(From the United Way of Hancock County)
A local nonprofit director is among the final graduating class of the prestigious Jo Ann Davidson Ohio Leadership Institute.
Betty D. Montgomery, chair of the board for The Jo Ann Davidson Ohio Leadership Institute and the first woman Ohio Attorney General, has announced that Angela DeBoskey, CEO of United Way of Hancock County, graduated from the institute at a recent ceremony in Washington, D.C. DeBoskey joins an alumni class of about 500 Ohio Republican women — 12 from Hancock County — to have graduated from the eight-month leadership training program since the first class formed in 2001.
“These outstanding women leaders are dedicated to applying their experience and skills to community and public service,” Montgomery said. “It is inspiring to watch their growth and commitment to a better future for our state and our communities.”
The Institute is dedicated to outlining opportunities for women leaders to grow and serve their communities best, with extensive studies in local, state and federal governments, as well as public policy, public speaking, politics and the organization of political parties. DeBoskey said she is honored to have been one of only about 20 women from across Ohio to be selected for this year’s class and to learn new skills to advance the work of the United Way.
“There is a network of women across the state – and in some cases, based on new and changing employment opportunities, across the country – that are doing amazing things,” DeBoskey said, “and I am proud to be among their ranks. Our responsibility as we move forward is to inspire the women around us to step into the leadership shoes that will serve their communities best.”
Throughout the program, DeBoskey and the other participants spent time at the Ohio Statehouse, where they observed the legislative process and learned ways to lobby for change and leverage state and federal grants to advance their respective communities. The graduation in Washington, D.C., was a culmination of several days spent meeting one on one with political leaders from Ohio and touring the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court.
DeBoskey said the process served to demystify the legislative process and to further her understanding of the ways she can help better her community.
“It makes it more approachable from a citizen point of view, but also from the point of view of, ‘Why couldn’t I,’” DeBoskey said.
“Why couldn’t I form relationships with my state representatives or regularly visit Washington to make an impact? Why couldn’t I pursue federal dollars to advance opportunities for the residents of Hancock County?”