April 2026
Welcome
to our Community Impact Update—a brief look at the projects and investments shaping our community, all made possible through your support.
Thank you for your continued partnership with Scottsdale Leadership as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary. For four decades, we’ve been dedicated to developing leaders who strengthen Scottsdale. This milestone represents years of connection, service, and meaningful community impact—made possible by supporters like you.
In recent months, your support has driven real progress across our leadership programs and throughout the community. Below are just a few highlights showcasing the projects, lives impacted, and positive change made possible through your partnership.
Together, we are building informed leaders
—and a stronger future.
Lee Ann Witt
Executive Director
Scottsdale Leadership
Scottsdale Leadership
2025 Spirit of Community Awards Event Most Successful Ever
Held December11th, 2025, we welcomed a record 450 attendees to honor outstanding leaders and organizations making a difference in Scottsdale. The event recognized three Community Award recipients, one Youth Leadership Award/Scholarship recipient, and one Corporate Partnership Award honoree —Nationwide— highlighting the power of leadership in action.
Thank you to our Spirit of Community Presenting Sponsor– Nationwide, and to our four Award Sponsors– A1 Garage Door Service, Prestige Cleaners, Vitalant, and The Women's Collective.
Kelly Adams, Class 38 accepts the
2925 Scottsdale Leadership
Corporate Partnership Award
Parada del Sol
Event Participation
Scottsdale Leadership proudly participated in the Parada Del Sol Parade, on January 31st, 2026, celebrating “A Diamond in the Desert:
75 Years of Scottsdale.” Our vibrant float featured a rotating diamond and desert landscape. Special thank you to Randy Nussbaum, Class 4, of Cavanagh Law for his sponsorship! Notably,18 of the 28 parade announcers were Scottsdale Leadership alumni—demonstrating our deep-rooted community presence.
A huge thank you to Gretchen Wilde and Veronica Corral, Class 39 Airpark Signs & Graphics for the fabulous fabrication contributions to the fabulous Scottsdale Leadership float !
Community
Blood Drive
Partnering with the Scottsdale Chamber, our blood drive on February 20t,h 2026, resulted in 21 donors and 26 life- saving blood donations, directly supporting community health. We look forward to
continuing this impact on our next drive on May 16th in partnership with Blue Zones Project Scottsdale.
Dana Close, Scottsdale
Leadership Assistant
Director, donates blood
Speaker Series
We hosted a powerful discussion on Human Trafficking on January 26th, 2026, featuring Sgt. Andrew Parrott and alumna Samantha Mendez-Dominguez (Class 37). This important conversation raised awareness and reinforced the role of informed leaders in addressing critical community issues.
Our Speaker Series featured Ryan Sheade on
March 10th, 2026, presenting “Calm, Clear, Connected: Turning Conflict into Growth.” This session equipped attendees with practical tools to
navigate conflict and strengthen relationships — key skills for effective leadership.
Class 40 Leadership Learning
& Project Lead It Forward (PLIF)
Class 40 continues an engaging journey through community-focused class days, including Fire, Technology, Arts, Police, and Healthcare, with three sessions remaining. Thank you to Class Day Sponsors – Immedia, First Bank, Honor Health, and Randy Nussbaum-Cavanagh Law.
Our Project Lead It Forward program is in full swing with four active class projects—Horses Help, Walter Hive, Paiute Center, and Cattle Track—along with our first alumni-led project at Lexie’s Ranch, expanding our reach and impact.
CLASS 40 – Public Safety | Police Day
Class 40 members are already stepping into leadership roles within the community as exemplified by class member Angie Cooper –now serving on the Board of Partners for Paiute, reflecting the immediate and ongoing impact of the Scottsdale Leadership experience.