Leadership Adams celebrates 2026 graduates, spotlighting civic leadership in county

Leadership Adams used its 2026 graduation to make a simple point: county leadership is not abstract, it is local influence that reaches into schools, boards, nonprofits and public offices across Adams County. The ceremony at Winchester Church of Christ in Christian Union on June 19 brought that message home with recognition for adult participants, a look back at past class impact, and a reminder that the program is designed to grow the next people who will help solve county problems.

Michelle Daniels, Leadership Adams treasurer, opened the program with words of reflection and introduced keynote speaker Liz Lafferty, a member of the Leadership Adams Class of 2013. Lafferty recently retired after more than three decades of service to the Adams County Board of Developmental Disabilities, an agency that provides early intervention, case management, adult day services, community employment, family support services and transportation. Her own Leadership Adams project once centered on the Adams County Fairgrounds, tying the class experience to a visible community need in the county.

That through line fit the organization’s broader mission. Leadership Adams says it was founded in 2010 as a nonprofit community service leadership development organization serving rural Adams County, with a goal of improving quality of life by preparing people to take on leadership responsibilities in their communities and organizations. It also says it has partnered with government officials and key leaders in Columbus through an annual Day at the Capitol since 2014, giving participants a firsthand view of issues that reach far beyond one classroom or one village.

The 2026 graduation also recognized the practical work that comes out of each class. Executive director Jeff Foster and program coordinator Danielle Poe presented awards, while Teresa Lewis, regional director for Congressman David Taylor, read a proclamation. Justin Pizzulli, who represents the 90th District, addressed the crowd and presented state awards to the adult participants. Michael Parker, one of the 2026 graduates, gave an overview of the class journey, underscoring that the program is meant to build relationships and prepare residents to lead projects, boards and civic efforts across the county.

Leadership Adams says each class is asked to develop and carry out projects that benefit Adams County, whether that means one major effort or several smaller ones. The organization’s public materials say recent classes have worked on tourism and marketing efforts, scholarships and local fundraising, projects that can affect how communities promote themselves and support local needs.

That pipeline reaches younger residents, too. Leadership Adams launched its Youth Academy in 2015 using John Maxwell’s YouthMax curriculum, and the program has drawn students from Adams County communities and the Adams County Ohio Valley School District. A spring 2026 session took students from leadership training at the Adams County Training & Business Center to visits with local businesses including R&R Tool, Baxla Tractor and Raines Farm & Greenhouses. In a county where civic boards, local employers and public agencies depend on steady participation, that kind of preparation matters long after graduation night ends.