News

Leadership Napa Valley (LNV) is requesting proposals from consultants with experience in grant planning, fundraising strategies, fund development and writing. Responses to this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be used to select and negotiate with a consultant to perform assigned tasks on an as needed basis. Responses are due on Monday, October 23rd. 

LNV External Fundraising RFP.pdf

Program Day: February 3, 2023

Gray Skies Can't Stop Class 35!
Our first stop, at Camille Creek started off strong with homemade scones from one of the students and led into an insightful session about the program, which provides services and enrichment to students that need an alternative place to succeed other than their neighborhood school. The passion and determination that Jeff Scott projected was unforgettable, and helped provide a better understanding as to why this program is necessary and how everyone can be involved to contribute to future successes. It set the tone for the rest of the presenters throughout our day-- passion, devotion and expertise.

Shortly after our visit with Camille Creek, we were fortunate to observe various classrooms of children in the Early Childhood Education program. The children were rotating between various stations, each with their own development/sensory goals. It is a true gem for the community!

From there, I don't believe any of us were expecting to travel so much that we should have coordinated carpooling efforts to limit the train of cars going from site to site. Nonetheless, we had great insight into the Dual Immersion and language development at Pueblo Vista and Unidos Middle School. Principal Rocca was a great presenter with passion to help students succeed at not only being bilingual but truly immersed with learning school subjects in two languages! At Unidos, Principal Uribe shared her vision for the school and passion to ensure the dual immersion programs continue beyond elementary school. We also had an opportunity to listen, first hand, from Superintendent Mucetti about the obstacles and opportunities our school district is facing. It was surprising to the group to learn how our public schools are actually funded and how pivotal it is to garner community support to continue improving our schools.

Though the day was planned around the progression of our dual immersion program, we made a brief stop in a multipurpose room at Napa High. We all came prepared for school lunch in the Napa High cafeteria (we were pleasantly surprised to find boxed lunches). Over lunch, we had an opportunity to hear from Superintendent Barbara Nemko about how her office supports the various programs in our local and neighboring school districts. Budgets are not her offices' only tasks, and the wealth of services they provide needed more slides to showcase!

Onward with our visit at Napa High with Principal Ainsworth and sitting in on some of the classes was quite the experience. We heard from students in the dual immersion program for Geography. They shared some of the challenges they experience with a subject taught entirely in Spanish, and how they work with other students to find solutions. After a walk through the Machine Shop and a peek into the Robotics lab where we saw students actively working to assemble their robot for the upcoming season, we loaded up and headed on over to Napa Valley College.

Napa Valley College has so much to offer and we had a chance to ask questions from the new President, Dr. Powell. Questions came about the groundbreaking construction of the residence halls. We were happy to hear that housing is going to be dedicated to future students! Our biggest takeaway at the college was listening about the programs being offered and how they tailor education to meet the needs of local business. The teachers want their students who complete a program to be prepared to enter the workforce on day 1. We know that not everyone is destined for a 4-year university and there is immense value to our society for those students/individuals who choose to enter careers like emergency medical services, hospitality, culinary, welding and viticulture.

We have to share that the biggest photo opportunity came through with the excitement of seeing the mannequins and live demonstrations from EMT instructor Scott & Marc. It was captivating to witness the breadth of training offered at this location.

As we walked through a live class in the welding program and through to the other side of campus, we arrived at our final destination - viticulture building. The manager, Phillip Murphy, shared how the program helps new students and current employees learn new skills to advance in the wine industry. We all took our tastings in hand and enjoyed the newly bottled wine from grapes grown on site. Great way to finish our Day of Education!

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Class 35 Education Day Gratitude Team members:
Don Maiden - Lieutenant, Napa Sheriff's Office
Wahu Oseso - Pharmacy Intern, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy
Josephine Palacios - Financial Advisor, Edward Jones

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About this post: 

The purpose of the Attitude of Gratitude program is (1) to thank our extraordinary Day Coordinators who provide the information and experiences that make each of the program days exceptional, and (2) to reflect on what has changed for the class members as a result of their participation in Leadership Napa Valley. For each of the class program days, a gratitude team is assigned to make sure all the individuals responsible for coordinating, facilitating, and presenting the day are thanked.

Program Day: January 20, 2023

Class 35’s Tourism Day was a fantastic opportunity for members to experience Napa through the eyes of a tourist. The class was spoiled by all its hosts, who represented different sectors of the broader local tourism industry. We started our day at Visit Napa Valley’s downtown center, where Linsey and her staff introduced the class to VNV’s work in promoting Napa Valley and the many ways it supports the county and its economy. The class then walked to the River Terrace Inn (with a brief VIP tour of the downtown floodplain along the way), where we toured their rooms and were met by the ALBA restaurant staff with tasty Bloody Mary’s.

The class then was treated to a delicious and scenic lunch on the Wine Train, before disembarking and traveling by Platypus Wine Tour buses to visit V. Sattui Winery for a wonderful spread of charcuterie and wine, along with presentations by local Chamber of Commerce chapters within the county. Finally, Class 35 ended their day with a glass of champagne and tour of The George Hotel in downtown Napa. At each stop our hosts were extremely hospitable and each gave class members generous gifts as part of the visit, including a few lucky class members that received a free future experience through a raffle!

Tourism Day wasn't just packed with fun activities; it also increased class 35 members' understanding of various aspects of Napa's tourism industry that might otherwise go unnoticed. The day was both enjoyable and very informative, from learning about the business structure of VNV and their collaboration with state, regional, and local tourism offices to discovering some of the many tourism-focused businesses serving Napa's visitors and residents every day.

It was invaluable to have the opportunity to compare the Tourism Day experience to what the class learned during Agriculture Day, and better understand how these different industries work together to create the "Napa Valley Experience." Our class was grateful for the generosity and hospitality of our hosts, as well as for the opportunity to explore the places and experiences in Napa that draw visitors from around the world.
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Class 35 Tourism Day Gratitude members:

Kecia Lind - Deputy District Attorney, Napa County District Attorney's Office
Jenny Lockwood - Business Office Manager, Aegis of Napa
Pablo Zatarain - Executive Director, Napa Fair Housing

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About this post:
The purpose of the Attitude of Gratitude program is (1) to thank our extraordinary Day Coordinators who provide the information and experiences that make each of the program days exceptional, and (2) to reflect on what has changed for the class members as a result of their participation in Leadership Napa Valley. For each of the class program days, a gratitude team is assigned to make sure all the individuals responsible for coordinating, facilitating, and presenting the day are thanked.

Program Day: December 2, 2022

It was no surprise that Planning Day was expertly planned.
Throughout the day we were taken on a literal and figurative ride through the city planning process, guided by our local experts. Jeri Hansen, Principal of the Jeri Hansen Company and President & CEO of the Napa Chamber of Commerce, kept the class on track to follow the agenda as we embarked on a roundtable discussion with professionals. The morning began with an introduction to city planning by Vin Smith, Community Development Director and Brian Bordona, Interim Director. They walked us through the nuts and bolts of a city plan having just completed the lengthy and arduous process in 2022.

Next, we engaged in in-depth small group roundtable discussions with experts in housing (Molly Rattigan, Deputy City Manager at City of Napa), architecture (Steven Cuddy, Managing Partner at Napa Design Partners), economic development (Neal Harrison, Economic Development Manager at City of Napa), and transportation (Danielle Schimtz, Director at Napa Valley Transportation Authority). We had a crash course on the real estate development of downtown Napa and how it’s evolved by Andrew Mazotti (Real Estate Investor), who played an integral role in developing downtown Napa into the burgeoning center of activity that it’s evolved into in recent years.

Our busy morning ended with lunch and a belated birthday celebration for Mayor Jill.

To walk off our delicious lunch from Imagination On Fire (a popular local food truck), Class 35 trekked through downtown to explore the inside of the Second Street Post office that was rocked off its foundation during the 2014 Napa earthquake. We cautiously entered the multi-level 1920s post office building on Second Street. We stepped through cracked walls, over abandoned personal items, and surveyed the dim basement offices. We were enamored by the ghostliness of the property and the stunning surviving art deco features just waiting to be brought back to life.

Class members returned to the Soscol Gateway Transit Center to form charrettes. The Class was challenged to redevelop the Post Office site while preserving the historical 1920’s architectural facade, but include retail, hospitality and community uses. Our plans were put to the test as groups presented and defended their designs in front of a panel of planning commission experts including Beverly Shotwell (Planning Commissioner), Mike Basayne (Lead Business Advisor) and City of Napa Councilmember, Beth Painter.

The packed day was enjoyed and appreciated by Class 35. We left more knowledgeable and engaged about the city planning and development processes and all the hard work our local professionals invest in making Napa the city that we love.

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Class 35 Planning Day Gratitude Team members: 

Emily Darlington - Early Childhood Services Coordinator, Napa County Office of Education
Kelly Engel - Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley
Alberto Esqueda - Senior Program Planner – Administrator, NVTA

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About this post:
The purpose of the Attitude of Gratitude program is (1) to thank our extraordinary Day Coordinators who provide the information and experiences that make each of the program days exceptional, and (2) to reflect on what has changed for the class members as a result of their participation in Leadership Napa Valley. For each of the class program days, a gratitude team is assigned to make sure all the individuals responsible for coordinating, facilitating, and presenting the day are thanked.

For immediate release
January 20, 2023
Molly Rattigan, President of the Board of Directors
707.483.5274

Jill Techel Announces Retirement from Leadership Napa Valley

Jill Techel, Program Director, has announced to the Leadership Napa Valley (LNV) Board of Directors that she will retire in June 2023. She has served as Program Director for over 25 years, beginning with Class 10.

It is a position that Jill loves and it is with mixed emotions that she is retiring, “I have loved getting to see the next generation of leaders come through the program and grow and share their love and commitment to the Napa Valley. It was a perfect job and I loved doing it. I am announcing now to give the Board time to recruit and select a new program director and have transition time.”

“As one of the individuals fortunate enough to have experienced Leadership Napa Valley under Jill’s exceptional leadership, I am grateful for her unwavering dedication to our organization,” said Molly Rattigan, President of the Board of Directors. She added, “I look forward to celebrating Jill’s contributions to Leadership Napa Valley with our network of alumni and our greater community.”

Jill’s retirement will be celebrated along with the graduation of Class 35, her final Leadership Napa Valley cohort on June 2, 2023. Details to follow.

The recruitment process for a new Program Director will commence in February 2023. Those interested in the process can email info@leadershipnapavalley.org to be added to a mailing list.

About Leadership Napa Valley
Now in its 35th year, LNV began in 1987. The program annually selects class members from a diverse cross-section of Napa Valley applicants. During the nine-month program, class members develop leadership skills and learn teamwork and experience the many different pieces, from government to nonprofits that make Napa County such a special place to live. In the practicum portion of the program, they work in teams to develop meaningful projects intended to have a lasting positive impact on the community. Today, LNV is recognized as one of the best leadership training experiences in the country. To date, more than 800 people have graduated from the program with a deeper commitment to making Napa Valley a better place to live, work and grow.

LNV is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that relies on support from community members like you. To find out more about how to get involved, go to LeadershipNapaValley.org

Program Day: January 6, 2023

Don’t judge a book by its cover will certainly apply to the courageous professionals with a badge and uniform.

Leadership within Napa’s law enforcement community was on full display during our recent Leadership Napa Valley Criminal Justice Day.

Being a Napa County and City of Napa law enforcement officer is more than just a job... it’s an opportunity to positively influence the community and do good. We saw first-hand that the job requires exceptional leadership skills to effectively serve the public which involves interaction with a diverse and large swathe of the community.

It was evident that being a law enforcement leader involves continuous learning, training, and development. They must always have a clear vision, be able to inspire and motivate others, and identify challenges. The leadership team, which included Sheriff Oscar Ortiz and Chief Jennifer Gonzales among many other members of their departments, were true leaders. They spoke to accountability to the public, community leaders, other members of their departments, and to themselves.

Most surprising was how both departments effectively instituted a transformational leadership model. The current leaders and leadership focus on and collaborate with all members to ensure and encourage others to succeed. They create positive and valuable changes with the end goal of transforming subordinates into leaders in the future. These law enforcement leaders recognize the strengths of others, highlight their achievements, and provide them with opportunities for growth. This culture is providing truly remarkable results, and I wish this characteristic was more prevalent in the private sector as well.

Overall, Criminal Justice day made a profound impact largely due to the personal connection and quality time we were able to spend with each of the departments’ members.
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Class 35 Criminal Justice Day Gratitude Team members: 

Amanda Frances Fisher - Director of Resource Development, Boys and Girls Club
Liz Habkirk - Assistant City Manager, City of Napa
Ervin Hechavvaria - Realtor, Coldwell Banker
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About this post:
The purpose of the Attitude of Gratitude program is (1) to thank our extraordinary Day Coordinators who provide the information and experiences that make each of the program days exceptional, and (2) to reflect on what has changed for the class members as a result of their participation in Leadership Napa Valley. For each of the class program days, a gratitude team is assigned to make sure all the individuals responsible for coordinating, facilitating, and presenting the day are thanked.

Program Day: November 4, 2022

We were there to learn and we did!
I expected to learn about Services and Programs, to hear and see the heartache of the frontline providers and the heartbreak of those in need of HHS services, and to witness the passion and compassion of those we would be meeting during the day.
 
I was not surprised by the comprehensive nature of the 75+ public facing programs and services of the Alcohol and Drug, Child Welfare Older Adults, Mental Health, Public Health, and Self-sufficiency Services.

I was surprised to see so many of our Community Benefit Organization (CBO) Leaders ‘in the room’. I’ve seen the County and CBO Collaboration in the Board Rooms; I did not expect to see it the LNV ‘classroom’.  I was humbled by the generosity of time given by the CBOs to LNV.

I was surprised to learn how intentional HHS is in ‘best-practice’ managing of the Agency through its Collaborative Management Principals - a flexible and dynamic methodology HHS has been engaging; and for how long - since 2007.

We were told to prepare for the heart-breaking stories and moments we would be witnessing when we would break off into pairs to see the frontlines.

I was not told to prepare to have two of us walk into a conference room to sit with 10 HHS staff and comprehensively discuss HHS responsibilities they are not public facing but critical to County Health - like monitoring and managing all Emergency Medical Systems, Public Immunizations and Vaccines (that aren’t COVID) but need to be managed regardless, and Communicable Diseases (STDs MRSA, TB, ESBL, etc.).

What surprised me the most was the local sophistication and capability we have at HHS to monitor, manage and address OUTBREAK!

In this case of Legionnaires Disease in Napa in July 2022. Napa County averages 1 case of Legionnaires per year. In July there were 2 in a week, 7 cases within 2 weeks of first onset, 11 within 3 weeks; 17 cases total with 7 cases with onset in one 5-day window.

Jennifer Henn, Public Health Manager, and some of her team walked us through the outbreak, the investigation into cause, remediation, and future steps.

The heroes of this story called on their investigative training to ask the right questions, use GIS imagery and satellite mapping, ‘shoe leather’ epidemiology, detailed interviews, property database scouring, prevailing wind mapping, environmental testing, and genome sequencing. I can’t do the investigation and management of the outbreak justice but I can say that Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo and Morgan Freeman would be proud - I certainly am!

I would be remiss if I didn’t say I was humbled by how generous all at HHS was with their time and energy for our day and my experience.
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Class 35 Health and Human Services (HHS) Day Gratitude Team members:
Alison Christianson - Realtor, Keller Williams Napa Valley
Harold Collins - Nursing Coordinator, Napa State Hospital
Stephen Corley - SA Corley & Co, Principal / Monticello Vineyards, Principal & Director

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About this post: 

The purpose of the Attitude of Gratitude program is (1) to thank our extraordinary Day Coordinators who provide the information and experiences that make each of the program days exceptional, and (2) to reflect on what has changed for the class members as a result of their participation in Leadership Napa Valley. For each of the class program days, a gratitude team is assigned to make sure all the individuals responsible for coordinating, facilitating, and presenting the day are thanked.

October 7, 2022
It was a tremendous privilege for our class 35 to experience all the expertise of Napa Valley’s Agriculture leaders on Ag Day on October 7. Our all day experience began in the vineyard as the sun came up, with 3 of Napa finest vineyardists giving a wonderful hands-on tutorial. We learned everything from soil science to vineyard management and how Napa’s vineyard stewards help promote healthy ecosystems. Then we met at Meadowood for a series of speakers and dialogues from every segment of the Napa wine growing industry.  

We learned the history of the unique Napa Ag Preserve, the industry and governmental organizations that manage/produce our vineyards and wine, and how the industry is working with farm-workers to promote health and professional skills.

Ted Hall enlighten us with his captivating talk on the economics of Organic Farming and the impact to our eco system. Our creativity was tested during the day with an Ag Ad-Hoc project. Our classes projects solved issues from a span of urban development to bugs in our soil infusing nitrogen.  

Farmstead served a delicious farm-to-table lunch. We closed the day with a tour of fire mitigation efforts near Pritchard Hill and at Colgin winery.  After driving through the fire trails and learning how Howell Mountain residents and wineries have pulled together to plan and prepare for fires we took a deep breath as we learned that an emergency radio channel was being established for the wineries in that region.   Overall, it was amazing to see 18 agricultural and wine industry professionals devote their time to our education and understanding!
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Class 35 Agriculture Day Gratitude Team members:

Bruce Barge - Principal, Bruce Barge Coaching and Consulting
Janette Books - Founder and Fiduciary, D4 Fiduciary and Business Advisory Services
Jen Cantrell - Staff Service Analyst II, County of Napa Health & Human Services Agency
________________
About this post:
The purpose of the Attitude of Gratitude program is (1) to thank our extraordinary Day Coordinators who provide the information and experiences that make each of the program days exceptional, and (2) to reflect on what has changed for the class members as a result of their participation in Leadership Napa Valley. For each of the class program days, a gratitude team is assigned to make sure all the individuals responsible for coordinating, facilitating, and presenting the day are thanked.

Program Day: September 23, 2022

A special shout out to Mary Rezek for setting the stage so early in the morning by digging deep and sharing truths in the first activity with the entire class. The activity was to walk around a field of photos lying on the ground and pick one that represented ourselves as individuals and our leadership style. We were then asked to share our personal attachment to the photo with others as well as have them ask personal questions about it. Many members of the class, ourselves included, felt this was a great way to start the day with some human connection that allowed us to move through the day with authenticity and vulnerability.

The next portion of the morning we broke into four groups and four respective corners to define on paper what was good leadership, bad leadership, what made us want to follow/be a good leader and the signs of a bad leader. What started out as one-word adjectives to describe the good and bad in the first rotation became sentences by the end of four rotations.

Prior to breaking for lunch, we met with our Triad groups and developed our individual Plan of Actions for LNV Class of 35 and worked within our groups to assist each other on that plan.

Classmates were especially grateful for lunch provided by fellow Class 35 member, Ryan Stetins, owner of the fabulous Compline Restaurant and Wine Shop in downtown Napa. No regrets having their duck fat fries!

Following lunch, we were thankful to hear from three alumni members, Kevin Hansen (33), Isly San Pedro (34), and Susan Larson-Bouwer about their practicum projects, pitfalls to avoid, and to speak up if something isn’t working within your group – after all, we are here to become better leaders so don’t stay silent. With this information fresh in hand, the class found out who their practicum team members were and met as teams for about an hour to learn more about each other.

The day wouldn’t have been complete without the preview for Agriculture and Winery Day. Class 35 is ready to make its mark on the Napa Valley and being remembered as the best Class ever.

Many thanks to Jill Techel, Mary Rezek, Katherine Zimmer Burke and Carolyn Hamilton for keeping us engaged throughout the class and keeping it relevant! The day was an opportunity for each of us to self-reflect on what’s important to us, what fuels and motivates us, and how we can show up as better leaders.

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Class 35 Leadership Seminar Day Gratitude Team members:
Mimi Adams, Operations Manager, Napa Farmers Market
Erica Ahmann Smithies, Public Works Director, City of American Canyon
Natalie Aliga, Vice President & Community Relations Bay Area Market Manager, Citi Bank

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About this post: 
The purpose of the Attitude of Gratitude program is (1) to thank our extraordinary Day Coordinators who provide the information and experiences that make each of the program days exceptional, and (2) to reflect on what has changed for the class members as a result of their participation in Leadership Napa Valley. For each of the class program days, a gratitude team is assigned to make sure all the individuals responsible for coordinating, facilitating, and presenting the day are thanked.

Leadership Napa Valley (LNV) announces its 2022-2023 Board of Directors:
The Executive Committee includes President Molly Rattigan (Class 31), Deputy City Manager, City of Napa; Vice President Jessica Penman (Class 32), President and CEO, Truckee Chamber of Commerce; Secretary Natalie Griffin Scott (Class 32), Development Director, Napa Humane; Treasurer Katarina Mezeiova (Class 31), Director of Finance, The Westin Verasa Napa; and Past President Danielle Barreca (Class 29), Hedgerow Property Management.

The Board welcomes new members Miryam Chae (Class 31), Hess Persson Estates; Kristin Miller (Class 26), Corporate Social Responsibility Consultant; Isly San Pedro (34), Retired; Chuck Dell’Ario (Class 34), Attorney; Cristian Maldonado (Class 34), Trini's Catering.
The Board expresses its gratitude to members retiring from the Board: Kathy Glass (Class 28), Carolyn Hamilton (Class 33), Matthew Garcia (Class 33), Peg Maddocks (Class 31), Jocelyn Hoar (Class 27) and Jeremy Mostafanejad (Class 32).

Class 35 began September 9, and LNV is pleased to announce the selected class participants:
Mimi Adams, Operations Manager, Napa Farmers Market
Erica Ahmann Smithies, Public Works Director, City of American Canyon
Natalie Aliga, Vice President & Community Relations Bay Area Market Manager, Citi Bank
Bruce Barge, Principal Bruce, Barge Coaching and Consulting
Janette Brooks, VP Lead Fiduciary Officer, Wells Fargo Private Bank
Jen Cantrell, Staff Service Analyst II, County of Napa Health & Human Services Agency
Alison Christianson, Realtor, Keller Williams Napa Valley
Harold Collins, Nursing Coordinator, Napa State Hospital
Stephen Corley, Principal, SA Corley & Co
Emily Darlington, Early Learning Programs Manager, First 5 Napa County
Kelly Engel, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley
Alberto Esqueda, Senior Program Planner – Administrator, NVTA
Amanda Frances Fisher, Director of Resource Development, Boys and Girls Club
Liz Habkirk, Assistant City Manager, City of Napa
Ervin Hechavarria, Realtor, Coldwell Banker
Benjamin Horne, Deputy Director, Union Square Alliance
Kecia Lind, Deputy District Attorney, Napa County District Attorney's Office
Jenny Lockwood, Business Office Manager, Aegis of Napa
Donald Maiden, Lieutenant, Napa Sheriff's Office
Wahu Oseso, Pharmacy Intern, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy
Josephine Palacios, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
Jesse Ramer, Member Relations and Education Manager, Napa Valley Vintners
Heather Ruiz, Director of Human Resources, City of Napa
Jonathan Schellin, Procurement & Program Specialist, City of Benicia
Hayden Sims, Events and Membership Manager, Calistoga Chamber of Commerce
Stephanie Solberg, Principal, SCS Consulting
Ryan Stetins, Owner, Compline Restaurant and Wine Bar
Brian Voynick, Performance Marketing Manager, Global CRM, Uber, Inc.
Etta Williams, Director of Advancement, Blue Oak School
Pablo Zatarain, Executive Director, Napa Fair Housing

About Leadership Napa Valley
Now starting its 35th year, LNV began in 1987. The program annually selects class members from a diverse cross-section of Napa Valley applicants. During the nine-month program, class members develop leadership skills, learn teamwork, and experience the many different pieces, from government to nonprofits that make Napa County such a special place to live. In the practicum portion of the program, they work in teams to develop meaningful projects intended to have a lasting positive impact on the community. Award winning, LNV is recognized as one of the best leadership training experiences in the county. To date, more than 800 people have graduated from the program with a deeper commitment to making Napa Valley a better place to live, work and grow. Former Napa City Mayor, Jill Techel, has been the program director since 1996 and continues to evolve the program with current leadership tools and experiences. LNV is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that relies on support from community. To find out more about how to get involved, visit leadershipnapavalley.org.

Applications for Class 36 will be available February 2023, please contact info@leadershipnapavalley.org for more information.