Alumni Committees

Leadership Fairfax is your organization, and you can help make it even more impactful for our 2,100 alums and our community. We depend on talented volunteers - from program committees, mentoring and coaching, alumni engagement, to finance and recruitment, there is a place for you.

Serving on a committee is a positive way to give back while strengthening your network and using your strengths. Below are committee descriptions. Committees are open to all members in good standing or current class participants unless otherwise noted. Please contact Susan Sims if you need more information.

OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES

Advancement & DEVELOPMENT Committee

The Advancement and Development Committee strategizes, plans and helps sustain Leadership Fairfax. The committee collaborates with staff to develop relationships with current and prospective investor-partners. Members work to identify and attract candidates for each year's LFI, ELI, and LLP programs. Committee members reach out to corporations, small businesses, and non-profits, and plan information sessions. Committee members function as advocates in the community, through networking events, speaking engagements, and promoting Leadership Fairfax to organizations that best represent the diversity of the county.

Chair: VACANT

Meeting Times/Location: TBD

Staff Liaison: Karen Cleveland, CEO and President

Alumni Engagement Committee

The Alumni Engagement Committee plans creative and entertaining events for Leadership Fairfax members and alumni to network and continue learning throughout the year. Support staff in launching quarterly Lunch and Learns and an alumni Open Space Technology event. Help marketing learning opportunities and events to Leadership Fairfax alumni.

Co-Chairs: VACANT

Meeting Times/Location: TBD

Staff Liaison: Susan Sims, Director – Programs and Communications

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee supplies oversight of the current year's budget, reviews financial statements, prepares the next fiscal year's budget, advises on current- and long-term fiscal affairs, and develops and recommends financial policies and guidelines. Assist the CEO and President with developing financial models and making recommendations for financial growth and sustainability.

Chair: Marie Robles, LFI’18

Meeting Times: 4^th Wednesday of the month, 4:30 – 5:30 pm

Meeting Location: Virtual via Zoom

Staff Liaison: Karen Cleveland, CEO and President

Marketing and Communications Committee

The Marketing and Communications Committee works with Leadership Fairfax staff to create a marketing and communications calendar for the year, audit the Leadership Fairfax website and develop a marketing and communications budget. The committee coordinates with other committees as necessary to supply marketing and communications support.

Meeting Times: 3^rd Tuesday of the month, 1:30 – 2:30 pm

Meeting Location: Virtual via Zoom

Staff Liaison: Susan Sims, Director – Programs and Communications

SIgnature event planning committee

Work with Leadership Fairfax staff to plan our Northern Virginia Leadership Awards luncheon in November, the Board of Supervisors Breakfast in April or May, as well as a potential new event for alumni. Solicit award nominations, develop program content, plan coordination and volunteering staffing, and market to network.

Chair: VACANT

Meeting Times/Location: TBD

Staff Liaison: Karen Cleveland, CEO and President

PROGRAM Committees

youth leadership network steering committee

The YLN Steering Committee helps to plan the annual calendar for the program, support recruitment and outreach efforts, plan events and contact speakers to present and facilitate topics important to youth ages 13 – 22. Develop and grow Statement of Work and function as an advocate for the YLN in the community. Communications and event planning experience, plus curriculum planning experience will be helpful.

Chair: VACANT

Meeting Times: Wednesday once a month - Time TBD

Meeting Location: Virtual via Zoom

Staff Liaison: Shataya Gilstrap, YLN Program Manager

ELI Program Committee

The ELI Program Committee provides direction and oversight of curriculum planning for the Emerging Leaders Institute's class. The committee also determines topics of study for the class year and contacts prospective trainers/speakers. The committee meets as needed during the summer and monthly after the ELI program begins in September. Preference to ELI graduates.

Committee Chairs: Krystal Stackhouse, ELI'18
Meeting Times: September, January, March and June, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Meeting Location: In person in September and June, Virtual in January and March

Staff Liaison: Susan Sims, Director – Programs and Communications

ELI mentor/COach committee

Volunteer to serve as a mentor or coach to an ELI student over the year. ELI mentors meet with their mentees from January through June, providing guidance and advice to help emerging leaders build their core leadership competencies and make connections in the community within similar sectors.

ELI coaches meet with their "coachees" from January through June to help them work on their leadership development and professional goals. ELI Coaches must be certified coaches from an accredited program or working on their certification from an accredited agency. 

Committee Chair: Katrina Brauer, ELI’14 and Suzanne Keating, LFI’98

Meeting Times/Locations: TBD

Staff Liaison: Susan Sims, Director – Programs and Communications

ELI Community Service Projects Committee

The ELI CSP Committee solicits, reviews, and selects applications from nonprofits for the community service projects which will be offered to the ELI class for selection. Members of the committee will also function as ELI Team Advisors to guide and support the teams in project management, facilitate communication between nonprofit and team once the project is assigned, and liaise to the CSP committee. For members that serve as Advisors, they are expected to attend the class day in October.

Committee Chair: Krystal Stackhouse, ELI'18
Meeting Times: September, November, January, April, June
Meeting Location: In person in September and June, Virtual via Zoom all other dates – If serving as an advisor to an ELI Team, please plan to attend the October class day in person

Staff Liaison: Susan Sims, Director – Programs and Communications

LFI Program Committee

The LFI Program Committee manages and oversees the LFI class program. This committee works closely with the LFI Team Advisors, who coordinate with each class team on planning their program day(s). The committee and its members plan the opening program day, the topics for teams, leadership competencies, County and Local Government and assists with the Road to Richmond Day. The committee meets as needed during the summer and monthly. Open to LFI graduates.

Committee Co-Chairs: Nikki Rogers, LFI’19 and Ramona Carroll, LFI’19

Meeting Times: 1st Thursday of the month, 4 – 6 pm

Meeting Location: Kick off and Wrap Up meetings in person, Virtual via Zoom for all other meetings

Staff Liaison: Susan Sims, Director – Programs and Communications

LFI Team Advisor

LFI Team Advisors assist an LFI student team in all aspects of planning for their program days. Support, facilitate, and offer guidance to an LFI team. Attend team planning meetings and presentations to the LFI Program Committee, and the class day the team will be organizing. Team Advisors will attend a training session prior to the start of the class and will attend the Saturday opening program day in September. Open to LFI graduates. Team Advisors are invited to attend LFI Program Committee meetings though not required.

Co-Chairs: Colin Callahan, LFI’04 and Co-Chair: VACANT

Meeting Times: 2^nd Monday of the month at 4 pm

Meeting Location: Virtual via Zoom, in person as needed

Staff Liaison: Susan Sims, Director – Programs and Communications

Honors College Connects (HCC) Student Team Advisor

The HCC Student Team Advisor helps facilitate and guide a GMU Honors College Student team as it takes on a 6-month community service project; helps develop project management and leadership skills, guides the team through the project planning and execution phase, facilitates between nonprofit and team, and liaises to Mason Honors College and Leadership Fairfax staff. The Team Advisors are encouraged to join the students for their opening orientation on a Saturday in September.

If you are interested in learning more or joining a committee, please email Susan Sims.