October 10, 2024 – WACO, Texas – The Texas A&M Forest Service Leadership Institute hosted the kick-off session for its fifth cohort Oct. 8-10 in Waco, Texas. The institute is a leadership program that offers a transformative experience for participants, hoping to leave a deep and lasting effect on their ability to lead in daily environments.
The leadership institute offers a constructive and inspiring learning environment, enabling opportunities for personal growth by giving participants access to tools and speakers to strengthen their leadership skills.
“Our agency mission is to provide statewide leadership,” said Leighton Gibson, Texas A&M Forest Service Marketing and Communications Manager and Institute coordinator. “By building the capacity of our partners through leadership training, we can help strengthen their organizations and help further the overall reach and mission of Texas A&M Forest Service.”
This year’s class boasts a diverse group of 23 members from differing natural resource organizations across the state including fire chiefs, foresters and organization executive directors.
“The Institute is a remarkable and interactive program,” said Daniel Oppenheimer of Hill Country Alliance and participant. “It’s providing tools, relationships and opportunities for me to become a better leader at work and in my community.”
The vision of the institute is to establish a program that will rally existing and emerging leaders within the fields of natural resources and increase their capacities and abilities to enact meaningful change throughout the state of Texas.
One key to success for the institute is dynamic and engaging speakers. In this session, participants heard from Frank Keck about building a united team and foundations of leadership, Codie Wright de Secaira about strengths and Dr. Richard Grant about personality types.
“I find the best leaders are the most self-aware – they know who they are and where they’re going,” said Frank Keck, Texas A&M Forest Service Leadership Institute speaker and facilitator. “Our goal is to really help leaders in different natural resource capacities to develop themselves, to invest in these leaders to make a better Texas.”
Through the leadership institute, Texas A&M Forest Service hopes to continue to grow and support local leaders while increasing the network of natural resource professionals across the state with each class.
Over the next several months, the class will participate in monthly lunch and learns, networking opportunities and course activities. The class will graduate from the institute in April, after the second three-day session, which will have a new host of speakers and leadership trainings.
To learn more about the Texas A&M Forest Service Leadership Institute, the speakers and how to participate, visit https://tfsleadershipinstitute.org.
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