Get connected with local leaders at Rotary Club of Carmel forum

The Rotary Club of Carmel will hold its second Leadership Connection forum on Friday, Oct. 7 and Friday, Oct. 21. Leadership Connection is a combined effort of the Rotary Club of Carmel, Hamilton County Leadership Academy, iTeam (Think Tank), Carmel Firefighters, Carmel Clay Schools, and Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation.

This year’s event invites more than double the number of high school seniors than the initial 2021 event from several areas, including Carmel High School, Pro/Act Indy, Christel House Watanabe Manual High School, and the Carmel Mayor’s Student Advisory Council.

Keynote speakers include Bart Peterson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Christel House International, and Dr. Stacy Atkinson, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College, Hamilton County. Peterson is a former two-time Mayor of Indianapolis, and Atkinson is a former Marine jet technician and a veteran of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Their remarks will underscore the event’s theme, “Inspire Today, Impact Tomorrow.”

Leadership Connection has a faculty that provides tremendous speakers and authentic role models designed to inspire attendees to develop a path in professional and civic leadership.

Other notable participants include Carolene Mays, Founder of Black Leadership + Legacies, Inc., and Creator and Host of Community Link on WISH-TV; Dennis Bland, President of Center for Leadership Development; Zack Darring, Pastor and Entrepreneur; Amber Finley, Associate General Counsel at Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County; Louise Jackson, Carmel Clay School Board member and Salesforce Employee Success Program Delivery Manager; Dr. Shannon McCullough, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs and Adjunct Instructor at the Herron School of Art + Design at IUPUI; Blake Nathan, Founder and CEO of EducateMe Foundation; Juan Paz, Senior Tax Executive for Simon Property Group; Shayna Sangster, Director of Marketing for the Indiana Fever, Derrin Slack, Founder and CEO of Pro/Act Indy; and Danny Portee, CEO of Professional Management Enterprises, Inc.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Visit carmelrotary.com for additional information.