The Sunnyvale Sun

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Leadership Sunnyvale celebrates 20th anniversary

By JACK PRENTICE

Silicon Valley Leadership's premier leadership development program, Leadership Sunnyvale, marks its 20th anniversary.

Leadership Sunnyvale provides "10 years of community experience in nine months," according to s graduate and Sunnyvale Distinguished Citizen of the year for 2003 David Simons.

Robert LaSala, Sunnyvale's past city manager, calls it a frame of reference for building community and connecting Sunnyvale's emerging leaders.

It is also an opportunity to network and form relationships with people from a wide variety of backgrounds," says graduate Ebony Milton.

Silicon Valley Leadership says in its mission statement that programs such as its flagship, Leadership Sunnyvale, are designed "to strengthen our diverse community by developing empowered individuals to become effective leaders through training on the fundamentals of leadership and community awareness skills."

Now 20 years later and with more than 400 alumni, Leadership Sunnyvale continues to develop community leaders; a significant number of Sunnyvale's current and past city council members are graduates. Countless others have gone on to become board and commission members.

Silicon Valley Leadership executive director Jim Telfer says, "This is a powerful network of 400 friends and potential colleagues. The alumni themselves and their magnificent achievements will continue to reflect the value of the program beyond this city and this year."