“Who aspires to advance their civic leadership, and how can we support them?” asks local nonprofit leadership development institution Leading From Within. With the mission to equip community changemakers to lead, collaborate, and drive change, the organization is entering the last week of recruitment for volunteer leaders through its longest-running program, the Katherine Harvey Fellows (KHF).
The Katherine Harvey Fellows (KHF) program provides training and networking for active community members in both the private and public sectors, who are interested in deepening their impact through civic engagement.
Now in its 21st year, KHF helps participants strengthen their leadership skills, connect with professionals of diverse backgrounds and expertise, and gain knowledge on addressing critical community issues. In addition to personal and professional development, the 11th cohort will be offered an experiential learning journey into the social impact sector through the lens of childhood poverty.
“The program helps people from business, philanthropy and government be stronger leaders of positive social change. Nonprofit organizations depend on these leaders to help address some of our community’s most challenging issues,” said Ben Romo, who will co-facilitate the program with Brianna Aguilar.
“We are thrilled to have both Ben and Brianna, who bring a depth of experience and knowledge to the program,” said Ed France, Leading From Within’s executive director. “This cohort will focus on one concept and explore the intricacies of how nonprofit organizations collaborate with government, social services, religious groups and those in the philanthropic center to solve a critical community problem.”
France said the move to concentrate on one issue represents a shift for the organization. In the past, the cohort would work in various groups on many different problems.
“The new format allows us to do a deep dive and really understand a complex issue from the perspectives of a range of people and their lived experiences,” he said.
Childhood poverty is a root cause for many other challenges, and it will be the anchor this cohort explores while examining systemic inequities and the complicated interplay between government agencies, nonprofits, and the education system.
The change resulted from a six-month reevaluation of the Katherine Harvey Fellows program, that has inspired hundreds of local leaders since its inception two decades ago. It’s an effort to be more inclusive and responsive to current needs, as well as broadening impact among a diverse cohort. Guest speakers, mentors, and local experts enrich the program.
The new instructors also represent a change. It’s the first time the organization will have two Latinx facilitators, each with distinctive expertise.
Romo operates a consulting firm, Romo & Associates, which focuses on government relations, nonprofit leadership, issue advocacy and philanthropic services. He began his career in politics, working as a campaign manager and political director for Walter and Lois Capps.
Romo left politics, accepting the role of director of community education at the Santa Barbara County Education Office, and was later named executive director of First 5. He is also highly regarded for helping to coordinate recovery efforts after the Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flow.
Aguilar is an assistant vice president/events and community programs officer at Montecito Bank & Trust (MB&T, where she has worked the past 13 years. She manages the bank’s community education programs including financial literacy, cyber security, and elder abuse prevention; and creates partnerships between schools, families and nonprofits to provide financial literacy to students and families in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Before joining MB&T Brianna worked in numerous capacities within the education sector including serving as the assistant dDirector of TRiO Support Services Program at the UC San Diego, focusing on equity and access to higher education.
Katherine Harvey Fellows represents a year-long experiential, professional development opportunity for community leaders who are committed to addressing complex, far-reaching issue alongside a diverse and engaging cohort. Applicants from a variety of professions are encouraged to apply.
Application deadline is Sept. 16. Visit https://leading-from-within.org/katherine-harvey-fellows-program/ for more information.