Leadership Dripping Springs graduates fourth class

Leadership Dripping Springs held a graduation ceremony for its fourth class on Tuesday August 10, at the Hill Country Bible Church.

Leadership Dripping Springs is hands-on, nine-month course hosted by the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce, designed to introduce residents to multifaceted aspects of the community—ranging from infrastructure such as health care and wastewater, to city government, to other aspects that make up Dripping Springs. 

It is patterned after courses offered by the Chambers of Commerce in cities such as Austin and Dallas, and offers even long-term resident additional insights into the community and the opportunity to make new acquaintances and connections.

“This year’s class embodied teamwork and it was so gratifying to see the camaraderie with Class 4 over the last nine months.” DS Chamber of Commerce President Susan Kimball said. “This great group of individuals from varied backgrounds built strong relationships both personally and professionally, and it’s the fostering of these relationships that makes Leadership Dripping Springs so special. [It’s a] deep dive into our community - first line information from experts in areas that include infrastructure,  government, education and economic development – provides  classmates with a snapshot of Dripping Springs and its innerworkings.”

This year’s graduates are: Derrick Adams, Pioneer Bank; Hope Boatright, DS Visitors Bureau; Lou Mandy Bruggman, DS Education Foundation; Dr. Brandon Drane, Drane Chiropractic; Janice Englehart, Cypress Mill Ridge; Gigi Jacks McClaskey, Realty Austin; Amanda Miyamoto, DS Chamber of Commerce; Chris Pesek, Realtor @ Jackson Properties; Dan Reagan, Cornerstone Home Lending; Denise Schroeder, Corridor Title; Rachel Seshan, DSISD Council of PTAs; Ashley Tullis, Realtor®; and Chelle Van Burkleo, Hill Country Rally for Kids.

At the commencement, Chamber Board Chair Karlon Cox spoke about leadership and how it is “earned, not designated,” and how a leader must create a climate of trust, listen aggressively, and take calculated risks.

For the class community project, class four chose “Geocaching,” a treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices, “to lead people, both neighbors and visitors, to spots which showcase the Dripping Springs Community.” The class installed geocaches, which detail DS history, in ten different areas. The areas vary from a “favorite fishing hole on Trautwein,” to more commonly visited areas such as Mercer Street and a City Park.

After the class presentation on its Geocaching project, Chamber President Susan Kimball presented the graduation documents, as each class member walked across the stage.

This year’s steering committee for class four of Leadership Dripping Springs was made up of: Cody George (Co-Chair), Magnolia Realty; Chief Scott Collard, North Hays Fire/Rescue; Kim Fernea, Corridor Title; Lucy Hansen, DSISD Community Services; Robert Lamb, North Hays ESD#1 EMS; John Youngblood (Co-Chair), Supreme Lending; Dan O’Brien, Law Offices of Daniel O’Brien, PC; Pam Owens, DS Visitors Bureau; Trey Powers, City Bank Mortgage; and Walt Smith, The Mallard Group.

Applications for class five of Leadership Dripping Springs will be available in the Spring. Interested parties can call the Chamber at (512) 858-7000 for more information.