Inaugural Class of Leadership North Texas University Graduates

The North Texas Commission, a regional consortium of businesses, municipalities and higher education institutions that markets, advocates and fosters collaboration for the North Texas region, has graduated the inaugural class of its new Leadership North Texas University (LNT U) program. The members of LNT U successfully completed a three-day, intensive regional leadership program aimed at developing the next generation of North Texas leaders.

Held Dec. 2-4, 2015, LNT U builds upon the highly successful Leadership North Texas graduate-level, regional leadership program with a class of more than 30 young professionals. The class addressed and discussed topics such as the history of North Texas, regionalism, the changing demographics, the North Texas economy and sustainable development. With an understanding that this age group is least likely to vote in local, state and even national elections, discussion centered on the various roles of political offices and the impact of voter atrophy.

“LNT U is a groundbreaking program for the North Texas region because it focuses on leadership skills and development through the perspective of regional assets and challenges,” said Mabrie Jackson, president and CEO of the North Texas Commission. “So often established leaders are the only programs that focus on regional stewardship, and young professional education is focused strictly on professional skill development. By combining these two silos, regionalism is innate to leadership decision not a second thought.”

The members of the inaugural class of LNTU are:
Courtney Aviles, DFW International Airport
Kyle Bottom, Frost Bank
Anabel Castillo-Soto, Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas
Tamara Cook, North Central Texas Council of Governments
Ashley Cottone, Health Care Service Corporation (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas)
Brent Daily, Slalom Consulting
Brittney Farr, DART
Christopher Ferro, DFW International Airport
Alan Gonzalez, DFW International Airport
Justin Hairston, My Possibilities
Matt Johns, Cooksey Communications
Garlyn Kemp, Slalom Consulting
Jessica Limmer, DFW International Airport
Anthony Loeffel, Huitt-Zollars
Julie McKinney, Dallas County Schools
Cristina Medina, North Central Texas Council of Governments
Aaron Medoff, DFW International Airport
Crystal Mora, DFW International Airport
Patricia Nava, Children’s Health
Abby Owens, City of Plano
Perla Paniagua, DFW International Airport
Austin Panzino, AECOM
Pooja Patel, Huitt-Zollars
Cori Reaume, North Central Texas Council of Governments
Shelby Reed, World Class Automotive Group
Stephanie Roberts, Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas
Shaylon Scott, VolunteerNow
Katharine Smith, Huitt-Zollars
Zach Steinkuhler, Huitt-Zollars
Kim Thieme, Freese and Nichols
Clark Wickliffe, Century 21 Judge Fite
Alora Wachholz, Town of Flower Mound

Recruitment for the second class of LNT U will begin in the spring 2016.

Established in 1971, the North Texas Commission is a regional non-profit consortium of businesses, cities, counties, chambers of commerce, economic development entities and higher education institutions in the North Texas Region. The North Texas Commission improves the economic vitality, infrastructure and lifestyle of North Texas by marketing the region, promoting collaboration and advocating on critical issues.

Leadership North Texas (LNT), launched in 2009, is a graduate-level, regional leadership program that recruits, develops and supports stewards of the North Texas region. During a nine-month program year, participants focus on issues and challenges facing the region.

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