by Liz Daube
Staff Writer
Despite 30 years of developing some of Jacksonville’s most prominent figures, including Mayor John Peyton and Sheriff John Rutherford, the nonprofit organization Leadership Jacksonville has sought little public attention – until now.
“We’ve got a really well-kept secret,” said John Bottaro, president of LJ. “Unless you’re an alumni of this organization, you‘re just not aware of it.”
The LJ program began in 1976 with the goal of broadening the community’s leadership base. Each year, LJ brings together people who have demonstrated leadership in a variety of venues throughout the community, according to executive director Isabelle Spence.
“We make sure each class has an interesting balance of people: nonprofit, for profit, city government,” said Spence. She said the program gets about 130 applications and roughly 55 are selected for their community involvement.
From August-May of each year, alumni organize monthly, day-long classes for new LJ participants to learn about various conditions and challenges in the community. Spence said those participants sometimes take on more prominent leadership roles after graduation.
For example, Ju’Coby Pittman-Peele graduated LJ in 1993. Since then, she’s become president/CEO of the Clara White Mission and grown it from a part-time meal program with a five-member staff into a community development center with a 20-plus staff and thousands of volunteers. Pittman-Peele said her experience with the organization helped her prepare for her current role.
She said each class gets exposed to a variety of perspectives on issues like poverty, politics and cultural awareness.
“Networking was a great asset: being able to pick up the phone and reach alumni members about something, just being able to have what I call my alumni bible,” said Pittman-Peele. “You get to know them (other class members and alumni) on a personal level, too. You understand them after you’ve had a year to spend with them.”
Pittman-Peele said LJ leaders encouraged her class to take on greater leadership roles and challenges.
“If you’re not pleased with something, take a stand,” said Pittman-Peele. “For many years, I was kind of on the outside looking in. Some behind the scenes people become more prominent (after joining Leadership Jacksonville,) but there are people behind the scenes, in front of the scenes. It’s just a hodgepodge of leaders in our community.”
Bottaro, who took the 1993 LJ class with Pittman-Peele, said Peyton was involved in LJ long before he took office at City Hall and he continues to contribute to the program. Continuing input from alumni is one of LJ’s biggest strengths, according to Spence.
“We have 1,300 alumni who are still living in Jacksonville – and that’s just the adult program,” she said.
Programs similar to LJ exist in other cities and also on state-wide levels, such as Leadership Florida. The local program is entirely funded by member and corporate donations, according to Spence – another reason for strong alumni involvement.
Spence said the adult program costs $2,500 per person, which covers most of the program’s costs. But Bottaro added that the LJ program is unique because it offers other opportunities, as well. LJ started a youth leadership program for high school students in 1987 and a summer collegiate program last year, both of which are largely sponsored by alumni.
Bottaro became president of LJ last month, and he said he hopes to offer his unique perspective as an architect to the program.
“One of the things I’ve been trained to do is work in a really collaborative atmosphere, bringing a lot of diverse talents together to reach an end goal,” he said. “It requires lots of people to bring a building together. This (Leadership Jacksonville) is also very different and diverse by design.”
Bottaro said he has several goals for the organization this year. He said the program will continue to grow, which includes organizing regional leadership programs that extend to nearby counties. Bottaro added that LJ wants to increase public awareness about the program, as well.
“We want to get the word out to more businesses,” he said. “There are probably some really good candidates out there who aren’t aware of our program.”
The 2006 LJ class graduated in May. Those grads include a range of job titles and community roles: policy director for the mayor Kerri Stewart, appellate attorney and pro bono award winner John Mills, school principal Darrell Perry, retiree Blythe Rhodes, City Council member Art Shad, Dr. B. Hudson Berrey of the University of Florida’s department of orthopedics and design company president Mary Fisher.