Leadership Stark County

04/30/2026

CALLING ALL ALUMNI!

CANTON ART WALK: Come to our exclusive Canton Art Walk, led by Alumni Mo Ater (CEO ArtsinStark, 21st Class). Bring your friends, significant other, or anyone who enjoys ART!
-Date: May 13, 2026
-Time: 4-6 PM
-Registration: This is LIMITED, so be sure to claim your spot ASAP. Recommended donation of $20, all proceeds go to public art preservation.

CAFFEINATED CONNECTIONS: Start your Friday with coffee, conversation, and connections! Stop by on your way to work, and stay for as little or long as you'd like.
-Date: June 12, 2026
-Time: 7:15-9:15 AM
-Location: UnionPark Coffee & Cocktails
-Address: 4700 Everhard Rd NW, Canton, OH 44718

***Registration for ALL events is on the Canton Chamber website (CantonChamber.org), under Event Calendar.

04/29/2026

Soft skills like professional communication, accountability, and the ability to represent your organization well set you apart.

Foundations of Leadership is a 6 week, cohort based program designed to help early career professionals build these skills through real world practice.

Applications close TOMORROW 4/30.
Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/FOLLSC

Don’t miss your chance to build the skills employers actually look for.

We all know soft skills matter, but is your organization teaching them?

Public speaking. Dining & Event Etiquette. Professional Presence & Communication.
These are the skills early-career talent is expected to have… but rarely taught.

That’s where Foundations of Leadership comes in.

A 6-week, cohort-based program designed to build real-world skills through hands-on learning, guided practice, and feedback; so participants can show up with confidence and represent your organization well.

Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/FOLLSC
Applications close April 30.

04/24/2026

We all know soft skills matter, but is your organization teaching them?

Public speaking. Dining & Event Etiquette. Professional Presence & Communication.
These are the skills early-career talent is expected to have… but rarely taught.

That’s where Foundations of Leadership comes in.

A 6-week, cohort-based program designed to build real-world skills through hands-on learning, guided practice, and feedback; so participants can show up with confidence and represent your organization well.

Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/FOLLSC
Applications close April 30.

04/23/2026

If you’re looking to grow as a leader, expand your professional network, and make a meaningful impact in Stark County: THIS is your opportunity.

The Signature Program is more than leadership development. It’s a TRANSFORMATIONAL experience that challenges PERSPECTIVES, builds CONNECTIONS, and inspires ACTION.

This immersive experience includes: Gallup Strengths assessment, Behind-the-scenes look at Stark County, CEO and community leader networking, & Poverty simulation.

Your cohort changes HOW we think about leadership, and how we can impact on our own leadership paths from Awareness to Advocacy to Action as a community.

Apply today and shape your future as part of the MONUMENTAL 40th SIGNATURE CLASS!

Link: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8330931/40th-Class-Signature-Program-Application

04/21/2026

Culture = cultivated 💪

04/21/2026

Soft skills like professional email communication, dining etiquette, and workplace presence set young professionals apart.

But they’re rarely formally taught. That’s where Foundations of Leadership comes in.

A 6-week soft skills program built to develop early-career talent—and help them represent your business with confidence.

Apply now: https://shorturl.at/fnmFF
Applications close April 28

Program Highlights:
Week 1 – Professional Presence & Workplace Communication – May 4
Week 2 – Presentation Skills & Public Speaking (Part 1) – May 11
Week 3 – Networking: In-Person & Online – May 18
Week 4 – Presentation Skills & Public Speaking (Part 2) – June 1
Week 5 – Etiquette & Workplace Events – June 8
Week 6 – Leadership Showcase & Graduation – June 1

💼 The skills your team will gain:
- Professional communication and workplace presence
- Confidence speaking and presenting in meetings
- Prioritization, accountability, and follow-through
- Strong teamwork and adaptability

04/17/2026

Culture is the quiet force behind every team's success. If you're not shaping it intentionally, it's shaping you.

Today's Cultivating Team Culture Conference gathered attendees for a day of interactive sessions and powerful conversations centered around aligning your team, listening curiously and changing your mindset. No matter your role or experience, everyone plays a part in creating an environment for success.

Our powerhouse lineup of speakers challenged how we think and show up everyday. A sincere thank you to those individuals who made this day so impactful:

• Coach Sue Ramsey
• Steve Risaliti
• Carleen Spitzer (The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center)
• Jason Mogus (AVO Behavioral Health and Recovery)
• Margaret DeLillo-Storey (Perry Local Schools)
• Melissa Coultas (Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health)
• Kevin Bille (Good Stuff Summit)
• Clark Harvey (Arrowhead Talent Solutions)
• George Rosche (Chick-fil-A Dressler Road)
• Annette Garsteck (Annette Garsteck Career Consulting)
• Dr. Domonique Revere (HRemedy Consulting)
• Julia Kasper (Leadership Stark County)
• Brandon Simmons (Leadership Stark County)
• Brett Yeagley (Lake Local Schools)

The conversation doesn't end here. The real impact happens when we carry these ideas forward in how we lead, support our teams and shape the cultures we’re a part of every day.

04/16/2026

There’s a gap in today’s workforce, and employers are feeling it.

Strong resumes.
But missing professionalism, confidence, and communication.

That’s why we created Foundations of Leadership—a 6-week, cohort-based soft skills development program designed to help young professionals ages 18–30 build the skills that truly set them apart.

✔ Navigate the workplace with professionalism
✔ Communicate with clarity
✔ Show up with confidence

Apply now: https://shorturl.at/fnmFF
Mondays | 9:00–11:00 AM | Starts May 4
Applications close April 24

Week 1 – Professional Presence & Workplace Communication – May 4
Week 2 – Presentation Skills & Public Speaking (Part 1) – May 11
Week 3 – Networking: In-Person & Online – May 18
Week 4 – Presentation Skills & Public Speaking (Part 2) – June 1
Week 5 – Etiquette & Workplace Events – June 8
Week 6 – Leadership Showcase & Graduation – June 15

04/16/2026

Our Spring Spotlight Program is halfway through and the growth is already showing! 🌟

Over the past few weeks, our class members have been diving into their GallupStrengths assessments and looking at how they shape our everyday lives. Through hands-on activities and conversations, they’ve explored how they show up at work and how to collaborate with others who think and operate differently.

We’ve also taken a closer look at leadership and learned from community leaders, including:
• Betty Smith, Enrichment Arts Education Center
• Tracy Nicodemo, Leadership Stark County
• Joel Daniel Harris, TomTod Ideas
• Kelly Tisevich, The ONE Center for Leadership
• Dan Brown, JumpStart Inc.

Through real-life scenarios and discussion, the Spotlight class is learning to recognize where they feel confident and where it may be time to reflect or reset boundaries. And we're not done yet! More conversations, connections and growth are ahead. 💡🤝

Huge thank you to the The ONE Center for Leadership, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and Daniel Wales Stark County Educational Service Center for hosting us!

04/16/2026

Last week, the DIVINE 39 spent the day immersed in the arts, and what that really means for a community.

We kicked things off at the Massillon Museum, grounding the day in both history and perspective. From there, the class experienced it firsthand: connecting with artists, walking through museums, engaging in a creative leadership exercise, and even stepping outside their comfort zones (thank you for the demo class, Canton Ballet!)

But the day went deeper than that.

We explored the role the arts play in shaping a community: fueling economic vitality, strengthening identity, and creating spaces where people feel CONNECTED.

A question that stayed with us throughout the day: If the arts disappeared, what would we lose?

Through conversations with community leaders, a powerful panel discussion, and reflections after the group activities, the class saw how creativity and leadership intersect in real, tangible ways.

There’s something powerful about stepping back and recognizing the arts not as an “extra” but as essential infrastructure to a thriving community.

We’re grateful for the leaders, partners, and committee who made the day possible, and for a class willing to lean in, reflect, and engage.

And for the first time in YEARS the class was able to enjoy an art walk (Thank you, Maureen McLaughlin Ater!) WITHOUT RAIN! (and even got a behind the scenes glimpse of the Canton Palace Theatre!)

Days like this are a reminder: leadership isn’t just about what we build, but what we choose to value.

A special thank you to our committee: Alex Nicholis C**n, Courtney Halter, and Charlie Parrish, and to our DIVINE 39 Presenting Sponsor, Employers Health.

We also incredibly appreciative of ArtsinStark, Massillon Museum, 25th & Lincoln Mural Company, Canton Ballet, Canton Museum of Art, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Visit Canton, Canton Palace Theatre, CreativeOhio, and Second April Studios for sharing your time and insight.

04/14/2026

Grateful is an understatement 🙌

A huge THANK YOU to our incredible sponsors for making our Cultivating Team Culture Conference possible. Your support fuels meaningful conversations, powerful learning, and real impact across our community.

Because of you, we’re able to bring leaders together to grow, connect, and build stronger teams. 🌱