Do you want to be more active in the Haywood County Community? Do you know who to contact to make things happen? Do you have a strong opinion of how issues should be resolved? If so, you need to participate in Leadership Haywood.
Through this program, you will get an up-close look at some of our region’s most challenging issues and play a part in making Haywood County a better place to work, live, and play. While exploring leadership skills throughout this 9-month program, you will receive an expansive look at the civic responsibilities and opportunities within the County as well as build lifelong relationships with other aspiring leaders.
Leadership Haywood
2024-25!
About the Program
·Nine full class days from September through May. Each session provides a hands-on experience and a unique opportunity to interact with business and community leaders. Sessions are from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
-Opening reception
· Annual Dinner & Leadership Haywood Graduation
· Meet and discuss issues with key business and community leaders
· Study the qualities that make an effective leader, analyze individual leadership roles, and develop personal leadership styles and skills
· Delve into current challenges within the County
· $800 tuition for Haywood Chamber members, $900 for non-members. This includes all program costs, meals, orientation, opening reception, and graduation.
· Attendance at ALL sessions is requested with a maximum of two excused absences permitted
2024 – 2025 Leadership Haywood Schedule
Program | Dates | Venue | Lunch Sponsors |
Meet & Greet Reception | August 28, 4:30-6:00 | Chamber Office | |
County Orientation & Team Building | Sept. 12th | Bethea Welcome Center, Lake Junaluska | |
History | Oct. 9th | Historical Tours & Landmarks | |
Economic Development | Nov. 13th | Town Hall, 9 S. Main & Tours | |
Leadership Skills | Dec. 11th | Haywood Community College | |
Local Govt & Law Enforcement | Jan. 8th | Town Hall, 9 S. Main & Tours | |
Healthcare | Feb. 12th | Haywood Regional Health & Fitness |
|
Education/Socio-Economic Development | Mar. 12th | Haywood Community College |  |
Community Day- Habitat for Humanity Build | TBD | TBD. |  |
Environmental | May 14th | Lake Junaluska & Tours |  |
Annual Dinner & Graduation | June TBD |
Leadership Haywood Graduates Share Their Stories
Savannah Anders: KARE, Inc.
Tim Bell: Haywood Regional Medical Center
Kelly Brooks: Champion Credit Union
Karen Cole: United Way of Haywood County
Josh Farmer: Mountain Credit Union
Alison Francis: Haywood County Schools
Trudy Hall: Champion Credit Union
Susannah High: Haywood Community College
James Lantendresse: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Karl Miller: The Mountaineer
Kristy Moose: Champion Credit Union
Katie O’Connor: Haywood Community College
Hayley Printz: Tourism Development Authority
Susan Trahan: Heraeus NeoMetrics
Ethan Ward: McMillan, Pazdan, Smith
Olivia Wright: Friends of the Smokies
Jared Bailey: Truist Bank
Todd Barbee: The Arc of Haywood
Paula Barton: NC Farm Bureau
Mitch Bearden: Haywood EMC
Asher Boyd: Mountain Credit Union
Brandon Davis: Veteran Services of the Carolinas
Cheryl Fulghum: Haywood Community College
Olga Grooman: Town of Waynesville
Jane Maurer: Great Smoky Mountain Association
Amie Newsome: Haywood County Tourism Development Authority
Cory Nuckolls: Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center
Tracy Rapp: Haywood Community College
Justin Reed: McDonald’s – Canton
Brad Waldrop: Ward Plumbing, Heating & Air
Hunter Wyman: The Dog House, Woof Street Bistro
Lorelei Garnes: WNC Social Media Buzz
Helen Espinoza: The Arc of Haywood
Danielle Harris: Haywood Community College
Bill Driver: Haywood Community College
Justin Lombard: Beverly-Hanks & Associates
Jean Dilley: Haywood Chamber of Commerce
Tara Sund: Haywood Regional Medical Center
Hannah McLeod: Smoky Mountain News
David Carriker: Haywood Pathways Center
Wilson Booth: Lake Junaluska
Maggie Miller: Champion Credit Union
Fadrian Merrell: Mountain Credit Union
Brandon Gilmore: Waynesville Police Department
Jeffrey Evans: Town of Waynesville
Beth Gilmore: Downtown Waynesville Association
- Benjamin Weimar– Haywood County Youth for Christ
- Bryan Reeves- Waynesville Police Department
- David Adams-Waynesville Police Department
- Drake Fultz-Haywood 209 Cafe
- Jessica Honeycutt-Haywood Community College
- Michael Huber-Lake Junaluska
- Sara Phillips-Haywood Community College
- Sophia Burleigh-Smoky Mountain News
- Taylor Foxworth-Haywood Chamber of Commerce
- William Hite-Asheville VA Medical Center
- Jeff Brothers-eXp Realty
- Brannen Cunningham-Sparksmith
- Shondra Grant-HIBU
- Michelle Harris-Haywood Community College
- Regina Hartley-Haywood Community College
- Chase Kress-Stanberry Insurance Agency
- Andy Steele-Haywood Regional Medical Center
- Jeffrey Stines-Town of Waynesville
- Lauren Teague-Haywood Regional Medical Center
- Tamara Jane Vander Day-Waynesville Police Department
- Jessica Webb-Mountain Projects
- Ben Wilder– Haywood Tourism Development Authority
- Caitlin Worsham-Haywood Waterways
Brittany Buchanan, Town of Waynesville
Dr. Michael Coleman, Haywood Community College
Homer Franklin, ARC of Haywood County
Wendolyn Forbes, Merrill Lynch
Carter Giegerich, The Mountaineer
Julie Grasty, Town of Waynesville
Ron Hancock, Town of Maggie Valley
Luke Kinsland, Town of Waynesville
Jared Lee, Great Hatchett Lawn Care
Meghan Nevil
Tom Owens, Open Door Ministries
Jennifer Pogge, Haywood Regional Medical Center
Jena Senocak, Lake Junaluska Public Works
Andria Smith
Scott Stevens, Haywood Vocational Opportunities
Caleb Tate, Haywood Community College
Ginny Mosteller, HVO
Dr. Tommy Pinkston. Haywood Family Eye Care
Lauri SoJourner, Lake Logan Conference Center
Audrey Gaddis, HVO
Tammy Hash, ARC of Haywood
Jessica Duque, Haywood Community College
Brookely Nicholson, Mountain Projects, Inc
Liz Boyd, Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center
Mitzi Johnson, Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center
Cristy Johnson, Waynesville Spa/ Biltmore Spa
Kevin Summar, Haywood Regional Medical Center
Seth Beaver, Haywood Regional Medical Center
Jody Nichols, Town of Waynesville
Chris Chandler, Town of Waynesville
Carrie Carpenter, Long’s Chapel United Methodist Church
Tiffany Watts, Sarge’s Animal Rescue
- Jennifer Allen- Smoky Mountain Foot Clinic
- Mary Bates- Lake Junaluska
- Chad Carver- Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
- Pam Hardin- Haywood Community College
- Austin Lee
- Melanie Mooney- Champion Credit Union
- David Onder- Haywood Community College
- John Patterson- Western North Carolina Conference UMC
- Lynn Pinter- Champion Credit Union
- Torry Pinter- EXIT Hometown Realty
- Kaleb Rathbone- North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Jonathan Rowland- Champion Credit Union
- Mark Sheppard- Haywood County Schools
- Tyler Trantham- Waynesville Police Department
- Cory Vaillancourt- Smoky Mountain News
- Eddie Ward- Town of Waynesville
- Rachel Watkins- Lake Junaluska
- Timothy Carver, Town of Canton
- Shelly Coker, Town of Maggie
- Preston Gregg, Town of Waynesville
- Jennifer Herrera, Haywood Community College
- Richard Hodge, Town of Canton
- Sutton Katz, The Inn at Tranquility Farm
- Aaron Mabry, Haywood Community College
- Allison Olscray, The Mountaineer
- James Rinehart, Town of Waynesville
- Elizabeth Teague, Town of Waynesville
- Alan Schork, Real estate Capital Advisors
- Pratik Shah, Best Western Inn
- Mike Widener,Haywood Regional Medical Center
- Todd Wilkins, Old Town Bank
- Jessi Stone, Smoky Mountain News
Brian Beck, Town of Waynesville
Doug Burchfield, Haywood Community College
Dr. Joel Harrington, Animal Hospital of Waynesville
Seth Hendler-Voss, Town of Canton
Jeremy Morrison, Smoky Mountain News
Amie Owens, Town of Waynesville
Tim Petrea, Town of Waynesville
Kari Rinn, Haywood Community College
Anna Rogers, Mountain Projects
Todd Wilkins, Old Town Bank
Sarah Wenzel, Wenzel & Wenzel, PLLC
Caleb Simmons, Pinnacle Church
Melissa Tinsley, Haywood Chamber of Commerc
James Darby, HomeTrust Bank
Stephanie Drum, Lake Junaluska Resort and Conference Center
Horace Dykes, Division SEC
Katy Gould, Haywood Chamber of Commerce
Shannon Hayes, Silver Bluff
Travis Hyatt, MB Haynes Heating and Cooling
Tammy McDowell, Lake Junaluska
Christie Medford, Haywood Community College
Marcie Onieal, Town of Waynesville
Morgan Plemmons, Animal Hospital of Waynesville
Laura Simmons, Haywood Community College
Hylah Smalley, Smoky Mountain News
Ashley Swanger, Haywood Vocational Opportunities
Nathan Trout, Haywood Vocation Opportunities
Lorinda Whaley, First Citizens Bank
Jenny Wood, Haywood County Schools
Kevin Young, Evergreen Manufacturing