Newberry Village Manager Allison Watkins is one of 31 rural community leaders who will undertake a new 12-month program to increase collaboration, recruitment and retention rates in leadership positions in their communities.
The Leading Rural Michigan program is a project of the Michigan Department of Labor and Opportunity (LEO) Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP). It combines leadership and civic education and focuses on network-building among rural leaders at the state level.
Watkins was identified as a community leader, then invited to apply for the program. She is one of seven U.P. leaders selected. The others are: Megan Haselden, Calumet; Zach Hautala, Crystal Falls; Kassi Huotari, Ironwood; Nikki Radke, Sault Ste. Marie; Kathy Thomas, Cedarville; and Patricia West, Gladstone.
“I am very proud to be selected for this development opportunity,” Watkins said. “Being nominated for participation is validation that the work the staff team at the Village of Newberry is doing is on the right track. To be one of only 31 leaders across the state recognized is a great honor. Through this program I hope to increase my connections to state agencies and other community leaders, learn from their best practices, share what our team here has done to improve infrastructure and services in Newberry, and hopefully translate those connections into additional funding and resources for future growth of our village.”
ORP worked along with MSU Extension and partners cross the state to identify emerging leaders and individuals were selected based on professional or volunteer roles in rural communities. Leading Rural Michigan participants will meet monthly in an online format and will join together for several in person events over the course of the 12-month cohort.
Leading Rural Michigan program content focuses on the development of skills necessary to be engaged local leaders:
– Individual Leadership: Personality and strengths inventories, time management and effective communication.
– Partnership and Collaboration: Conflict management, civility in discourse, facilitation, change management, team building and change management.
– Rural Leadership/Civic Education: Working with elected officials and tribal leaders, community and economic development; visioning and planning; municipal funding structures, etc.
– With contributions from Carol Stiffler
