Leadership Westerville

10/09/2026

The Leadership Westerville Class of 2027 spent the day at the Public Library exploring the stories, resources, and community connections that help shape and strengthen Westerville.

Participants began the day by exploring the Westerville History Museum and a walking tour of Uptown Westerville, gaining a deeper understanding of the people, places, and events that shaped our city. They also heard from Leadership Westerville alumni about small group service projects, enjoyed networking over lunch, and sharpened their leadership skills during a workshop on finding reliable information and making informed decisions. The day concluded with a behind-the-scenes look at the many resources and services offered by the Westerville Public Library.

A special thank you to the Jackie Barton, Jim, Jess Curtis, Kristin Michael, and Jen Thomas for sharing their expertise, as well as Mikey's Late Night Slice for providing lunch.

10/05/2026

Every day, people in our community strive to create a brighter, more inclusive, and compassionate Westerville.

The Fouse and Alston Awards celebrate students and community leaders who embody the spirit of Dr. King, inspiring positive change in their daily lives.

✨Do you know someone who's making a difference? ✨

Nominate them now at: https://www.leadershipwesterville.com/awards.html

Nominations close on November 5, 2026.

10/01/2026

Registration is now open for the 2027 Westerville MLK Breakfast Celebration! Our 2027 theme is "Cultivating Compassion: Listening Across Differences, Acting for Justice"

This year's breakfast will explore the role compassion plays in building Dr. King's Beloved Community. Compassion is not a passive feeling but an active pursuit that requires us to listen, learn, and engage.The conversation will focus on three pillars of cultivating compassion:

🗨 Inform – Increasing our understanding of the experiences, challenges, and perspectives of others.
✨Inspire – Highlighting individuals and organizations working to address inequities and strengthen our communities.
🤝Involve – Encouraging action and commitment.

Our panelists include Tre Douglas, English Learner (EL) Facilitator, Westerville Schools, Dr. Rhonda Talford McClure, Chief Inclusion Officer, Otterbein University, and Dr. Joseph (Joey) Oteng, Visiting Professor, Georgetown University.

Our panelists will share their perspectives on why it is important to educate ourselves about the issues affecting our communities, recognize and support those working toward solutions, and find ways to become actively involved. Through their insights and experiences, attendees will be invited to consider how compassion can move beyond awareness and become a catalyst for justice, connection, and collective action.

Get your tickets at: https://tinyurl.com/WestervilleMLK2027

09/30/2026

Thanks to everyone who came out for our September Civic and Service Org Social! It was a beautiful evening of connections and conversations.

Thanks to Campfire Brewing for hosting us!

09/29/2026

Leadership Westerville brought community members together for a Big Table conversation on Cultivating Compassion. The discussion focused on how we can create a more caring, connected, and just community by listening, showing compassion, embracing vulnerability, and taking action to support one another.

The conversation served as an early reflection on this year's MLK Breakfast theme, Cultivating Compassion. We look forward to continuing the dialogue at the breakfast, with registration opening next week.

Thank you to The Columbus Foundation for making this possible!

09/28/2026

We've still got a seat for YOU at The Big Table! Join us tomorrow, September 29 at 10:30 a.m.

The Big Table is an initiative from The Columbus Foundation that encourages intentional dialogue, and connections. Our Big Table conversation, hosted by Leadership Westerville, will focus on our Westerville MLK Breakfast Theme of "Cultivating Compassion."

🔗https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/CJr6F8Divq

09/24/2026

Congratulations graduates! So happy to see Sara and Emily, two of our recent Leadership Westerville alumni, participating in Citizen’s Academy!

Congratulations to our Westerville Citizen's Academy graduates! 🎓

Citizen's Academy provides a behind-the-scenes look at City programs and services. Each summer, a cohort of residents gets the opportunity to interact with City departments, staff and services over a nine week program.

Thank you to all our residents who joined us this summer!

Interested in learning more about the City? Applications for next summer's Citizen's Academy will open in spring 2027.

09/24/2026

We had a Leadership Westerville Board social this evening at Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern Polaris! Thankful for these wonderful professionals who volunteer their time and talent to help further our mission.

09/22/2026

Last Call! The deadline to register for the third Westerville Civic/Service Organization Social is this Thursday.

Whether you're a longtime volunteer, a community leader, or simply looking for a new way to get involved, we'd love to see you there.

Event details:
📅 Tuesday, September 29
🕓 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
📍 Campfire Brewing
💲 Free to attend (Attendees are responsible for their own food and beverage purchases.)

RSVP here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/0afxk34uTA