Empowered Leadership at the AAFEA Leadership Development Workshop
Written by: Vera Medici
Management Concepts was proud to partner with the African American Federal Executive Association (AAFEA) again at the virtual 17th annual Leadership Development Workshop focusing on “Empowered Leadership,” which took place September 20-22, 2021. Management Concepts supports AAFEA’s mission to promote career-enhancing opportunities for those at the GS-13 level and above, addressing the core subjects critical for becoming a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES).
Inspirational Speakers
It is not surprising that the wide experience and connections of AAFEA members would lead to keynote speakers with remarkable stories of personal and professional perseverance. Each keynote riveted the audience with their inspiring speeches, which were well-reflected in the attendee chat box. The opening plenary speaker, Dr. Mamie Parker, SES retired, former head of Fisheries U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, captivated attendees with intimate details of her humble roots, challenges, and how her love of nature helped her rise above obstacles, buoyed by the encouragement and support of others.
The second keynote speaker was Claudia L. Gordon, Esq., Director, Government and Compliance Sprint Accessibilities at T-Mobile Sprint Corporation and former public sector worker. Ms. Gordon delivered her keynote through American Sign Language, voiced through an interpreter. Attendees were amazed and inspired by Ms. Gordon’s brilliant insights into her journey and the many hurdles she faces as a deaf woman of color. She noted that while many strides have been made to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, much more is to be done to advance accessibility in public and private sector workplaces.
Other notable keynote speakers included Diane Hoskins, Co-CEO at Gensler, Dr. Aaron M. Lee, SES, Executive Director, Office of Human Capital Services, Veterans Benefits Administration, Ronald A. Williams, Chairman and CEO at RW2 Enterprises, Dr. Stacey A. Dixon (Presidential Appointee in a Position Requiring Senate Confirmation), Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Charmain Bogue, SES, Executive Director Education Service, U.S. Veterans Affairs.
Leadership Course
We were invited to present our extremely popular leadership course once again. Participants explored the topics of “Influencing” and “Giving and Receiving Feedback” through a combination of lectures, individual exercises, and group discussions. These topics represent 2 of the 30 modules that comprise the Management Concepts Professional Government Supervisor Program, with content aligned to the Office of Personnel Management Supervisory Training Framework and Senior Executive Service executive core qualifications Presenter Angela Kochuba energized participants by combining engaging lecture materials with plenty of interaction and camaraderie through group discussions. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants received a joint AFFEA-Management Concepts certificate of attendance for CE credit.
Community Partner Award
One of the proudest moments for Management Concepts came during the awards ceremony when Michelle Clark, Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at Management Concepts, was presented with the Community Partner Award. This honor is conferred upon individuals or organizations who have demonstrated their accomplishments by impactful and tangible engagements, development of significant policy initiatives, or other substantial efforts to support and advance AAFEA’s strategic objective. Byron Adkins, Jr., President of AAFEA, warmly congratulated Michelle Clark and noted that she has provided outstanding professional development planning and leadership to AAFEA.
More to Come
Though the 2021 AAFEA Leadership Development workshop has come to an end, there are still many more partnership activities planned between AAFEA and Management Concepts. We hope you’ll join us at Building the Next Generation of Leadership in the Federal Government live panel event, October 21, 2021. This interactive panel discussion of multigenerational speakers will address what current and aspiring leaders do today to cultivate the pipeline of leadership in the federal government, share success stories, and address obstacles faced while building the next generation of leadership in the federal workforce.
Stay up to date on all AAFEA and Management Concepts activities and events on our partnership page. Missed the Leadership Development Workshop? View photos on our Facebook page.
