NICEVILLE — The Costa Leadership Institute at Northwest Florida State College, in partnership with the Crestview, Destin, Niceville-Valparaiso and Fort Walton Beach Chambers of Commerce, honored 39 professionals who graduated from the 2015-2016 Leadership Okaloosa program.
2016 graduates include:
●Tatiana Abernathy, Ronald Kimble and Sean Lynch, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
●Donald Allgood, Okaloosa County Clerk of Circuit Court
●Devan Bishop, InDyne
●Leslie Cooper, 21st Century Oncology
●Brian Corlew, Chesser & Barr, P.A.
●Dena Critch, Destin Area Chamber of Commerce
●R.J. Driskell, Northwest Florida Daily News
●Krystal Early, Meredith Hunt and Nichole Vaughan, Okaloosa County Tax Collector
●Brad Embry, Okaloosa County Clerk of Circuit Court
●Diane Fraser, Emerald Coast Science Center
●Rachel Furlong and Candice Montague, Rocky Bayou Christian School
●Luke Gianelloni, U.S. Air Force (Research Lab)
●Rachelle Graves, Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce
●Heather Jourdan and Rachelle Waltz, Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC
●Elaine Lajeunesse, Airmen and Family Readiness Center
●Ryan Mabry, Pearl Mabry School of Music
●Tim McDonald, Fort Walton Machining
●Michelle McGee, Fleet & Smith
●Leslie Moland, White-Wilson Medical Center, P.A.
●Dawn Novy and Dawn Pahel, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast
●Alysia Price, Fort Walton Beach Medical Center
●Rob Ratcliff, ResortQuest by Wyndam Vacation Rentals
●Vincent Roy, Dale E. Peterson Vacations
●Heather Ruiz, Destin Commons, Turnberry Associates
●Laura Schultze and Randall White, Northwest Florida State College
●Matthew Schwalb, Matrix Design Group Inc.
●Mark Secan, 96th Mission Support Group
●Ariana Shockley, Children in Crisis and Junior League of the Emerald Coast
●Danny Smith, CCB Community Bank
●Lisa Williams, Gulf Power Company
●Tracy Wood, ERA American Real Estate
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WHAT IS LEADERSHIP OKALOOSA?
The Costa Leadership Institute at Northwest Florida State College’s nine-month program — September to May — includes 25 hours’ leadership development training and tours of Okaloosa County.
A highlight is a two-day trip to Tallahassee for Legislative Day meetings. Tours of Okaloosa County — including Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Niceville, Valparaiso, the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base — provide participants an understanding of the community.
Each participant takes part in a group project with a focus on city and county government. Group projects offer an opportunity to demonstrate public speaking, presentation, time management and team-building skills learned throughout the program.
The institute is accepting applications for the 2016-2017 Leadership Okaloosa program. Tuition is $925; applications are due Aug. 15.
Apply at http://www.nwfsc.edu/LI; call 729-6880; or email Leadership@NWFSC.edu.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 2016 Leadership Okaloosa program graduates 39 community leaders