Leadership Jefferson

Leadership Jefferson is a nine-month program designed to develop a diverse network of dedicated business and community leaders. Facilitated by a professional leadership team, the interactive workshops expose participants to local leaders and activists working to resolve critical issues facing Jefferson Parish. Specific session topics include civic & community engagement, healthcare, economic development, education & workforce development, equity & inclusion, criminal justice, and advocacy & state government.

Click Here For Class of 2026 Details

Class of 2026 Registration is now open. Click here to submit your application!

The application process takes place each Summer and is a benefit for members of the Jefferson Chamber. A company must be a member of the Jefferson Chamber in order to submit an application. For further questions, please contact Alyssa Camet at alyssa@jeffersonchamber.org.

Program Overview

Opening Retreat

To facilitate the intense discussion and interaction we expect from program participants, we must allow them to develop a mutual respect and connection with each other. The opening retreat focuses on recognizing individual leadership abilities and their application in a team environment. During the overnight opening retreat, program participants engage in a full day and a half of sessions and enjoy a class dinner to end the first full day. This retreat is the start of learning new leadership skills, challenging their comfort zones, and forming new friendships.

The class learns about the Emergenetics of their brains and how we all work together as structural, analytical, social, or conceptual leaders and colleagues. Through activities and discussion, each class member learns more about how and why we act and react in various situations.

Civic & Community Engagement

Healthcare

Economic Development

Education & Workforce Development

A panel is invited to field questions by participants on the growing concern of our national education system and how new bills/laws will affect us locally. A visit to a Jefferson Parish school rounds out the day. This day proves to increase the perspective and understanding of education and its direct relationship to the economic climate and workforce development of Jefferson Parish and our region.

Equity & Inclusion

Criminal Justice

A major challenge facing communities across the country is educating and informing citizens about our government and criminal justice systems. This session gives program participants an insight into our parish’s courts, law enforcement, and emergency operations. Historically, this session includes a behind the scenes tour of the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center and the JPSO Crime Lab.

Advocacy & State Government

This session immerses participants in the heart of Louisiana’s political landscape through a trip to the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. Participants will attend committee meetings, meet with legislators, and receive a comprehensive overview of the legislative process. This session is designed to empower participants to effectively advocate for their interests and engage with state government.

Closing Retreat

Graduation

What Leadership Jefferson Graduates are saying…

Participating in Leadership Jefferson’s monthly sessions has provided me with an understanding of our community and the challenges we encounter. This program has enlightened me on how we, as leaders, can actively engage and bring about positive change in Jefferson Parish. I deeply appreciate the connections I’ve formed during this time.

– Dana Silvey, First Horizon Bank
Leadership Jefferson Class of 2024

The Leadership Jefferson series really opened my eyes to the opportunities within Jefferson Parish to make a difference. It was refreshing to meet with the local leaders of the parish as well as parish-led agencies and see how diligently they are working to make positive impacts both in Jefferson Parish and neighboring communities.

– Stephen Abadie, RNGD
Leadership Jefferson Class of 2024

Leadership Jefferson has been a life-changing “table” experience. As I reflect on the difference that this cohort has done for me, my personal and professional experiences, I am thankful for the investment that’s been made in my life by Jefferson Parish Schools and the Jefferson Chamber, as I was given a seat at the table. Through Emergenetics, I recognized and honed in on my true leadership profile, and this enhanced my communication, collaboration, and ability to bring things to the table. As we culminated all of our experiences, we learned that it was okay to take something away from the table because everything that everyone brings means something to someone. As a result, I can emphatically, unequivocally, and unapologetically say that my leadership style and my life will never be the same.

– Dr. Gretchen Williams, Jefferson Parish Public School System
Leadership Jefferson Class of 2023

The Leadership Jefferson program was first class from start to finish. Every session was well planned, and the speakers and experiences were interactive, informative, and eye opening. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking to learn more about critical issues facing Jefferson Parish and to meet local leaders who are working to resolve them.

– Scott Lovitt, Audubon Care Homes
Leadership Jefferson Class of 2023

Being part of Leadership Jefferson’s Class of 2023 was a very rewarding, humbling experience. Over a nine-month period, you learn so much about our great parish. The speakers from our sessions gave us a deep dive into their respective areas, and you come out of this program with the ability to engage in conversations about the healthcare system, quality of life, economic development, and education, to say a few. Another big takeaway from Leadership Jefferson are the friendships and contacts that I will have forever. Thank you, Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, for putting on this great program.

– Teri Tucker, Citizens National Bank
Leadership Jefferson Class of 2023

As someone who recently moved to Louisiana, the Leadership Jefferson program gave me the opportunity to see how as leaders, we can make a difference in our local community.

– Matt Dixon, New Orleans Saints & Pelicans
Leadership Jefferson Class of 2019

Leadership Jefferson Class of 2025

The 2025 class comprises a diverse group of business leaders from the community.

James Aitken
Entergy
Ainslie Blanke
Cornerstone Chemical Company, LLC
Mason Bonano
Quality Engineering & Surveying, LLC
Jodi Boudreaux
Xplore FCU
Grant Bourgeois
Hannis T. Bourgeois, LLP
Brian Brignac
Peoples Health
Richelle Conway
American Bank
Lander Coscarart
Coscarart Health & Wellness, LLC
Michelle Dinett
Chamberlain University College of Nursing
Meghan Donelon
Red River Bank
Cameron Farley
HORNE LLP
Viki Gatti
Jefferson Chamber of Commerce
Ryan Gourgeot
OnPath Federal Credit Union
Lillian Guilbault
Jefferson Parish Schools
Danielle Hardy
Buckeye Partners, LP
Arielle Hughes
Carousel Preschool
Scott Hunter
LCMC
David Hymel
Fidelity Bank
Travis Johnson
InclusivCare Medical Services
Justin Jones
Lamar Advertising of New Orleans
Conner LeBlanc
General Informatics
Arthur Leiter Jr.
Leiter Electric Services, LLC
Austin Liberto
Jefferson Parish Council: District 2
Matthew McMahon
RNGD
Layne Murdoch
New Orleans Saints and Pelicans
Bryan Ontario
JEDCO
Brady Pechon
Design Engineering Inc.
Brittany Perez
First Horizon Bank
Matthew Picard
DePaul Community Health Center
Brian Poole
CF Industries
Rebecca Remetich
Primary Care Plus
April Richardson
Ciolino Drugs
Grant Roberts
Jefferson Parish Council: District 5
Abbi Roussel
Cintas
Jordan Scott
LaPorte, APAC
Blake Simon
New Orleans Saints and Pelicans
Brady Smith
T. Baker Smith, LLC
Trista Thomas
Hilton New Orleans Airport
Kernesha Weatherly
Ochsner Health
Zackaria Whitecotton
Ponseti’s Shoes
Kristyn Williams
Hotard Coaches
Melissa Willis
Melissa Willis Coaching & Consulting
Richard Ziegler
Bonvenu Bank

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