Leadership Monroe’s class of XXVI almost wasn’t. Originally scheduled to begin in October, the class was almost derailed by Hurricane Irma. But the leadership of Leadership Monroe, through Herculean effort, re-imagined the program starting with the tourism segment Nov. 3-4 in Key West (above) and the Everglades environment this past weekend. And, all 22 students elected to move forward despite the personal and community hardships the people of the Keys are facing. Leadership Monroe County is aimed at residents who are active in leadership roles within the private sector, government, or community organizations. Through a series of one-, two-, or three-day sessions over many months, participants examine fundamental public and private segments throughout the county to inform and help them make quality leadership decisions which they can incorporate into their respective companies and organizations. Leadership Monroe County is an independent non-profit, governed by a 17-member board. Current officers are President Henry Rosenthal, Vice President Sarah Cizmas, Secretary Dianne Weitz, Treasurer Yesenia Ramirez, and Program Coordinator Michael Shields.

Class XXVI members are:

Jermy Ashby — Legal Counsel/First State Bank of the Florida Keys

Yusi Bonachea — Customer Service Manager/Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority

James Cordell — Director, Support Services/Mariners Hospital

Kris DiGiovanni — Chief of Police, Key Colony Beach

Bill Doxey — Vice President/CenterState Bank

Bruce Halle — Vice Mayor, City of Layton

Douglas Helkenn — Manager, D’Asign Source

Suzanne Holt — Director of Operations, Florida Keys Outreach Coalition

Mallory Jones — BOCC Code Enforcement

Seth Lawless — Village Manager, Islamorada

Frederick Matthews — Realtor

Sara Matthis — Editor, Keys Weekly

Misha McRAE — Executive Director, Key West Botanical Gardens

Paul Patterson — Owner, Construction Inspectors & Associates

Jody Randel — Branch Manager, Centennial Bank, Key Largo

Ann Sandlin — Resource Dev. Dir., United Way

Charlene Sprinkle — Lieutenant, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office

Walt Stephens — Job Training & Safety Mgr., Florida Keys Electric Cooperative

Devin Tolpin — Board of County Commissioners Planner

Jeremy Wilkerson — Director of Community Development, Wesley House

Sue Woltanski — Educator, Founder, Accountabalony.com

Joanne Zimmerman — Owner, Zimmerman & Co., CPA

CONTRIBUTED

Sara Matthis thinks community journalism is important, but not serious; likes weird and wonderful children (she has two); and occasionally tortures herself with sprint-distance triathlons, but only if she has a good chance of beating her sister.