Posts Tagged ‘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.
When Storyteller Adam Wade Returned to Keene
When Storyteller Adam Wade Returned to Keene
May 19, 2026 | Jessica Johansson
Adam Wade has told this story many times.
He has shared it on stages in New York City and beyond, to audiences who have never set foot in New Hampshire, never walked across the Keene State campus on a late April afternoon, and never shared a heart-shaped pizza from Athens Pizza on Valentine's Day.
But recently, he came back to Keene to tell it, and something extraordinary happened.
Adam Wade is a 20-time Story Slam winner at The Moth and the creator of the #1 bestselling Audible Original audio memoir, "You Ought to Know Adam Wade." He is also a proud Keene State College alum and was one of the featured presenters at the inaugural Leadership Monadnock Summit presented by Eversource, held on April 24th at Keene Country Club.
In his storytelling special, Small Town Lover, Adam reflects on his years at Keene State College, including a memorable college date, the kindness he experienced at Athens Pizza, and mentor Bob Gunther, adviser to the Keene State College Film Society, a man with a remarkable claim to fame. The way Adam tells it, Bob was exactly the kind of person you hope to find when you are young and just figuring things out.
It is a story about place, about people, and about the unexpected ways a community shapes you. And it found its way back to where it began.
GMC President and CEO Julie Schoelzel had come across Adam's story and reached out earlier this year to invite him to speak at the GMC Annual Gala. The timing didn't work out then, but the Leadership Monadnock Summit finally brought him back.
During his storytelling session, Adam reached the part of the story about Bob Gunther, the unforgettable KSC Film Society adviser, and stopped to ask the audience if anyone knew him.
In a room filled with more than 100 community leaders from across the Monadnock Region, a voice answered. It was Marti Fiske, Director at Keene Public Library and a Leadership Monadnock alum. Bob Gunther was her uncle!
There was an audible reaction across the room as people took in the coincidence... a story Adam had told for years suddenly became something new.
At the end of his story, Adam received a standing ovation from the audience. Later, during his workshop session, he reflected on how stories evolve over time. He shared that from now on, the story would always include the moment the Greater Monadnock Collaborative brought him back to Keene to tell it, where he received a standing ovation... and unexpectedly met Bob Gunther's niece.
Stories evolve because people do. Communities do too.
And maybe that is the story beneath the story.
In the Monadnock Region, local businesses and institutions do more than serve a community. They become part of its stories.
Athens Pizza. Keene State College. The City of Keene, home to the Keene Public Library. All GMC members. All woven together in one story shared in one room on one April day.
Without these businesses, without these institutions, without the people who choose to invest in this region, there is no story.
This is what a connected community looks like.
We cannot wait to do it all again. Watch our calendar/social media for details on the 2nd Annual Leadership Monadnock Summit, coming in Spring 2027.
If you missed the Summit, you can watch Adam’s storytelling special here: Small Town Lover
Building Stronger Leaders and Organizations: Leadership Monadnock Summit
Building Stronger Leaders and Organizations: Leadership Monadnock Summit
March 11, 2026
Investing in people is critical to thriving organizations and communities. That’s the focus of the 2026 Leadership Monadnock Summit Presented by EVERSOURCE, a ticketed full day professional development experience bringing together community leaders on Friday, April 24th at Keene Country Club.
This event is open to everyone and is hosted by Greater Monadnock Collaborative's nine-month community leadership program, Leadership Monadnock. The event will help participants grow leadership capacity, strengthen collaboration, and apply practical tools they can use immediately in their work.
Spend the day with fellow leaders from across the Monadnock Region - connecting, reconnecting, and exploring the ideas and issues shaping our communities. The Summit will include expert presentations, engaging group sessions, and a full day of meaningful networking. Registration also includes two meals, snacks, and a closing cocktail/mocktail hour to continue building relationships.
We are excited to welcome all participants, including Leadership Monadnock Alumni, current participants of the Class of 2026, and anyone that is Leadership Monadnock curious. When professionals learn and grow together, the entire region benefits!
Presenters
- Adar Cohen, internationally known mediator and author
- Adam Wade, 20-time Story Slam champion at The Moth and Keene State College Alum
- Brian Gottlob, Director of NH Employment Security’s Economic and Labor Market Bureau, and Principal of PolEcon Research, a Dover-based economic research company
- Julie Schoelzel, President & CEO of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative
- Corinne Benfield, Executive Director of Stay Work Play New Hampshire
Adar Cohen remarked, “I am excited to work with your community!”
"I’m a proud Keene State College alum, and choosing to go there was one of the best decisions I ever made,” wrote Adam Wade. “The college and the people in that community had a profound impact on my life, and I remain deeply grateful for that experience."
Program Details
- Hands-on learning sessions
- Peer networking and collaboration
- Strategies for tough conversations, effective storytelling, and a deepened understanding of regional opportunities and challenges
Event Details
- Date: Friday, April 24th
- Time: 8:30am (check in begins) to 5:30pm (conclusion of closing reception)
- Location: Keene Country Club - 755 W Hill Rd., Keene NH
- Registration: Opens Monday, March 16th
- Audience: Open to All
- Cost: $150 per person
- Tickets: Limited to 100 and expected to SELL OUT
Full Details & Sponsorship Opportunities: greatermonadnock.com/leadership-monadnock-summit
About Greater Monadnock Collaborative's Leadership Monadnock Program
LEADERSHIP MONADNOCK is the signature community leadership program of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative - regional chamber of commerce and your gateway to a deeply engaging experience in the Monadnock Region, ideal for community leaders looking to become more familiar with this remarkable area. Once a month for nine months, from October to June, you’ll explore the fascinating elements that define this region—think of it as a blend of education and fun!
With expert presentations, engaging group discussions, and hands-on activities, you’ll dive into various topics that shape the area’s character. You’ll have the chance to connect with other influential community leaders from business, government, nonprofits, education, and the arts.
For more Information, contact: Michelle DellaVita, Director of Leadership Monadnock for Greater Monadnock Collaborative at michelle@greatermonadnock.com