Students of the first Business Leadership Academy (BLA) at Peninsula College celebrated their graduation from the program with a group photo that included lecturers, guest speakers and instructors.

The BLA is a regional program for current and emerging leaders. It is offered in partnership with the Sequim and Port Angeles Chambers of Commerce and Peninsula College.

The program was developed in response to a need for leadership development, as identified through community surveys, and consistent requests from local businesses. Participants are chosen through an application process. BLA offers them the opportunity to engage with the business community and learn from local leaders.

The full program runs for four-and-a-half months and organizers are planning for alumni participation.

Those pictured, from left, are:

Bottom row

Eran Kennedy, Sound Publishing regional publisher; Rob DeCou, Peninsula College faculty; Nicole Merrigan, owner, Strait Up Foam Fun; Suzy Ames, Peninsula College president; Karen Shay, owner C’est Si Bon; Alicia Campion, Ridgeline Homecare Co-op administrator; Shelby Winters, Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County patient navigator; Laken Folsom, Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce operations manager; Christina Wonsey, Peninsula College assistant manager.

Second row

Beth Pratt, Sequim- Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce executive director, and program dean; Camilla Rico, Peninsula College dean of community education; Anthony Shaw, Peninsula College lead custodian; Amanda Sanders, student; Shanee Wimberly, City of Port Angeles administrative specialist II; Shannen Cartmel, City of Port Angeles community and economic development manager; JoNell Locke-Viacrucis, Peninsula College administrative assistant.

Third row

Chris Jackson, City of Port Angeles; program facilitator, building inspector/licensing administrator; Christian Bruhn, Peninsula College interim associate dean Baccalaureate Programs; Port Angeles Police Department Chief Brian Smith; Steven Rose, Port of Port Angeles director of IT; Marc Abshire, Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Students Cody Chase, Shore Aquatic Center aquatics manager, and Shelly Zollman with Olympic Peninsula Health Community Coalition are not pictured.

Other participants

Contributors/presenters also not pictured are: Colleen McAleer, executive director Clallam County Economic Development Council; Ed Bedford, owner/operator of Bedford Soda; Bill Hermann, owner/operator of Hermann Brothers Logging & Construction Inc.; Emily Little, owner/operator of Buena Luz Bakery; David Brownell with the North Olympic History Center; Steve Hargis with the Port Angeles Visitor Center; Port Angeles Mayor Kate Dexter; Fire Chief Derrell Sharp with Port Angeles Fire Department; Matt Huish, Sequim city manager; Wendy Sisk, chief executive officer for Peninsula Behavioral Health; Bruce Skinner, executive director for the OMC Foundation; Priya Jayadev, executive director Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, and Cheryl Crane, executive director of the Peninsula College Foundation.

For more information about the program, go to pencol.edu/community-education/bla.