In 2017 the UK Extension Leadership Program was launched. This program is a collaboration between staff and faculty in the Department of Community & Leadership Development and CEDIK. The intention of this program is to offer leadership development opportunities to extension personnel across Kentucky enabling them to gain skills and knowledge to better serve their communities. Between July 2017 and June 30 2018 this program offered 16 separate workshops facilitated via online webinars and through in-person half or full day workshops in various counties. My role in the program was to both assist with logistics of holding these workshops as well as to add my expertise in the designing and facilitation of programs when warranted. 

The total number of extension professionals served by this program was 346. Of that total, I had the opportunity to design and develop, then to facilitate with my colleagues Dan Kahl, Ron Hustedde, and Lori Garkovich the following four workshops to 128 participants:

• Effective Communication (CORE) Feb 2017 with 21 attendees
• State Advisory Council Meeting – Facilitating Effective Group Outcomes August 2017 with 72 attendees
• Effective Communication (CORE) Feb 2018 with 22 attendees
• Approaches to Resolving Conflicts April 2018 with 13 attendees

This program will be recognized at the 2018 Community Development Society Conference in the 2018 Outstanding Program Award catagory for working to develop and deliver an ongoing Community Economic Development (CED) and leadership professional development series for University of Kentucky Extension. 

This group of program developers are currently looking at ways in which the impact of such extension leadership development workshops on the community can be measured other than just post workshop evaluations by extension agents.