Leadership Snohomish County: Leading Civic Impact Through Crisis & Connection

The Challenge

Each year, the Leadership Snohomish County Signature Class takes on a strategic project for a local nonprofit. For the Class of 2021, that work came with an unprecedented twist — completing a nine-month, highly collaborative program entirely online during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The task wasn’t just to deliver a meaningful project. It was to turn 38 leaders, who had never met in person, into a cohesive, high-functioning team.

My Role

As project lead for my civic impact team, I guided the work from concept to completion. I set the strategic and creative direction, facilitated collaboration across the group, led research and analysis, and ultimately wrote and designed the final deliverables.

What I Did

Built the Team & Strategy – Facilitated a virtual process to define our scope, set measurable goals, and create a working rhythm that built trust and accountability.

Led Qualitative Research – Conducted virtual stakeholder interviews to understand the challenges facing our nonprofit partner, distilling complex and often emotional input into actionable themes.

Developed Strategic Recommendations – Led the creation of equity-focused recommendations grounded in research and community needs.

Created the Final Deliverable – Wrote and designed a comprehensive, visually driven report that captured nine months of work in a clear, compelling narrative. See final report >>

The Outcome

Our team delivered a high-impact strategic report that gave our nonprofit partner a clear, actionable path forward. Along the way, we transformed from a group of strangers behind screens into a resilient, connected community of leaders. The experience proved my ability to lead through uncertainty, unite diverse voices, and deliver meaningful, high-quality work — even under the most challenging circumstances.