Leadership Academy

The Community of Building Leadership Capacity supports future leaders in Family and Consumer Sciences and created the Leadership Academy to identify, educate, and mentor aspiring leaders.

Leading Yourself, Leading Others, Leading Within AAFCS - Announcing the 2025 Leadership Academy

Application Deadline: Closed

Leadership Academy participants are hard at work learning new leadership skills, working with their mentors, and developing impactful projects to advance family and consumer sciences.

Interested in participating?

Applicants must be members of AAFCS, working in family and consumer sciences, and willing to commit the time needed to engage fully in the program. Applications for the 2027 Leadership Academy will open in the fall of 2026.

Donate to Support the AAFCS Leadership Academy

2025 Academy Graduates

Attend the 2026 Annual Conference to meet our 2025-2026 Academy graduates and view their project presentations.

2023 Academy Participants

Emilee Bilharz - IA
Lacee Boschetto - UT
Lena Gan - HI
Lindy Fike - KS
Chasity Johnson - NC
Emily Kromminga - IA
Olivia Johnson - TX
Daeun (Chloe) Shin - TX
Gwen Turner - NC

2021 Academy Participants

Kaycee Brannan - IN
Robyn Cafiero -NJ
Landon Calderwood – IA
Angela Gott – KY
Karleah Harris – AR
Rachel Jumper – TX
Veronica Oates – TN
Jane Opiri – AR
Elizabeth Ramsey – TN
Barbara Scully – WA
Toni Wiese – NE
Valerie Williams - NC

2019 Academy Participants

Kathryn Carroll - AR
LaTasha Coleman - MS
Sarah Dodoo - IL
Alivia Faris - KY
Nikki Heflin - IN
Shawnee Hendershot - KS
Leah Jolosky - KS
Latrice Matthews - CA
Patches Moats - ID
Amber Roth - TN
Patricia Schusterman - IL
Hannah Upole - TN
Celeste Windham - TX

2017 Academy Participants

Shandi Andres
Rufaro Chitiyo
Chantelle Eggleton
Kate Gronquist
Amber James
Anne Pitts
Heidi Radunovich
Mia Russell
Rachel Schichtl
Julie Temple
Deborah Williams
Joe Zacher

2015 Academy Participants

Esther Aloia
Lisa Brooks
Meilana Charles
Jamie Diehl
Susan Hamlin
Amanpreet Kaur
Penny Manakalani Kelsay
Sung-Jin Lee
Ricki McWilliams
Kathleen Mellenberg
Martha Ravola
Cassandra Temaat
Misty Vinson Hughes
Heather Wallace

2013 Academy Participants

Kyley Brooks Anderson
Menia Chester
Larissa Cremeens
Elizabeth Creed
Ashley Davis
Elowin Harper
Janet Holden
Beth Newcomb Hopfer
Crystal Duncan Lane
Allison Lewis
Morgan Milstead
Amanda Repp
Lara Savage Angel
Julie Sims
Pegi Wright