FOCUS St. Louis

Ready to lead with purpose? Applications for our next Women In Leadership cohort are being accepted through Dec. 14. Embrace the opportunity to strengthen your personal, professional, and civic leadership skills, all while connecting with dynamic women from diverse backgrounds! Learn more and apply now: https://lnkd.in/e5mFp8u7

What does "inspired leadership" mean to you? Yesterday, FOCUS St. Louis' Women in Leadership partnered with Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute to delve into this subject and have candid conversations with leaders who are modeling it. In our LeadHER Interview with Rachana Creeth, we learned first what it means to prioritize your values, play from your own playbook, take time to understand what energizes you, and incorporate more of that into your personal and professional life. During our LeadHER Panel, Patricia R. Bosman, M.A., PMP, LaKricia Cox, April Foster, and Julie Peters shared career and life lessons, from mentoring to sponsorship to restorative practices to leaning into your why as a leader. Jami Dix brought home the message loud and clear through a values-based storytelling exercise that helped us all reaffirm our core values, essential in inspired leadership. Thank you to all who helped make the day special. Shannon Groark and Emily Bozich We appreciate you greatly!

Congratulations to FOCUS Leadership St. Louis alum Dana Sandweiss, who will be honored with the Hannah G. Solomon Founder Award from the National Council of Jewish Women - St. Louis Section!

Is your ecosystem wide enough? Join us for our final forum of 2024 and leave with actionable strategies to expand your network, foster deeper partnerships, and create a more impactful ecosystem for lasting success. Moderated by Benjamin Ola. Akande PhD of Stifel Financial Corp., our panel will feature Arnold Donald of Carnival Corporation, Kathy Mazzarella of Graybar and Mark Wrighton, Ph.D., of Washington University in St. Louis. Special thanks to Stifel Financial Corp. for their generous support of this event. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today at https://lnkd.in/exCi9rGz!

Do you know an organization, individual or initiative making a positive difference in our St. Louis community? We'll be opening nominations for our annual What's Right with the Region Awards in December. Sign up here to be notified when nominations open: https://lnkd.in/e_7_QKyF

Leadership isn’t just about guiding others — it’s also about taking care of yourself. During our recent Youth Leadership St. Louis program day, we focused on the importance of self-care for leaders of all ages. Our students explored practical ways to support their physical, mental and emotional health, while also engaging in honest, open conversations about mental health and well-being. It was a powerful day of growth, reflection, and building the resilience needed to lead effectively — while caring for themselves along the way. Thank you to our presenters and facilitators, including Bart Andrews, Harlan B. Hodge, De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, Marcus Hurt, and Coach Melody McClellan AADP. Our special thanks to Dr. Isaac Butler and the team at University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis for hosting, and to Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated for their support of this day!

Congratulations to recent FOCUS Experience St. Louis alum Ambur Banner MSW, MBA, LSW on being named as Director of the St. Louis County Department of Human Services!

It's been a busy week for our FOCUS Emerging Leaders as they presented their Civic Action Projects and completed their closing session. Congratulations to our newest FOCUS graduates! Civic Action Projects offer a unique opportunity for our Emerging Leaders to put their leadership skills into action, and we are grateful to our community partners Greater St. Louis, Inc., Locust Business District, Greater St. Louis Honor Flight, Parkinson's Foundation, and St. John's Community Care for supporting this learning. Thanks also to Jon Franko, Briana A. Bobo, MBA and FOCUS Board Member Steward Stiles III for sharing their alumni perspectives on our Navigating the Path Forward panel!

FOCUS is all about connecting leaders – and now we're offering another event that does just that! Registration is open for our January Speed Mentoring event, aimed at young professionals and those in the early-to-mid stages of their careers.?During this fast-paced session, you'll gain the benefit of multiple new perspectives and years of collective experience. Register now: https://lnkd.in/eGBwEFCV Thank you to the Missouri Athletic Club and One Cardinal Way for their support of this event!

Another great forum this morning as we explored the importance of Third Places — places where people connect outside of work and home. Our region is home to an amazing array of these places, and we were honored to have a few of them represented on our panel today. Thank you to our moderator Harlan B. Hodge and panelists Emma Klues of Great Rivers Greenway, Ronke Faleti of korédé house, Dr. Jody Sowell of the Missouri Historical Society and Kristen Sorth of St. Louis County Library, and to the team at the Missouri Historical Society for hosting!