Political Leaders Program

Photos from the Political Leaders Program Class of 2006 September session in Roanoke this past weekend have just been posted to the blog.

Click here to see the photos or click on the PHOTOS folder to the left, then the folder named PLP Class of 2006 Roanoke.

The Political Leaders Program Class of 2006 will be traveling to Roanoke this weekend for their next gathering. The class will receive a tour of the Botetourt Correctional Facility on Friday afternoon, where they will learn about the scope of public policy issues related to the Virginia Department of Corrections.

On Friday evening the Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources and former member of the House of Delegates, Preston Bryant, will join the class for dinner and discussion.

On Saturday the members of the PLP 2006 will meet with Jean Jensen and Rosanna Bencoach of the Virginia State Board of Elections to explore the nuts and bolts of running for political office in the Commonwealth.

Karen Kolber, the founder of FFD, Inc., will lead the class in a workshop on campaign fundraising.

And after lunch the class will discuss the ethics and laws of disclosure with David Poole, Executive Director of the Virginia Public Access Project.

The Political Leaders Class of 2006 will meet next month in Richmond on Saturday, October 14; in Gloucester and Norfolk on November 10; and will celebrate their graduation from the program in Charlottesville on December 8 and 9.

Here are a few photos from the recent gathering of the 2006 Class of the Political Leaders Program. The class met in Staunton, Virginia.

The weekend kicked off with an unforgettable lunch of old-fashioned Virginia cookin' at Marjorie Rohrer's Country Home Catering-- followed by a fascinating tour of the Virginia Poultry Growers Co-operative Processing Plant near Harrisonburg.

Pierce Homer, the Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia, joined the class Friday evening for an in-depth discussion on everything from ports and trucks to rails and roads.

On Saturday morning the class continued the discussion on transportation with State Senator Creigh Deeds.

Delegate Chris Saxman also spoke with the class regarding the public policy aspects of state-wide transportation challenges.

Mediation specialist and advisor to Governor Kaine, Mark Rubin of the McCammon Group, led the class in a discussion and exercise on the use of mediation techniques in formulating public policy.

Members of the Class of 2006 engaged in the mediation exercise.

Class member and 2006 Candidate Training Program graduate Bryan Collins took a moment to share some of his experiences with the class about his successful campaign for Chesapeake City Council earlier this year.


The Political Leaders Program Class of 2006 will meet again in Charlottesville on June 2-3.

Throughout this year the Sorensen Blog will be posting individual profiles of the participants in our 2006 programs. We begin today with a profile of Claire Ward (shown above), a member of the Political Leaders Program Class of 2006.

Name: Claire Ward   
Age: None of your business.
Born: Palo Alto, California.  I’m a Navy brat, so I grew up all over the world.
Current digs: I live and work in Richmond.
Occupation: Project Manager
Favorite part about the job? Building consensus among stakeholders, managing resources/priorities and getting it done!
First job ever?  An usher at the San Francisco Opera
Favorite book? A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.
Favorite movie? Sunset Boulevard, Suddenly Last Summer
Must See TV? The L Word, any flavor of Law and Order.
Comfort food? Cheese toast
What's in your car CD player right now? A dance mix CD that was burned for me by Rick Danger, a Richmond DJ.
Next journey? Pleasure: Washington, D.C. to see the Cézanne and Dada exhibits at the National Gallery and to see Tai Shan at the National Zoo. Business:  Fort Lauderdale.
One thing people might be surprised to learn about you? That I am a journeyman ship fitter (the folks who do structural steel work on ships).
Last gift you received?  Clay impression of my cat Mars' paw
Best advice you ever got? Never let your boss be surprised.
Whom do you admire and why? Jonathan Daniels and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Both of these men were people of great faith and courage who gave their lives in the pursuit of justice. In case you're unfamiliar, here's the scoop on these two: Jonathan Daniels was a VMI graduate and Episcopalian seminarian who went to Alabama to do civil rights work.  In 1965 he was murdered when he stepped in front of a young black girl to shield her from a shotgun blast. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was an eminent German theologian who was deeply involved in the German resistance movement. The Nazis executed him in 1945.
If you could have dinner with any one currently living, whom would it be and why?  The Dalai Lama; because he's got a lot to teach, and I've got a lot to learn.
Ambition, political or otherwise?  Immediate professional ambitions:  PMP and Six Sigma Black Belt certification.  Long term professional ambitions:  Corporate Government Relations job.  Personal ambition:  To live happily ever after.
Describe a perfect day.  Sunny, around 78 degrees.  Kayak down the James with a group of friends.  Home for shower, lunch and nap.  Putter in the garden and play with the dog.  Cook yummy dinner for partner and couple of friends.

Sorensen's Political Leaders Program Class of 2006 enjoyed its first session this past weekend in Charlottesville. At the Friday evening dinner, the 37-member class of emerging Virginia leaders was fortunate to hear from former Lieutenant Governor and current Assistant Secretary of Education John Hager. Also in attendance that evening was Hager's wife Maggie, his son Jack, Virginia Delegates and Sorensen alumni John Cosgrove and Jennifer McClellan, Sorensen Board Chairman Barbara Fried, and Chaz Evans-Haywood, the Western and Valley Regional Representative for Senator George Allen.

On Saturday the class spent time hearing from Civic Consultant Brad Rourke, discussing the finer points of ethics in politics.

The Political Leaders Program Class of 2006 will meet next in Petersburg on April 7.

John Hager delivers the kick-off keynote to the PLP Class of 2006

John Hager, former Lieutenant Governor and now Assistant Secretary of Education

We are proud to bring you more information on the 37 Virginians who have been chosen to pariticipate in the Political Leaders Program Class of 2006. The class will meet for the first time on March 3 in Charlottesville.

Debby Allen, Forest; CPA, treasurer of a family business, Sidney B. Allen, Jr., Builder, Inc.; Co-chair, Jefferson Forest Attendance Zone PTA Coalition; Bridgewater College Alumni Association Board; coordinator of candidates' forums; member of the Republican Party; Virginia PTA Honorary Life Membership from Bedford County PTA Council.

J. Phillip Amiss, Amelia; Amelia County Board of Supervisors; U.S. Marine Reserve Infantry/Intelligence Officer; Abbott Labs Cardiovascular Sales Specialist; Amelia County Planning Commissioner.

Muneer A Baig, Manassas; IT Professional; Prince William Community Leadership Institute; Prince William Human Rights Commission; Muslim Association of Virginia Board; Virginian Muslim Political Action Committee Board; Interfaith Alliance of Northeast Virginia; 2005 CAIR Award for Political Activism in Northern Virginia.

Hobey Bauhan, Harrisonburg; president, Virginia Poultry Federation; Governor's Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates; Associate Director, Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District; Skyline Literacy Coalition Board; served in Governor Allen’s administration and on the staff of Representatives Slaughter and Allen.

Sindy M. Benavides, Springfield; Deputy Director of Constituent Services & Latino Liaison to the Governor; Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia (DLOV); League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); Congressman Moran's Latino Advisory Committee.

Andrew K. Block, Jr., Charlottesville; Legal Director, JustChildren Program of the Legal Aid Justice Center; Supervisor, University of Virginia School Of Law Child Advocacy Clinic; Coordinator, Virginia Coalition for Juvenile Justice; Recipient of American Bar Association Young Lawyer's Division 2005 Child Advocate Award.

Marc W. Cheatham, Richmond; Director, Constituent Services, Office of the Governor; former Sergeant, United States Marine Corps; President of VCU Baptist Student Union; resource leader for National Conference of Community Justice Metrotown Institute; missionary work in New Orleans working with HIV/AIDS patients.

Bryan L. Collins, Chesapeake; Physical Science Technician; Naval Facilities Mid Atlantic; Senior Consultant, B & E Tax Service; Chesapeake Planning Commission Chairman; Girl's Inc. of Southwest Hampton Roads Board.

Christie New Craig, Chesapeake; Legislative Aide to Delegate John Cosgrove; 4th Congressional District Committee Vice President of Organization; Financial Secretary for the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #9; previous law enforcement officer in City of Chesapeake Sheriff’s office.

Hill Ewald, Charlottesville; Trust and Money Management Division, Virginia National Bank; former SVP, Bank of America in Charlottesville; Chairman, Children’s Medical Center Committee at UVA; Miller School Board.

Michael A. Farruggio, Charlottesville; Sergeant Charlottesville Police Department, (Traffic Motor Unit and SWAT); member of the Charlottesville Planning Commission and the Parks and Rec Advisory Committee; past president Fry's Spring Neighborhood Association, Urban Design Committee and Affordable Housing Task Force.

Bill Figaro, Lynchburg; CEO, GROW!, Inc.;Entreprenurial Consulting Firm; Managing Partner in accounting firm of Moses, Ford & Figaro, LLC; Community Volunteer; Graduate of Leadership Lynchburg and LEADVA.

Rita Ghazal, Richmond; Title I specialist, Virginia Department of Education; Medical College of Virginia volunteer; active member of the University of Michigan and Columbia University Alumni Association; active member of the American Educational Research Association; former presidential campaign staff volunteer.

Steven Gould, Richmond; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor for Policy and Director of the Governor's Fellows Program, Office of Governor Tim Kaine; served in the Office of Governor Mark Warner; UNC-Chapel Hill Wesley Foundation Board.

Conaway Haskins, Chesterfield; Program Officer, The Cameron Foundation; Board Secretary, Task Force for Responsible Growth; Membership Committee member, Southeastern Council of Foundations; freelance writer and publisher/editor, SouthoftheJames.com.

Charniele L. Herring, Alexandria; Senior Associate Leftwich & Ludaway, LLC; Alexandria Commission for Women Chairman; Virginia Business and Professional Women’s Young Careerist 2002-2003; Alexandria Democratic Committee; 1994 recipient of the Monsignor Geno Baroni Award for Social Justice.

Brandon Hudson, Virgilina; attorney and mediator; Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative Board; organizer, Young Life of Marion; actor, non-profit theater.

Sharon Jadrnak, Emporia; executive director, Emporia-Greensville Habitat for Humanity; Emporia Redevelopment and Housing Authority Commissioner; Financial Literacy Coalition; Homeless Coalition; OB/Birthing Center Task Force; Committee to Save the Historic Greensville Bank Buildings.

Jay James, Charlottesville; Program Director, News Radio 1070 WINA; Charlottesville Radio Group; Current Applicant Jefferson Area Board for Aging Executive Board; Former Head Coach, University of Virginia Women's Club Basketball Team; Former United Way Volunteer on community fundraising.

Tim Johnson, Arlington; legislative aide to state delegate L. Scott Lingamfelter; worked on campaigns for House of Delegates; Political Director for a Congressional campaign.

Yvonne Johnston, Louisa; Financial Representative, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network; Charlottesville Area School Business Alliance Board; Co-Founder of Women United in Philanthropy; 2005 graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Charlottesville Program.

Krysta Jones, Arlington; lobbyist for the American College of Ob-Gyns; former intern for Congresswoman Corrine Brown; Northern Virginia Legislative Coalition Founder; former municipal services development consultant; US Peace Corps-Paraguay; National Social Action Director, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Tarina Keene, Norfolk; Development Coordinator, Elizabeth River Project; President, Virginia NOW; March for Women's Lives 2004 Hampton Roads Organizer; former television reporter and producer; completing a Masters in Public Administration from Old Dominion University.

Brian Kirwin, Virginia Beach; Director of Media Relations and Political Consulting; Rourk Public Relations; Sandler Center for the Performing Arts Public Awareness Chairman; Citizens BRAC Committee.

John Lawrence, Lynchburg; Founder and Owner, JL Home Improvement; Chairman, Lynchburg Democratic Committee; many years of experience as a carpenter in the construction industry.

Norman Leahy, Richmond; Senior Copywriter with Huntsinger & Jeffer; former director of the U.S. Term Limits Foundation; 7th District Chairman of Tertium Quids.

Don Lefeve, Alexandria; lobbyist for Alcalde & Fay; former Legislative Aide for Senator John Warner; Founding member of Phi Delta Phi (Ethics Fraternity) at George Mason University School of Law.

L. Blanton Marchese, Chesterfield; CEO/Co-founder Emergency Services Solutions Inc.; Investigator for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; paramedic and former ER technician and volunteer EMS.

Cynthia McKay, Glen Allen; attorney with Chadwick, Washington, Moriarty, Elmore & Bunn, P.C.; former staff member for Governor George Allen; president of Central Virginia Chapter of Community Associations Institute.

Missy Neff, Richmond; Assistant Secretary of Natural Resources for Administration, Office of the Governor; former Program Coordinator, Virginia League of Conservation Voters; Virginia's Council on the Status of Women.

Bradford Carter Phillips, Hampton; Attorney, Weisbrod & Phillips, P.C.; former Hampton Democratic Committee Chairman; 2nd Vice Chair, Hampton Democratic Committee; State Central Democratic Committee; political activist.

Carlos E. Soles, Arlington; immigrant community advocate; The Bolívar Network Chairman, the Latino Alumni Association at the University of Virginia; Virginia Latino Advisory Board; Arlington Multicultural Advisory Commission Vice Chair; Northern Virginia AIDS Ministries Board; US Peace Corps-Nicaragua.

Mike Taylor, Ringgold; Lieutenant of Field Operations, Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office; Administration of Justice Advisory Committee Chairman, Danville Community College; Big Brothers Big Sisters Board; graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Shawn Utt, Pulaski; Grant Writer/City Planner for the City of Radford; secured close to $15 million in State and Federal grant funds for the localities of the New River Valley while employed at the NRV Planning District Commission; member, Pulaski County Board of Zoning Appeals.

Margaret G. Vanderhye, McLean; government relations consultant; Governor's appointee to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority; appointee for two U.S. Presidents, two Virginia Governors, and the Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia; member and chair of national, regional, and community level boards and commissions.

Claire Ward, Richmond; Sales Operations Project Manager, Genworth Financial; Virginia Cave Board Chairman; The READ Center Board of Directors Chairman; Equality Virginia PAC Board.

Joyce Waugh, Roanoke; VP of public policy, Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce; Roanoke Valley Heart Association past Chairman; Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation; co-chairs public policy for the Virginia Economic Developers Association; The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge Board.

The Sorensen Institute is proud to announce the members of the Class
of 2006 Political Leaders Program. The class will begin its 10-month
term in March. Competition this year was particularly rigorous. We had
over 80 outstanding applications from around the Commonwealth for only
37 spots. Each of these students is indeed an emerging leader in their
communities and will do great things for Virginia. The staff and Board
of the Sorensen Institute is looking forward to working with them.

The members of the Political Leaders Program Class of 2006 are:

Debra Allen, Forest
John Amiss, Amelia
Muneer Baig, Manassas
Hobart Bauhan, Harrisonburg
Sindy Benavides, Springfield
Andrew Block, Charlottesville
Marc Cheatham, Glen Allen
Bryan Collins, Chesapeake
Christie Craig, Chesapeake
Charles Ewald, Charlottesville
Michael Farruggio, Charlottesville
William Figaro, Roanoke
Rita Ghazal, Richmond
Steven Gould, Richmond
Conaway Haskins, Chesterfield
Charniele Herring, Alexandria
Brandon Hudson, Virgilina
Sharon Jadrnak, Emporia
Jay James, Charlottesville
Timothy Johnson, Arlington
Yvonne Johnston, Louisa
Krysta Jones, Arlington
Tarina Keene, Norfolk
Brian Kirwin, Virginia Beach
John Lawrence, Lynchburg
Norman Leahy, Richmond
Donald Lefeve, Alexandria
Blanton Marchese, Chesterfield
Cynthia McKay, Glen Allen
Melissa Neff, Richmond
Bradford Phillips, Hampton
Carlos Soles, Arlington
Michael Taylor, Ringgold
Shawn Utt, Pulaski
Margaret Vanderhye, McLean
Claire Ward, Richmond
Joyce Waugh, Roanoke

The November/December edition of Virginia Martimer magazine, the official publication of the Virginia Port Authority,
includes this great photograph of members of the Class of 2005
Political Leaders Program. We were fortunate to enjoy a tour of the
port and an unforgettable visit to the Norfolk International Terminal
tower on Friday, November 11, 2005, where this photo was taken.

Delegate Preston Bryant (District 23), a member of the Sorensen Institute's Lynchburg Regional Board, was recently named Secretary of Natural Resources by Governor-elect Tim Kaine. Bryant, who won a sixth term in the House of Delegates in November, has a well-respected track record of work with environmental issues during his decade of service in the House of Delegates.

Governor Warner has called for a special election on January 10 in Lynchburg and parts of Amherst County to fill the vacant 23rd District seat that will result from Bryant's appointment. Among the hopefuls that have stepped forward to run is Shannon Valentine, a 2005 graduate of the Sorensen Institute's Political Leaders Program.

It was a spectacular weekend for the Sorensen Institute as we celebrated the graduation of the Political Leaders Class of 2005 on Friday and Saturday, December 2-3 in Charlottesville.

Events kicked off Friday evening with a reception and dinner at the University of Virginia Rotunda. Our keynote speaker was General Eric K. Shinseki, former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. General Shinseki currently holds a Chair of Leadership at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He spoke with great passion and insight on the themes of leadership and public service. We were all quite moved by his extraordinary dedication to our country and his commitment to the cause of freedom around the world.

Following General Shinseki's talk, members of the class took the podium to officially announce their Class of 2005 Gift. In an unprecedented act of generosity, the class actually presented a three-part gift to the Sorensen Institute: a beautiful pewter tray inscribed with the names of all 33 graduates; a pledge of $27,000 over three years representing 100% participation; and a commitment of volunteer time to assist staff in establishing an Alumni Mentor Program in 2006. Executive Director Sean O'Brien spoke for the entire staff when he expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the gift.

Saturday morning the Class of 2005 gathered for one final time as Sorensen students to discuss their experience in the program. Their last class together was moderated by Brad Rourke, an independent consultant on civic strategy and formerly of the Institute for Global Ethics.

With family and friends in attendance, the Class of 2005 graduation followed later that morning in the Dome Room of the UVA Rotunda. Class Chairperson Cathie France (who was absent due to having recentlygiven birth) made a few remarks via videotape. Sean O'Brien presented the diplomas and "gift bags," and each graduate had an opportunity to say a few words to the class.

There is word that the PLP Class of 2005 already has plans in the works for their first alumni gathering in February in Richmond.

Congratulations to the Class of 2005!

**We will post photos from graduation weekend in the next few days**