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Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce selects members of 2023 leadership class

Rebecca Barnabi

garccThe Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce announced the Leadership Greater Augusta Class of 2023.

Participating in the next class will be Valley Program for Aging Services’ Ann Gross, Beth Styers of Blue Ridge Community College, Catherine Hill and Laurel Molloy of Augusta Health, Valley Children’s Advocacy Center’s Charlé Johnson, Chris Lassiter of the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, Clarissa Hoffman of Hantzmon Wiebel LLP, Daikin Applied’s James Snow, Kenise Williams and Rex Mays of Ball Advanced Aluminum, Kim Beam of City National Bank, and Kimberly Fridley of US Senate Federal Credit Union.

Rounding out the Class of 2023 are Maria Moore of United Way SAW, Mason Gilmer of F & M Bank, Randy Watkins of Dynamic Aviation, Rebekah Ray of American Shakespeare Center, Rodney Johnson of Sentara Medical Group, Shasta Weeks of the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce, Shirley Carter of Augusta Health Foundation and Travis Garris of McKee Foods.

Leadership Greater Augusta is a nine-month program of intensive training for emerging and existing leaders to build necessary skills, knowledge, motivation and vision for the development of a stronger community. LGA is the chamber’s longest running program with the first graduates participating in 1984. More than 600 local business leaders have successfully completed the program and gone on to become CEOs, executive directors, board chairs and elected officials.

With key components of leadership journey, team development, nonprofit awareness, board service, human services, civic issues, arts & culture, living locally, education, entrepreneurship & ecosystem building, and diversity, equity and inclusion, the program provides positive and forward-looking personal and professional development in Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro.

“We believe that leaders are found at all levels of an organization and we strive to develop and enhance their visionary leadership skills through in-depth training,” the chamber’s website states of the program. “We seek to educate potential and existing business and community leaders through exposure to diverse realities, personalities and challenges in the community.”

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.