Seminar helps key decision-makers address the challenges they face on a daily basis

From May 17-19, 2007, over thirty five ACYPL alumni from across the United States gathered on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles to participate in “The Art of Strategic Leadership,” a leadership development seminar jointly organized by ACYPL and the UCLA School of Public Affairs.

The exclusive three day program afforded alumni the opportunity to discuss change management, decision-making in crisis situations and other strategic leadership topics with distinguished public servants and academic experts.

The program was kicked off by former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate General Wesley Clark, USA-Ret., and also featured former Massachusetts Governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis, ACYPL alumnus Jim Brulte (Australia '96), a former Republican leader in the California State Senate and State Assembly, Barbara Nelson, Dean and Professor of Public Policy at the UCLA School of Public Affairs, and many others.

One of the seminar’s most exciting activities was an interactive terrorism response simulation led by UCLA Associate Professor of Public Policy Amy Zegart and Erroll G. Southers, Chief of Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism at the Los Angeles World Airports Police Department. Other highlights included a tour of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California, and a reception and dinner with members of the 2007 Taiwanese ACYPL delegation to the United States which was hosted by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO).

"We sincerely appreciate all the effort that Dean Nelson and her staff put into helping ACYPL organize this event," said ACYPL Director of Outreach Haleema Molberg.

A seminar participant encouraged other ACYPL alumni to attend future alumni events, saying, "Yes, we're busy - hopefully we'll always be - but as alumni we would be crazy to not take advantage of seminars such as these. They're at our level and definitely worth our time."

For more information about this seminar, please click here.