apply in late spring, interview, and are selected in early July for the following year's class, which begins in September and runs through June. Informational Meetings about Leadership Midpeninsula will take place in East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto during April 1999. Information and applications are available through the Leadership Midpeninsula office (650) 324-3126 or lpitts@pacc.batnet.com. This year, applications are due Friday, May 21, 1999.

OTHER LEADERSHIP MIDPENINSULA PROGRAMS

• The Leadership Midpeninsula Alumni Association provides continuing education and activities for over 300 alumni of Leadership Palo Alto and Leadership Midpeninsula.
• The Midpeninsula Leaders Forum is an annual event open to the general public providing stimulating discussion and networking around issues of mutual concern to the three communities.