Hartford Resident on a QUEST
Hartford resident Yvonne Matthews, Job Developer & Work Counselor, Urban League of Greater Hartford, is currently participating in Leadership Greater Hartford’s (LGH) Quest program.
In January 2017 Matthews set off on a journey towards greater accomplishment and engagement by embarking on Quest, LGH's signature ten-month leadership development program. Quest unites high-performing, mid-career professionals from many different sectors — nonprofit, government, education, business — around the idea of growing stronger together through collaborative leadership and social responsibility.
Matthews shares, “Through Quest, I now understand why it’s important to understand the temperaments and strengths of all the people I work with. As a result, we are now working more efficiently, effectively, and getting lots of projects accomplished. Thank you for leading leaders!"
A core component of the Quest program is community engagement. Participants connect with the community to identify needs and form diverse task forces to address those needs. Since 1986, these task forces have developed projects related to children and youth, community and economic development, arts and culture, support for the homeless and more. The experience creates a process for self discovery and growth – Quest participants return to their organizations with stronger relational and leadership skills that they also apply to the communities in which they live and work.
Matthews, along with Anthony Byers, Co-Executive Director, Hartford Youth Scholars; Isabel Ceballos, Founding Executive Director Horizons, The Ethel Walker School; Christina Lumbreras, Staff Software Engineer, ARRIS; Amanda Naimie, Manager of Corps Member and Community Engagement, Teach for America; Bobby Nims, Project Leader, Cigna; and Lukanya Wilborn, Supervisor, Eversource Energy; serve on the Hartford Educates task force. This task force’s goal is to empower students in Hartford to champion meaningful change that impacts their education in school today and tomorrow.
According to Quest program director Julie Connolly, "It has been an awe-inspiring experience for me this past year to observe how a group of individuals from widely diverse backgrounds can come together and practice collaborative leadership in order to affect meaningful change in the community. These skills appear particularly relevant and essential given how divided our society can sometimes feel."
We are accepting applications now for the 2018 Quest Program that begins in January. Please email Julie Connolly at julie.connolly@leadershipgh.org or call 860.206.5069 for more information.
Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that supports and strengthens the local community by training and connecting aspiring and established leaders. For more information about how to be a participant or sponsor, or to inquire about customized training with Leadership Greater Hartford, call 860-951-6161 (x1800), email info@leadershipgh.org visit .leadershipgh.org, or follow LGH on Facebook and Twitter @leadershiphtfd.