(Leadership Bend Graduates | Photo courtesy of Bend Chamber)
The Bend Chamber, in partnership with Taylor Northwest, announces the Leadership Bend Class of 2024 graduates. Twenty-nine outstanding individuals formally graduated from the Leadership Bend program on June 11, 2024.
“It has been an absolute delight to accompany the Class of 2024 on their leadership journey. Throughout our time together, they demonstrated deep curiosity and a true willingness to learn and grow,” shared Talena Barker, Bend Chamber vice president of leadership development. “They now join hundreds of alumni serving in key leadership roles across the region, bringing their diverse skill sets to benefit our community in a myriad of ways.”
These participants come from a wide variety of backgrounds and industries, and differing lengths of time living in Central Oregon.
What they all have in common is a commitment to Bend and our region, and a willingness to work collaboratively to create a strong future for all. Over nine months, they spent more than 90 class hours learning about local challenges and opportunities firsthand from decision makers, and through interactive work. They additionally completed three impact projects outside of class hours and carved out time to connect and nurture their relationships with each other.
The Leadership Bend Class of 2024
- Matt Appleby — ORW Architects
- William Bailey — Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office
- Brittany Barker — City of Bend
- Ben Berry — Civil Engineer
- Hollie Choe — Transworld Business Advisors of C.O.
- Shane Cochran — Wallace Group
- Camilla Cok — Henneberry Eddy Architects
- John Condon — City of Bend
- Randy Dean — Kernutt Stokes
- Ben Haag — First Interstate Bank
- Sarah Hutson — City of Bend
- Shelley Junker — Bend Chamber
- Scott Maben — Bend La-Pine Schools
- Paul MacClanahan — Cascade Civil Corp
- TJ Murphy — Hite Digital Bend
- Scott Nelson — Charles Health System
- Eric Normen — Taylor Development, LLC
- Chris Petty — Express Employment Professionals
- Sam Rivera — Solaire Homebuilders
- Kristi Runberg — Charles Health System
- Chad Schlottmann — Skanska USA Building
- Kaylee Schweitzer — COCC
- Bryan Sharp — Taylor Northwest
- Caitlin Sims — Washington Trust Bank
- Daryl Stone — Microsoft
- Colin Sutton — S. Bank
- Alison Toivola — Best Best & Krieger, LLP
- Bonnie Vieira — Columbia Healthcare Banking
- Fish Williams — Finance Director
Applications for the Leadership Bend Class of 2025 are now being accepted through July 9, 2024 at bendchamber.org/leadership-bend.
Grateful thanks to the participants, their employers, our sponsors and the many people who take the time to educate these future leaders.
The mission of the Bend Chamber is to create an environment where businesses, their employees and our community excel together through collaboration, advocacy, resources and leadership to meet Bend’s business challenges.
Leadership Bend is a community leadership development program designed to identify, educate, train and connect willing and committed citizens to leadership roles in our community. There are now over 600 Leadership Bend alumni who now serve as our community “trustees” through board service, elected office, and more. Leadership Bend is supported by Taylor Northwest, St. Charles Health System, and like-minded businesses who believe that a healthy community comes from investment in leadership.