EMERGE Leadership Development Program
As the healthcare environment changes and organizations are asked to do more with less, it is important for nonprofit older adult services professionals to have deep leadership bench strength and become innovative thinkers. To support the membership in this regard, LeadingAge California offers EMERGE, a year-long leadership program designed to develop and shape tomorrow's leaders.
Application Deadline for 2023-2024 Cohort: February 20, 2023
Goals and Benefits
EMERGE seeks to prepare future leaders in the older adult services industry, help member communities develop motivated leaders to fuel organizational success, and enhance the effectiveness of the wider older adult services community. Goals include:
- Create a shared meaning of leadership and its fundamental principles.
- Help Fellows explore various dimensions of transformative leadership, with a focus on relationship building.
- Support Fellows in their individual leadership journeys, promoting self-awareness and authenticity.
- Develop a network of Fellows who will support one another as well as the values of the program.
- Enhance engagement and loyalty to LeadingAge California.
- Increase the value to member organizations who sponsor Fellows.
During the year-long program, EMERGE Fellows receive complimentary registrations to LeadingAge California’s Annual Conference & Exposition (in conjunction with their first EMERGE Session), and RISE Policy Summit (in conjunction with their fourth EMERGE Session). Meals are provided during each class session at no additional cost. Continuing Education Units are emailed to Fellows after each session. EMERGE graduation takes place at the following Annual Conference during the Opening General Session. Discounted conference registration fees are given to the new EMERGE graduates.
Eligibility, Application and Commitment
EMERGE is available to anyone who works for a LeadingAge California member. A $2,799 tuition payment (non-refundable and non-transferable) is required from each Fellow’s sponsoring organization. In addition, all lodging and travel expenses are paid by the sponsoring organization (the costs incurred vary depending on the locations of the face-to-face learning experiences).
Fellows should plan on spending between 10-15 hours a month working on EMERGE activities in addition to one hour each month for monthly team conference calls.
Affiliation with a non-LeadingAge California member could result in removal from the program.
The application period for EMERGE typically runs from November to February. More information about eligibility, the application process, and EMERGE commitment are available on the application here.
Curriculum
Participants will engage in four small group, customized learning experiences that include site visits to LeadingAge California member communities, reading assignments from a wide range of authors and experts in the field of leadership development, along with group exercises and class activities aimed towards achieving a self-exploration of different leadership styles.
Mentorship and Networking
Fellows have the opportunity to connect with a mentoring Coach throughout the duration of the program and participate in monthly team calls in-between class sessions. The monthly team calls allow fellows to obtain the tools, experiences, and connections needed to become change agents and inclusive leaders.
EMERGE 2022-2023 Cohort Schedule
- Session I: May 16-18, 2022 (in conjunction w/ Annual Conference) - Pasadena Convention Center | Pasadena, CA
- Session II: September 15 & 16, 2022 - Hilton Anaheim | Anaheim, CA
- Session III: December 1 & 2, 2022 - White Sands | La Jolla, CA
- Session IV: March 21-22, 2023 - (in conjunction w/ RISE Policy Summit ) The Sutter Club | Sacramento, CA
- Graduation: May 1, 2023 (in conjunction w/ Annual Conference) - Portola Hotel & Spa | Monterey, CA
Facilitators and Coaches
MEET OUR FACILITATORS
Matthew Neeley, Hillcrest
Matthew Neeley is president & CEO of Hillcrest. He is a healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience leading older adult services organizations. He enjoys developing others and serves as facilitator of the EMERGE program, the Leadership Development Program for LeadingAge California and on its Public Policy Committee. he is active in community service and has served as Treasurer of the La Verne/San Dimas Meals on Wheels and as board member and Chair of Community Senior Services. He is an adjunct professor, teaching graduate level Gerontology courses for the University of La Verne. Mr. Neeley has dual Master's degrees from Arizona State University in Business Administration (MBA) and Health Services Administration (MHSA).
Christina Cerrato, Episcopal Communities and Services
Christina Cerrato, CPM, is the Director of Operations of Affordable Housing for Episcopal Communities and Services. She previously served as Administrator for Angelus Plaza in Los Angeles from 2010 to 2016. She received her Master's degree in Business, Economics and Politics from Claremont Graduate University and her Bachelor's degree in Political Science and History from the University of California, Los Angeles.
In her role as Director of Operations for ECS, she is responsible for oversight of all operations in affordable housing residential communities of Episcopal Communities and Services; including staff, maintaining and preserving assets, ensuring compliance and regulatory guidelines and contracts.
Meet Our Coaches
Lisa Coe, Paradise Valley Estates
Lisa Coe is the Senior Director of Facility Operations at Paradise Valley Estates in Fairfield, California. In this role, she is tasked with overseeing all facility operations as well as capital improvement projects. Lisa also continues to drive the accreditation process for the organization. Additionally, Lisa supports the community through developing leadership programs and serving on many resident communities. She has been in senior living for over 19 years. Lisa earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from San Jose State University in 1992 with a Major in Speech Communication and minor in Public Relations.
Joseph Pritchard, Masonic Homes of California, Union City
Joseph Pritchard is the Director of Memory Care at Masonic Homes of California, Union City. In this role, he is tasked with implementing new technological innovations (iPad, Lumosity, etc.) for use in the Brain Fitness/Memory Care Programs. He previously was the RCFE Healthcare Manager at Masonic Homes from 2014 to 2015. In this role, he managed 48 members of the nursing team, which included training. Joseph earned his M.D. from Our Lady of Fatima University in 2009 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 2003.
Karina Barragán, TELACU Residential Management, Inc. (TRM)
Karina Barragán is the Director of Resident Services Programs for TELACU Residential Management, Inc. (TRM). In her role, she oversees a team of Service Coordinators to connect the elderly and disabled persons residing in residential assisted housing developments with supportive services for residents to age in place with dignity and respect. Her role provides Quality Assurance over the Service Coordinator Program ensuring HUD compliance. She is an active member of LeadingAge and other organization which supports the aging service and the Service Coordinator profession to influence the aging and underserved communities.
Alumni
Check out Action Learning Projects (ALP) from prior EMERGE classes. Click on the image to view.
CLASS OF 2020
JIANE BASSI • LEIF CAMERON • MEREDITH CHILLEMI • BETHANY DINH • KELLY DODD • JESSICA DUPLANTIS • EMILY FARBER • JUAN GAYTAN • ADAM KOPRAS • RANSHU MALINI • CELINA MANZANAREZ • KIM MCNULTY • ENRIQUE MONTERO • CHRISTINE NGUYEN • ISAAC ORTEGA • SUSIE PONCE • SERGIO SOLORIO • MARNA TOPPING
CLASS OF 2019
CLAUDIA BUTLER • LISA COE •; JULIA EARLY • MICHAEL EASBEY • MEGAN FOSTER • JANE KING • SARAH LECK • CAMMILLE LO-LI • GINA MANANSALA • CRISTINA MENDEZ • JESSICA MONTES • YVETTE OCHOA • ANTONIO ROQUE • PAIGE RYAN • JORDAN SHANAHAN • AIREEN TIBON • ROSA TORRES • SHIRLEY TURNER • BERNADETTE VIRAY • MARY VO • ELISE WALKER • KRISTEN WANNER
CLASS OF 2018
MIA ALMONTE • LUCY ASCALON • YOLANDA BARBA • DAVINA BARKER • BRADLEY BURGOYNE • BEATRIZ CAMARENA • ANDREA CAMPISI • AMY CARSON • MARIO CHAVEZ • DENISE EDMONDS • ZULY GARCIA-UICAB • GLEN GILLUM • MORGAN JAREK • ESTHER KOC • KRISTINA LUGO • ANGELINA MACHADO • TIA OWENS • SHANNON PENICK PIEXOTO • WILLIAM PENROD • CHRISTINE REGAN • SUSAN RUAN • NATHANIEL RUNAS •GEOVEN SNAER • CHARMAINE VERADOR • CHARLES WHITE
CLASS OF 2017
TRACY ANDERSON • DIANAMARIA BACIARELLI • ELIZABETH CATRON • VICTOR CERON • RONALD CHAN • DENISA FEDDERSEN • VINCENT FORESTA • JOHN GRIMES • ADAM HILL • JENNIFER MARTINEZ • BRIAN MCBEE • BRIAN MORROW • CHIRSTINA PIEXOTO • MIGUEL RODAS • DENISE RODRIGUEZ • DAWN SHIMEL • NICOLE SNOWBERGER • JONNI STREETER • THERESE TEN BRINKE
CLASS OF 2016
MICHELLE ALCEDO • ARLEEN AMOROZO • DENNIS DAVIS • NOEL DONATO • SHAWN (CUONG) DUONG • MICKI GERARDI • MELISSA GILL HAUSZ • JUDITH GITONGA • ROBIN GORDON • ERNESTO GUZMAN • JANE HOPPER • BENSON LEE • SYLVIA NAJARRO • HANANE OMARI • LUIS PEREZ • MARIA PLURAD DEL ROSARIO • MICHELE POMERANCE • JOSEPH PRITCHARD • KENNY RAMIREZ • NATALI RIVERA • HECTOR RODRIGUEZ • WENDY STARR • PEDRO VIDANA
CLASS OF 2015
GAYATHRI AMANCHERLA • JENNIFER ARENT • KARINA BARRAGAN • MARCELA CASTANEDA • ABIGAIL CASTILLO • KIM DELGADO • JOSHUA DELGADO • NEIL FANCHER • CONNIE GARRETT • CHRISTINE HANSON • HEATHER HARRIS • JENNIFER MARLETTE • MEAGAN MCLELLAN • RICHARD NORDSIEK • LETICIA ONTIVEROS • FRANCES PROCHILO • ADRIAN QUINONES • NEAL TALMAN • MEGAN THOMAS • THERESE WELLINGTON
CLASS OF 2014
VERONICA AREVALO • DEBORAH BARRETTE • LORETTA CECCONI • ILONA CORPUS • MARY GRACE CRISOSTOMO • ELENA DAVIDENKO • MARLENA DEL HIERRO • LIAM DUNFEY • JANA GESINGER • KENETTA JACKSON • KRISTI MCKINNEY • ALLISON NORD • MARK RIVERA • CAROLEE RODRIGO • ANDREA SMITH • ALEXANDRA STEADMAN • GISELE TACKOOR • RITHY THONG • JENNIFER TORRES • RON WALL • CONNIE YUEN
CLASS OF 2013
JOLEEN ANDERSON • PALOMA BARROSO • RACHEL BETZLER • MARIA BURTON • STEVE CHEREGOSA • TERESA DANG • MARIA TERESA DEL CARPIO • SHARON FAY • JANICE FUJII • DEBORAH GONZALES • KATHERINE HANLINE • MICHAEL KELLER • JESSICA LITCHFIELD • CINDY MCCREARY • RACHEL MINER • SAMUEL ODEN • KENDRA ROBERTS • NELSON RODRIGUES • YVETTE DUARTE • SERGIO SOLIS • SARAH STICHLER
CLASS OF 2011
ELISABETH ANDERSON • TRISTIN BENJAMIN • NAN BOYD • THERESE BROWN • MICHELLE CUEVAS • PETER DINE • ASHLEY DUKE • MAYRA GARCIA • JODEE GIBSON • TRAVIS HANNA • YANNICK HIMBER • TYLER ICHIEN • DOUG KAPLAN • TIFFANY KARLIN • ANGELA LAZARICH • AUDREY LEE-SUNG •
JILL LOVE • SANDRA MIRASOL • THEODORE MORALES • REBECCA SPENCER • MONICA WINN