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I’m incredibly grateful that working at Flourish has opened the door to many wonderful professional growth opportunities. Most recently, I was accepted into the Connect 27 class with Leadership Greater Huntsville. If you haven’t heard of Connect or Leadership Greater Huntsville, they are powerful programs designed to help industry professionals grow as leaders. These programs empower participants with connections to their community and inspire them to give back, strengthening Huntsville through unified efforts.

AUGUST

Day 1: Kicking Off in Downtown Huntsville

We started our journey downtown at the Embassy Suites, where we dove into enriching conversations with alumni of the Leadership Greater Huntsville program. The morning featured an inspiring talk from their new CEO, Christie Finley, and a hands-on DiSC workshop with Flourish friend, Lana Barshinger. We participated in several activities that created fast bonding between our group members, helping us form connections that will be vital throughout the program.

After lunch, we were assigned to small groups to work on service projects for local organizations. My group’s project is with The Caring Link, an organization that provides care closets in schools for children in need. These closets are stocked with donated clothing, snacks, and essential items to help students with disadvantages succeed alongside their peers. Our main task will be helping The Caring Link build a new care closet at Blossomwood Elementary later this month. I can’t wait to see how our team can help them with their mission!

Later, we split into small groups and were handed a mysterious envelope. The clues inside sent us on a downtown scavenger hunt, exploring the historic charm of Huntsville. We took selfies with colorful murals and historic landmarks, learning more about the city we call home.

Day 2: Team Bonding at Shocco Springs

On the second day, we loaded onto a bus and set off to Shocco Springs, a beautiful campground in Talladega, Alabama. The day began with a workshop on handling difficult conversations. It was eye-opening to see how much we share in common, even within such a diverse group, and how much we can grow by embracing our differences.

After lunch, we headed to the lake for some hands-on teamwork. Our challenge was to build a foam board airplane and launch it off a three-story waterslide! Finding out we had two of the four engineers in the program on our team, I thought we had this competition in the bag. However, despite our efforts, our plane flew the second-shortest distance. But the project highlighted something more important: everyone on our team contributed, jumped in when they had ideas and handed over tools when someone else was ready to take a turn. We cheered each other on, and though our plane didn’t win, we had a great time cheering each other on and strengthening our bond as a group.

Advice That Stuck With Me

Before starting my Connect journey, I received two pieces of advice. The first is to be open to everything this program offers. There’s so much to learn, and having an open mind will allow me to grow in ways I never expected. The second is to sit next to someone different on the bus each time. Apparently, there’s going to be a lot of bus riding! Even though I had a few people I knew on the bus I might’ve been more comfortable to sit with, I challenged myself to branch out and meet new people. Knowing they are also here to make these connections and having participated in the bonding exercises (I’ll leave them mysterious, so I don’t spoil the surprise if any reader wants to join Connect in the future) made it easy to reach out and start a conversation with someone I haven’t spoken to yet. I’m looking forward to continuing to build these relationships.

I’m already excited for our next program day, where we’ll be touring locations at Redstone Arsenal for Local Economic Development Day. Stay tuned for more updates from my leadership journey!

SEPTEMBER – LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Starting the Day at Redstone Arsenal

Our first program day! I was so excited to really dive into the learning portion of Leadership. We met early in the morning at the Huntsville Ice Complex. After some mingling in the parking lot, we boarded the bus and traveled to Redstone Arsenal.

Upon arriving at Axient, we were greeted with one of the best breakfast burritos I’ve ever had (shout out to Shaggy’s!). Command Sergeant Major Dylan Lemasters then explained the history of Redstone Arsenal, its impact on Huntsville’s development, and its importance to our community. It’s wild to see pictures of this area as just empty crop fields!

Next, we hopped back on the bus and traveled to the PIF (Project Integration Facility), where they quickly create prototypes for government contracting companies to fail fast and learn what improvements to make on an accelerated schedule. It was a great tour, showcasing various parts made for helicopters and their process for producing these items quickly and efficiently.

Back on the bus (I’m telling you now, there’s a lot of “bus” time in Leadership! But it’s a great opportunity for one-on-one conversations with new people each time!) we traveled to the HOSC, the Huntsville Operations Support Center. There, we got an inside look at the operations center, where they communicate directly with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS), guiding them through conducting experiments and tests sent to the ISS.

Curling, Panels and Roundtables

Then it was back to the Huntsville Ice Complex, where the Huntsville Curling Club taught us to curl! What a fun sport—much more athletic than I first thought when I saw it in the Olympics! We worked up a sweat gliding down the ice.

We followed this with a great panel featuring our tri-county area’s economic developers. They spoke passionately about their commitment to the development of Madison, Limestone, and Morgan counties. Instead of competing heavily against each other, they collaborate to attract industries and businesses to the area, all with the goal of improving the future of our region while preserving its history.

Afterward, we had a roundtable discussion with representatives from the developers of Town Madison, Clift Farm, MidCity District, and Bridge Street. They discussed improvements coming to those areas and listened to our thoughts on how those properties are thriving and where they can improve.

With all of these improvements and thriving industries in the Greater Huntsville area, you might wonder if there are any areas of concern. Our next discussion brought to light the impacts of this rapid growth and the issues that can arise. These challenges are significant, but Huntsville has systems in place to address them as they emerge. Organizations like the Huntsville Housing Authority, Public Transit, Huntsville Port Authority, and TOOTRiS are working hard to solve problems related to housing, bus schedules, airport travel, and childcare. They have excellent plans in place, and I hope we as a community can recognize that with growth comes challenges. We must do our part to help these organizations achieve their goals and be patient with our city leaders as they work to solve these issues.

What I Learned

Over the last several years, I’ve been encouraged and excited by the growth of Huntsville, Alabama! It’s wonderful to see people so interested in our area and to showcase the significant impact this big little town with southern charm can have on the world. We must understand that with great improvement comes great challenges, but we are strong and smart enough to learn from the world around us and provide solutions. As we all work together, we can make this city the best place to live!

OCTOBER – PUBLIC SAFETY DAY

Eager to begin at Hsv. Police & Fire Academy

I was SO EXCITED for Public Safety Day! Seeing my Flourish teammates Megan, Nicole, and Merritt go through this program over the past three years has been inspiring, but what looked like the most fun to me was getting a look inside our public safety system! Seeing the challenges these professionals face daily is truly inspiring. The efforts and planning they put into keeping our community safe are above and beyond, and I’m so grateful for their service every day.

Public Safety Day

We began our day at the Huntsville Police and Fire Academy with a delicious breakfast while catching up with our small groups about our service project (I’ll dive deeper into our small group project with The Caring Link later!). Our education for the day started with the Fire Department. Three firefighter recruiters gave us an overview of the expectations placed on our firefighters and what their day could look like. They took us on a tour of the training facilities, which included two towers of stairs, obstacle courses with joists to crawl over, weights to sledgehammer, weighted ropes to pull, and several types of fires to test their ability to think quickly while conserving energy and oxygen in their tanks. We also toured Pete’s Playhouse—which is not the fun treehouse it might sound like!

Short Trip to the 911 Facility

There was only one bus trip today, and it was a short one! However, I still managed to have some good conversations with new friends. We traveled to the Madison County 911 Center, where we heard from dispatchers about their daily schedules. We toured their facility, where they spend long 12+ hour shifts, complete with a huge kitchen, lounge, exercise room, and a quiet room. It’s wonderful to hear about the attention the facility pays to the mental health of its employees and the precautions and support they provide to the dispatchers. A dispatcher shared some of the calls they’ve received. While some, in retrospect, were funny—like children accidentally calling or other forms of miscommunication—others were extremely sad, hysterical, and involved people in mental crises. I can understand why a dispatcher might need some cool-down time after particularly harrowing calls.

Integrity in All You Do

Back at the Academy, after a much-needed lunch break, we heard from Chairman Mac McCutcheon, who spoke about the integrity a leader must carry at all times. He shared that to live a happy and fulfilling life, one should always strive to make things better, whether that’s for their family, their community, or themselves. Never settle; always strive for improvement.

Leaders from the National Children’s Advocacy Center, Crisis Services of North Alabama, and the Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council shared their commitment to connecting citizens with public safety leaders. These organizations help people experiencing crises reconnect with the community, form better relationships with their families and public servants, and overcome the stigma surrounding their situations.

Training with the HPD

We spent the rest of the afternoon with different factions of the police department. We heard from the SWAT team and got the chance to see the inside of a SWAT vehicle. An officer from STAC (Huntsville’s Strategic Counterdrug Team) discussed legal strategies for catching criminals and deterring their continued crimes. We then entered the VirTra octagon—a simulation system used to practice interactions in real-life crisis scenarios. Finally, we spoke with a patrol officer duo who educated us about “routine” traffic stops (hint: there are no “routine” stops—each one is a new experience for officers). I appreciated this educational moment, which fostered greater understanding between citizens and officers. The officers stressed the importance of cooperation during high-stress situations. As one officer said, “We have days, weeks, months, even years to process how we both reacted to the situation. Let’s all cooperate to make it to those following days.”

Our final stop was the K-9 unit. We learned about the different dogs with specialized abilities—ranging from drug-sniffing and apprehension to bomb detection. My favorite was a bomb-sniffing dog who looked like a black version of my own Lab! These animals are incredibly well-trained, and the officers who work with them are highly skilled in handling them with care and precision.

Exhausted but Exhilarated 

I was exhausted at the end of this jam-packed day, but it was well worth it! Here are a few key takeaways:

  • Integrity: How can I make Huntsville a better place? How can I improve my neighborhood, my community, or myself? I want to always strive to leave things better than I found them.

NOVEMBER – LOCAL GOVERNMENT

I’ve never had much interest in politics. I did well in high school learning the structure of our United States government, but beyond that, my focus has always leaned toward other topics. This day with our Connect class (C-27 Best Class Ever!) gave me a new perspective and lifted my hopes for our local government. It was exciting to hear from local leaders about their daily responsibilities and how the community can play a greater role in shaping our city.

The New City Hall

How gorgeous! The new city hall is stunning—high ceilings, beautiful art, pristine lighting—everything feels so clean and polished. We began in the city council chambers with a quick huddle to set the stage for the day. From mayors to city council members to state representatives, we were in for an incredible lineup of speakers.

We kicked off with the mayors of neighboring cities: Leigh Dollar (Guntersville), Ronnie Marks (Athens), and Jim McCamy (Scottsboro). They shared a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be a mayor—the challenges, the rewards, and how even a simple grocery trip can turn into an hour-long conversation. It was a good reminder that leadership comes with both praise and criticism, and we can support our leaders while also holding them accountable to move our communities forward.

Next, Lana Barshinger, a great friend of Flourish, walked us through our DiSC personality results. Lana is an expert in DiSC and other personality-based communication tools, and she gave an engaging presentation on how understanding ourselves can improve how we communicate with teams and communities to achieve better results.

Mayor Paul Finley of Madison City brought his signature energy and enthusiasm to the room. Building on Lana’s discussion, he emphasized the importance of understanding others’ communication styles and how that can lead to stronger leadership and collaboration. Mayor Finley also shared exciting updates about upcoming traffic improvements in Madison, which had all of us intrigued!

Budgeting and State Representation

Huntsville’s City Manager, John Hamilton, and Financial Director, Penny Smith, gave us a behind-the-scenes look at city budgeting. They explained how decisions are made and priorities set to ensure the city’s funds are used effectively. It was eye-opening to see how much careful planning goes into every dollar spent.

After a much-needed stretch and a delicious lunch at Beezr, we returned to hear from State Representatives Anthony Daniels and James Lomax. Despite being from opposing parties, they displayed genuine friendship and shared a commitment to improving Huntsville and Alabama. They discussed the importance of collaboration over conflict and encouraged us to seek unbiased information rather than relying solely on media portrayals. Their message was clear: Do your own research and draw your own conclusions.

City Council Simulation

Back in the council chambers, we participated in a fun and insightful city council simulation led by David Little and Dr. Jennie Robinson of the Huntsville City Council. Each group received a proposed city budget, elected a “mayor,” and debated funding priorities. Our group’s spirited discussions about Arts and Entertainment versus services for children and the homeless underscored the complexity of leadership decisions. Presenting our choices to the “townspeople” (played hilariously by our council leaders) highlighted just how hard it is to please everyone while striving for what’s best for the community.

Closing Discussions

We wrapped up the day with roundtable discussions featuring leaders from parks and recreation, the city attorney’s office, and county commissioners. They covered everything from road maintenance to park improvements to city legal matters. It was fascinating to learn how many moving pieces it takes to keep our community running smoothly.

This day was truly eye-opening. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the teamwork and dedication required to lead a city. Seeing our leaders approach their work with so much passion and care left me inspired and hopeful. This day sparked a new interest in government decisions—one I’ve never experienced before.

 

December – Health & Wellness Day

Starting the Day Strong

My favorite way to start my day is with a 6:15 am class at OrangeTheory Fitness in Madison (shout-out to OTF Madtown!). This invigorating workout always sets the tone for my day. As someone who’s pretty into fitness, I was especially excited for Health and Wellness Day with Leadership. Typically, I skip my OTF class on Leadership days because these days are a workout themselves—I’m completely wiped out by the end! On this day, we had the option to choose from a few activities including light yoga, meditation, recovery, or pickleball. I chose “light circuit training,” which turned out to be a session at Regymen Fitness. This circuit training gym offered far more equipment than I’m used to, and our group of six went all in. By the end, I was sweaty but thrilled. I loved it!

Food as Medicine

From there, we headed to the Regions Center in downtown Huntsville, where Radhika Kakani spoke to us about food as medicine. She highlighted the nutritious properties of different foods and how consistency in our diet impacts our overall wellness. Her personal anecdotes and research connections made the presentation engaging and practical.

A Visit to Wellstone

Next, we visited Wellstone, Inc., where Daelyn Houser, a former Connect participant, gave us a historical overview of the organization. She shared the origins of Wellstone, its name inspired by the Hotel Monte Sano’s history as a health retreat in the 1800s, and the evolution of mental health care in Alabama. While the beginnings were bleak, Wellstone has become a beacon of hope, providing critical services for children and adults in our community.

Terre Stewart and Paula Steele, both directors within Wellstone, expanded on the services offered. Terre, overseeing the Adult Division, shared various programs designed to help adults overcome a range of challenges. She also provided practical self-care tips for managing stress in the moment. Paula, who leads emergency services, gave us a virtual tour of the new Pediatric Crisis Center. This state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to helping youth in crisis, offering professional care to support them through difficult times.

Healthcare Panel Discussion

After a quick and delicious lunch provided by Hound and Harvest, we were back on the bus and headed to Huntsville Hospital. Here, we participated in a panel discussion featuring Dr. Caleb Mason (Osteopathic Physician, Premier Family Care), Dr. Tiffany Kennedy (CEO, Nesin Physical Therapy), and Ann Hatfield (Physician Assistant, Clearview Cancer Institute). These professionals shared their frustrations with the current healthcare system while emphasizing their commitment to patient care. They discussed navigating costs and insurance while striving to provide the best treatments. They also stressed the importance of regular wellness visits to establish a health baseline, rather than only visiting doctors when sick.

Touring Huntsville Hospital

Next, we toured the hospital, and I was fortunate to join the group exploring the NICU and Pediatric Hospital. It was inspiring to see the extraordinary care provided to the tiniest patients. We sanitized our hands and quietly observed the NICU, where each unit was designed to resemble a home, symbolizing the hope that these babies would soon join their families. Our final stop was to view the NICU Miracle Tree wall display dedicated to the babies who’ve passed through the unit, a leaf for “in honor of” and a butterfly for “in memory.”

On our way to the new Pediatric ER, we had the opportunity to explore the Pediatric Ambulance, a vital resource that transports children to receive the best possible care. The ER itself was thoughtfully designed to comfort children during frightening moments.

A highlight of the tour was meeting Asteroid, a golden retriever in the Coping Canines program. Asteroid visits children’s rooms, demonstrating how to wear oxygen masks and taking “medicine” to help calm nervous patients. Along with her brother Orbit, she’s a beloved part of the hospital’s care team.

We also saw the ER’s operating room, equipped with tools and machines ready for any emergency. Our guides were incredibly knowledgeable, making the tour both informative and reassuring. Seeing the NICU, Milk Lab, Pediatric Ambulance, and Canines for Coping program left me confident that our children are in excellent hands at this hospital.

Key Takeaway: Prevention

The theme of the day was clear: Prevention is the cornerstone of health and wellness. By consistently treating our bodies well, we can avoid many health issues. However, it was also comforting to know that if the need arises, our local healthcare providers are prepared, compassionate, and top-notch.

Author: flourish