The Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program held its second annual leadership luncheon in March, hosting leaders from UNMC and the community.
The visiting leaders included:
- Ken Bird, the former superintendent of Westside Schools, and CEO of the Avenue Scholars Foundation;
- Dele Davies, M.D., senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at UNMC;
- Amanda McGill-Johnson, former state senator and community impact & strategic initiative director at the Nebraska Children’s Home Society;
- Aileen Warren, assistant vice chancellor for human resources at UNMC; and
- Gail Werner-Robertson, founder and CEO of Autism Action Partnership and GWR Wealth Management.
The event gives LEND students an opportunity to meet and chat with community leaders in an informal, small-group setting, said Kellie Ellerbusch, LEND training director.
“It’s a way for the students to learn about our visitors’ paths to leadership,” Ellerbusch said. “It gives students a chance to ask questions and get insights from these community leaders.”
The visitors also get to learn more about the Munroe-Meyer Institute-based LEND program, one of 52 programs nationwide that provide leadership training to clinicians and professionals who work with individuals with disabilities and their families. The leadership luncheon focused on the importance of leadership training for emerging professionals. The invited leaders have the opportunity to discuss their views of leadership and their personal leadership journeys.
“I just enjoy the interaction with the people in the program,” Bird said. “I think I get more out of the discussion than the students do. It’s a chance to talk about leadership — and we don’t do that often enough.”
Cindy Ellis, M.D., director of the LEND Program, opened the meeting with a short presentation on LEND’s goals and history. Conversations in the small groups covered topics such as volunteerism, work-life balance, challenges that mothers face, resiliency and keeping control of your schedule and your life.
Pat Dunlap, a LEND trainee, said he appreciated the event.
“I enjoyed getting to talk to someone like Amanda McGill-Johnson,” he said.
“It was a great opportunity to hear about not only the activities that help promote someone to a leadership role, but also the values and attitudes that these people hold that make them good leaders,” agreed Whitney Strong-Bak, another LEND trainee and a post-doctoral fellow in psychology.
“The Leadership Luncheon has become a highlight of our year-long LEND leadership training program,” Dr. Ellis said. “We so appreciate this group of distinguished leaders who take the time to have lunch and share their experiences and wisdom with our trainees.”