LEONARDTOWN, MD – April 29, 2022: On April 22, 2022, Leadership Southern Maryland’s Emerging Leaders Program (LEAP) Class of 2022 held its fourth of six program sessions. The focus for the session was communication and diversity.

The day opened at St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) with a discussion on communication strengths and perceptions based on the class members’ Emergenetics profiles. This was followed by a presentation on Communication in the Diverse Workplace by Kelsey Bush LSM’15, chief diversity officer at SMCM. The class also learned best practices for navigating conflict in the workplace from Mia Bowers LSM’22, executive director of Community Mediation of St. Mary’s County.

After lunch, the class had the opportunity to ask questions of St. Mary’s County leaders: Maryland State Delegate Brian Crosby, Deputy Director Kellie Hinkle from St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development, and Capt. Steve Hall LSM’18 of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. The panelists provided insight into the inner workings of local government along with the successes and challenges faced by each speaker in their respective fields.

The afternoon session continued with a discussion with Mike Bellis LSM’19 and his brother, Josh Bellis. The two focused on ensuring diversity in the workplace from both a human resources professional’s approach and personal perspectives. The final portion of the day featured an activity giving class members the opportunity to bridge the communications gap and reflect on the day’s events with Leslie Fazio LSM’22, team effectiveness and coaching team lead for NAVAIR and the Emergenetics and session facilitator for LEAP Class of 2022.

At the conclusion of the program day, the class adjourned to The Green Door to continue the conversation and reflect on the day’s events.

Leadership Southern Maryland’s Emerging Leaders Program (LEAP) provides educational programming opportunities to new or emerging leaders in the region. Through a series of six “experiences,” young leaders facilitate, foster, and refine their individual leadership understanding and abilities via structured course curriculum and a focus on self-discovery, teamwork, and networking. Experts from across the region and state representing business, government, education, and the nonprofit community serve as panelists and guest speakers.