Pierponters do a LOT in the office…and a LOT outside of it too! So we’re pleased to announce a new monthly blog series called “Organizations I Love.” In this new monthly series, Pierponters will highlight organizations and nonprofits they are involved in outside of work and give you information on how you too can get involved.
In this first post, Stacy Armijo, General Manager of Pierpont’s Austin office, talks about one of her favorite organizations, Leadership Austin.
I’m blessed to be involved with many great organizations through my role at Pierpont. One of them is
Leadership Austin. Why do I love Leadership Austin? Read on to learn …
About the organization – In the words of the organization, Leadership Austin offers programs that explore critical community issues, develop the leadership skills to address those issues and foster relationships that create positive change in the Austin community. In my words, Leadership Austin delivers leadership development like no other organization I’ve found.
How I’m involved – I was introduced to Leadership Austin when I was invited to be on the Planning Committee for its newest program,
Emerge, in 2007. Since, I graduated from the Emerge program in 2007, served on the PR & Marketing Committee in 2008, graduated from the
Essential program in 2010 and am now 2011 Program Chair for the Emerge Planning Committee. By that level of involvement, I think you can tell I’m a pretty big fan.
Why I love it – More than any other organization I’ve encountered, Leadership Austin has introduced me to people and ideas I would never encounter elsewhere. For example, within my Essential class was an Austin music icon, one of the city’s highest-producing real estate agents, the founder of a one-person criminal justice nonprofit and one of Austin’s most powerful litigation attorneys. Where else would these people all come together to share their ideas, grow as leaders and become friends? Nowhere but Leadership Austin, and the experience that interaction creates is one-of-a-kind. (And, they throw great parties too, like the upcoming
Best Party Ever on June 1 for which Pierpont is a sponsor.)
How you can get involved – Many of Leadership Austin’s programs are open to the public, including its
Engage speaker series (focused on Austin’s most critical issues), the
Experience Austin program (for those who want a backstage pass to our city) and the
Leadership Academy for Public Service (for anyone interested in or curious about running for public office). In addition, you can apply for their two application-based programs, including
Emerge, which helps young professionals build skills and relationships, and
Essential, which has provided comprehensive community leadership development since 1979. Having first-hand experience with almost all of these programs, I can tell you they’re worth your time and you’ll come away with a greater understanding of Austin as a city and yourself as a leader.
Are you intrigued yet? I hope so. Learn more at
www.leadershipaustin.org or feel free to drop me a
line to find out more about why Leadership Austin is an Organization I Love.
