Leadership Monadnock
Greater Monadnock Collaborative Launches Leadership Monadnock EMERGING
Greater Monadnock Collaborative Launches Leadership Monadnock EMERGING
September 28, 2026
New program introduces students to leadership, career readiness, and the regional economy.
KEENE, NH — The Greater Monadnock Collaborative (GMC) Regional Chamber of Commerce is launching Leadership Monadnock EMERGING, a professional development pilot program for high-school students that will train participants in both soft skills and technical concepts in preparation for local internships.
The program is being piloted with Making Community Connections Chartered Public School (MC2) during the 2026–27 school year, with the hope of expanding it to other high schools in the future. This pilot is sponsored by Corning Incorporated, the world’s leading innovator in glass science and optical physics. Corning’s Keene manufacturing facility specializes in advanced optical solutions.
The pilot is designed to provide professional development to 20 to 30 MC2 students in support of the school’s Learning Outcomes for Internships in preparation for successful internship experiences with local organizations. Its focus areas include soft skills development and application, as well as exposure to manufacturing concepts, including a visit to Corning.
“This is exciting, not just for the linkage and student learning opportunities between Corning and MC2, but for the ultimate expansion of the Monadnock Region’s workforce pipeline,” said Michelle DellaVita, Director of Leadership Monadnock at Greater Monadnock Collaborative.
Modeled after GMC’s Leadership Monadnock signature program and adapted for young people, Leadership Monadnock EMERGING connects students with leaders, employers, nonprofits and community partners representing a variety of industries, career pathways and perspectives. Experiential learning through hands-on activities, discussion, team-based problem solving, and site visits provides multiple ways for students to participate, learn, and contribute.
The MC2 pilot includes six sessions throughout the school year:
- Insights & Communication
- Design Thinking & Project Management
- Misdeal Card Simulation
- Misdeal Card Simulation Debrief
- Regional Manufacturing Overview
- Sustainability & Action Plan
The pilot’s session topics are designed to be interactive and keenly focused on learning activities that introduce students to manufacturing in the region.
“We’re proud to support Leadership Monadnock EMERGING and the important role it will play in helping local students build leadership skills, explore career pathways, and gain early exposure to opportunities in manufacturing,” said Donald Tilley, Plant Operations Manager, Keene, Corning Incorporated. “At Corning, we value opportunities to reinvest in the communities where we live and work, and we’re grateful to support an initiative that helps inspire and prepare the next generation in the Monadnock Region.”
Program impacts include making leadership development, career exploration, and community connection accessible to a broad range of young people. By partnering directly with MC2, the pilot brings these experiences to students through their school environment and, thanks to Corning’s sponsorship, does so at no cost, helping remove financial, transportation, and awareness barriers to participation.
DellaVita is collaborating with GMC member Jocelyn Acampora, founder of RealityWise Consulting and a specialist in operational excellence, to deliver the curriculum.
“I am thrilled to be working with the Greater Monadnock Collaborative, MC², and Corning on Leadership Monadnock Emerging,” said Jocelyn Acampora. “Most leaders aren’t simply born; they are developed through experience, guidance, and opportunities to lead. We can wait for those experiences to happen over a lifetime, or we can intentionally create opportunities for emerging leaders to learn, practice, and grow. LME gives us the chance to help develop the future leaders of our community today.”
The pilot runs from August 2026 through April 2027. Participants will receive Leadership Monadnock EMERGING Certificates of Completion and will be recognized at the MC2 Mentor Recognition Dinner at Keene State College in May 2027.
About Greater Monadnock Collaborative
The Greater Monadnock Collaborative Regional Chamber of Commerce is a regional business and community organization serving businesses, organizations, and municipalities across the Monadnock Region’s thirty-four towns. Through business support, leadership development, regional promotion, advocacy, and collaborative partnerships, GMC works to strengthen the regional economy and connect businesses, organizations, and people across the region.
About Corning Incorporated
Corning (www.corning.com) is the world’s leading innovator in materials science, with a 175-year track record of life-changing inventions. Corning applies its unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramic science, and optical physics, along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people’s lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in RD&E, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and deep, trust-based relationships with customers who are global leaders in their industries. Corning’s capabilities are versatile and synergistic, which allows the company to evolve to meet changing market needs, while also helping its customers capture new opportunities in dynamic industries. Today, Corning’s markets include optical communications, mobile consumer electronics, display, automotive, solar, semiconductors, and life sciences.
GMC Celebrates the Graduating Leadership Monadnock Class of 2026
GMC Celebrates the Graduating Leadership Monadnock Class of 2026
June 11, 2026
We are thrilled to announce the graduation of an outstanding group of local community leaders from Leadership Monadnock Class of 2026. These individuals have successfully completed an immersive, nine-month-long journey of experiential learning, civic engagement, and community-building designed to connect and empower change-makers across the Monadnock Region.
This year’s graduating class includes professionals from a wide spectrum of industries, each committed to fostering community engagement, inclusive leadership, and creating lasting impact within their communities across the Monadnock Region:
- Debra LeClair, PsyD, Executive Coach & Psychologist for re-Sourced
- Erin Beaudry, Individual Giving Officer for Kurn Hattin Home and School for Children
- Gabrielle Libby, Project Manager, National Project Management Office for C&S Wholesale Grocers
- Gina De Santis, Executive Director for Stonewall Farm
- Greg Seymour, Deputy Chief of Fire Department Operations for City of Keene
- Heather Scheck, Regional Vice President & Branch Manager at West Street - Keene, Winchester, and Rindge Branches for Savings Bank of Walpole
- Heidi Schwieger, Director of Development for MoCo Arts
- Jess Barbarow, Director of Critical Care and Emergency Services for Cheshire Medical Center
- Jessie Carpenter, Real Estate Agent for Keller Williams Metropolitan Keene
- Jocelyn Goldblatt, Executive Director for Cheshire Children's Museum
- Joe Axne, Manager Regional Operations, Western Region for Eversource
- Judy Hoffman, Supervisor of the Keene Academic Center for River Valley Community College
- Kate Blaha, Marketing, Culture & Events Specialist for The Richards Group, an IMA Company in Keene
- Max Beebe, Development Liaison for Hinsdale Economic Development Corporation, Owner of O'Mega Images LLC, Co-Owner of ByteWise Digital, and REALTOR® Associate with Greenwald Realty Group
- Michelle Walker, Director of Education for Historical Society of Cheshire County
- Miranda Stevens, Assistant Branch Manager for Service Credit Union
- Paul Andrus, Director of Community Development for City of Keene
- Peter Carvell, Senior Vice President & Commercial Loan Officer for Savings Bank of Walpole
- Sara Lang, Senior Philanthropy Advisor for New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
- Sara Powell, Program Director for The Hannah Grimes Center
- Sarah Croteau, Agency Fiscal Director for Southwestern Community Services
- Sareen Sarna, Senior Director of Growth and Development for Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services
- Scott Arlen, Maintenance Supervisor for Keene Housing
- Scott Brown, Branch Manager III Officer for Mascoma Bank
- Scott Symonds, Chief Excecutive Officer for SMART Ride LLC
- Scout Mercer, Youth Services Librarian II for Keene Public Library
- Seamus Batdorf-Dwyer, Certified Recovery Support Worker for Cheshire County Treatment Court
- Shane Moynihan, REALTOR® for Shane Moynihan Realty LLC (Realty One Group Next Level) and local multifamily investor
- Stephanie Latini, Internship and Business Outreach Manager for Monadnock United Way
- Sudesh Joshi-Chhibbar, Director of Surgical Services & Birthing Suites for Monadnock Community Hospital
“We are thrilled to celebrate these accomplished community leaders who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to building a stronger, more connected community. Their energy, collaboration, and innovation are exactly what our communities need as we work toward an even stronger future for the Monadnock Region,” said Michelle DellaVita, Director of Leadership Monadnock for Greater Monadnock Collaborative. “We are grateful for each of the organizations that invested in their employees’ active participation, as well as to our sponsors, Eversource, Mascoma Bank, Freitag Marketing, Keene Young Professionals Network, Savings Bank of Walpole, and Monadnock Ford.”
Throughout the program, participants engaged in experiential learning, collaborative conversations, engaging presentations, and deep dives into critical topics such as economic development, community building, government, mental health, and education.
The Leadership Monadnock alumni network now includes over 500 graduates, many of whom have gone on to take on influential roles in municipalities, nonprofits, education, and business—amplifying the ripple effect of this transformative program.
About Leadership Monadnock
Leadership Monadnock is an intensive nine-month community leadership program, held October through June. Each session is designed to immerse participants in the truly critical aspects that drive the dynamic nature of the regional economy and quality of life. Each session is structured to present multiple aspects of a topic through a combination of presentations by experienced professionals and subject matter experts, group discussions, and other experiences. Participants have access to other community leaders who are experts in their respective fields including business, government, education, nonprofits, social services, the arts, and other organizations throughout the region.
For more information about Leadership Monadnock or to sign up to receive notifications on when to apply for our next cohort, visit greatermonadnock.com/leadership-monadnock/or contact Michelle DellaVita at michelle@greatermonadnock.com.