About Leadership Santa Rosa

Leadership Santa Rosa (LSR) is a program with a long and impactful heritage in Santa Rosa and in Sonoma County, having been run by the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber for 40 years and graduating over 1,000 participants, many of whom have gone on to leadership positions on the community.

The primary goal of LSR is to encourage informed community leadership while building individual leadership skills. By convening business, nonprofit, and government leaders to provide deep review of issues affecting the community, LSR educates participants and provides them with the tools to become leaders in the community.

The LSR program features speakers with firsthand experience on how our community works as well as experiential, hands-on activities designed to help participants learn how the community might be improved. The program is designed to meet these challenges during a series of 10 full-day, interactive seminars in Year One. In Year Two, the class plans and organizes the program content for the subsequent class. Year Two also features a program day focusing on specific leadership skills. Year Two is designed to offer leadership experiences to solidify the knowledge and skills learned in Year One.
About the Leadership Santa Rosa Steering Committee

The LSR program is overseen and guided by a Steering Committee made up of individuals who have graduated from the LSR program. The role of the Steering Committee is to ensure the quality and continuity of the program while allowing for program innovation and continual improvement of LSR.

It is a key expectation that each Steering Committee member actively participates on the planning committees of at least two program days, as well as the Year Two program day planning committee.

Responsibilities include:
  • Regular attendance at steering committee meetings (one meeting each month)
  • Active participation in recruitment and selection of LSR class each year
  • As a planning committee member, assist in at least two program days oversight, serve as a liaison between day planners and Steering Committee, and attend the days assisted as a planning committee member
  • Attend at least one pre-tour as a planning committee member
  • Attend special events such as the LSR Reception, Retreat, and Graduation
  • Participate as a committee member in the planning Year Two’s session; the expectation for Year Two participation is attendance at all planning committee sessions and active engagement on the day
  • Ensure that the planning committees conform to program budget
  • Participate in the development and setting of program policy
  • Serve as an ambassador for the program and promote LSR within the community
Membership in the Leadership Santa Rosa Steering Committee:
  • There is a maximum of 16 committee members. At least 12 members is suggested. One member from the Leadership Santa Rosa Alumni Association is encouraged.
  • Committee is open to all LSR Alumni who have completed their two-year commitment to the program and/or Santa Rosa Metro Chamber members. Applications will be available each spring. Committee may be limited by size.
  • The Steering Committee will work to include a diverse representation of LSR class year and industry expertise.
Selection and Terms:
  • The term of LSRSC membership is three years, starting on January 1 and ending on December 31 each year. Each year, one third of the membership terms expire. Members with expired terms are eligible to reapply.
  • The Chamber’s general membership, and the LSR Alumni Association, will be notified that the Chamber is accepting applications for LSRSC membership in the fall of each year.
  • Applicants must be Chamber members and/or LSR Alumni.
  • Should committee membership decrease, recruitment can be done at a different point of the year based on the needs of the committee.
  • Selection Committee will be comprised of the current Chair of the LSRSC, the incoming Chair of the LSRSC, the CEO of the Chamber, and the LSR Staff Liaison.
  • All appointments must be approved by the LSRSC.
Attendance Requirement:
  • Members attending less than four LSRSC meetings during two consecutive quarters may be replaced. The LSRSC one day end-of-summer retreat has mandatory attendance as it is the key planning meeting for LSRSC each year.
Candidate Application

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* Please provide a Statement of Interest below (500 words or fewer.) Please indicate how your participation on the LSRSC would contribute to the success of LSR and what skills and experiences you would bring to the LSRSC. You are encouraged to also provide a link to your LinkedIn profile and/or email a current resume (email link provided after submitting application).

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* Please list boards and committees that you serve on, or have served on and your role: (business, civic, community, fraternal, political, professional, recreational, religious, social)

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* Personal information

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* Professional information

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* Please list three references, including one classmate from your LSR class.

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* Is your company a member of the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber?

By submitting this application to the LSRSC, you are acknowledging your and your employer’s support for the time commitments required for participation on the LSRSC, its planning days and program days.

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* Applicant Signature (Type Name)

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* Date

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