Announcing: the Community Connections Leadership Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2024
Foundation Contact:
Antonio Martinez, Jr.
P: 708-848-1560
CCF Contact:
DeRondal Bevly
E: derondal@rubyrosestrategies.com
P: 312-834-3197
Community Connections Leadership Program Launches in Western Suburbs
Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation Partners with New Nonprofit to Grow
Local Leadership Development Program
Oak Park, IL (March 21, 2024) — The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is pleased to announce the next phase of its community leadership program, Leadership Lab, as it transitions to an independent program under the management of the Community Connections Fund (CCF), a newly created nonprofit organization that helps people discover and nurture the power of their authentic selves as they lead and serve their communities. Under CCF’s management, the initiative will be renamed the Community Connections Leadership Program.
A longtime program of the Foundation’s Communityworks Fund, Leadership Lab initially began as the Community Leadership Program of Dominican University’s Brennan School of Business in 2009. In 2016 the program operations moved under the Community Foundation’s umbrella as Leadership Lab. Its mission to create a stronger, more engaged leadership pipeline to ensure that Oak Park, River Forest and surrounding communities are desirable places to live and work continues on with the formation of Community Connections Fund.
“We are proud of the incredible journey Leadership Lab has taken under the stewardship of the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation,” said Tony Martinez, Jr., the Foundation’s president and CEO. “As we transition this remarkable program to its new home, we have full confidence in its ability to continue making a profound difference in the lives of leaders and communities. We thank the CCF leadership for its commitment to the continued growth of the program, and we look forward to partnering with them in executing our shared vision of developing leaders all across the region.”
The transition marks a natural progression for the program after its successful incubation at Dominican and the Community Foundation. CCF is committed to building upon the program’s successes and ensuring that it continues to serve as a catalyst for positive change in the region.
“This transition represents an exciting new chapter for the Leadership Lab program and for the communities we serve,” said Jenny Yang, current Leadership Lab coordinator and a seasoned marketing and program consultant who serves as one of CCF’s four senior partners. “We are honored to carry forward the legacy of this extraordinary program and are deeply committed to ensuring its continued success and impact.”
In addition to Yang, the senior partners at CCF include Cathy Yen, an accomplished nonprofit executive and strategist who is an alumna of the Community Leadership Program at Dominican; Molly Rudberg, an executive coach and award-winning author and speaker; and DeRondal Bevly, a strategic communications consultant, nonprofit board member and college professor who is an alumnus of Leadership Lab. Although each of the four partners has strong ties to the western suburbs, including stints at the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce and several community and business organizations, CCF will seek talent from all over the Chicagoland region.
“We are grateful for the ongoing partnership with the Community Foundation and look forward to collaborating closely to empower the next generation of leaders,” said Yen. “We are ecstatic about the opportunity to expand the program in new and exciting ways, providing greater opportunities for growth and development for participants in the future and for over 200 Leadership Lab alums who are working every day to create stronger communities.”
Since its inception in 2009, the program has served as a cornerstone for leadership development in the region, fostering growth, innovation, and collaboration among emerging and established leaders alike. CCF will continue with an annual selective cohort of 20+ participants who will gain and refine transferable skills developed through a unique hands-on curriculum, and presented and understood in a community context. Skills include mediation and conflict resolution, public speaking, collecting and analyzing data to drive decisions, and cultivating a personal leadership style. In addition, the program develops personal and professional relationships through networking during course days and special events.
By bringing together committed citizens and emerging and current leaders, Community Connections Leadership Program Fellows will continue to explore and assess the strengths and opportunities in our community, and will engage in solutions that benefit Oak Park, River Forest, and surrounding areas.
“With the closing of one chapter comes the dawn of an exciting new era for leadership development in the western suburbs of Chicago and eventually beyond,” Martinez said. “As CCF steps into its role as the premier leadership development accelerator in the region, it does so with a steadfast commitment to excellence, innovation, and impact. We are excited for the future.”
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About the Community Connections Fund
Community Connections Fund (CCF) is an Illinois-based 501c3 nonprofit with a mission of helping local leaders unleash their superpowers. Through an immersive platform comprised of classes, convenings, curated coursework and continuing education programs, CCF helps community leaders discover and nurture their authentic selves as they lead and serve their communities. For more information about the Community Connections Fund and its leadership development programs, please visit www.communityconnectionsfund.org/.
About the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation
Founded in 1959, The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation has built lasting, impactful connections among area residents and locally-based service programs. Today as an integral presence in the community, the Foundation’s mission is to unite community members and mobilize resources to advance a racially just society and equitable outcomes for residents of Oak Park, River Forest and surrounding neighborhoods in western Cook County. Learn more about the Foundation’s programs and services online at oprfcf.org.
