LOCAL

McDonald: Licking County blessed with abundance of young leaders

Jennifer McDonald
Guest Columnist

Licking County is fortunate to have some amazing leaders. Our leaders come from all walks of life and a range of demographics. Our community isn’t made up of just one type or age of person, and our leadership reflects that. I’m proud to help celebrate some of our community’s emerging “20 Under 40” leaders, announced by the Newark Advocate, and pleased that there are even more leaders who could have been recognized!

Just like “leadership”, the phrase “Millennial” gets used broadly. Unfortunately, it is often used with a negative connotation. We shouldn’t adopt a “cookie cutter” view of a group, based on demographics. I’ve had the opportunity to interact with millennials throughout our community. They are impressive! This next generation of leaders are diverse, unique individuals from a variety of backgrounds. They do share some great characteristics: looking to make a difference, joiners of worthy causes, like immediate results, are immersed in social media, like experiences and sharing.

I am lucky to have 2 incredible sons who are in the millennial generation. I learn from them every day – sometimes, whether I want to or not! They are passionate, inclusive and want to make a difference.

I am also fortunate to lead an incredibly talented team at the Licking County Chamber of Commerce. Four of these individuals are in the millennial generation. These colleagues also teach me things nearly every day - how to grow our social media outreach, share our calendars and use technology to perform tasks more efficiently. They also show me how passionate they are about impacting our community. They are, in a word, changemakers.

We’re blessed with many changemakers from this generation – nearly 300 - who have joined forces to create and grow the Chamber affiliate Young Leaders of Licking County (YLLC). These individuals, ages 21-40, are motivated by their passion for our community.

As the group celebrates its two-year mark, they have accomplished an incredible amount in and for our community, including:

  • Contributed over 170 volunteer hours and over $6,000 to community organizations;
  • Created a new women’s leadership conference and network;
  • Developed a 6-month mentorship program – to provide guidance to young leads - with goal setting, networking, and professional development.

Two of this year’s 20 under 40 are my team members - Natasha Platt and Jillian Rine. Natasha has brought innovative ideas to our events and marketing efforts and has grown our social media outreach exponentially. Jillian is currently leading our business retention and expansion outreach - meeting with local businesses to ensure their continued success. Both of these young ladies are incredibly talented and an asset to our community. I’m pleased, and proud, that they’re part of #TeamChamber.

I am extremely impressed by our young leaders in this community. We should all take a lesson from their playbook. We should strive to keep our talent local. “20 under 40” is an accomplishment - and there are many, other “unsung” leaders in this community, maybe quietly working at a desk or volunteering their time with a nonprofit - thank you for caring about our community and congratulations on your success.

You can learn more about joining YLLC or attend the “20 under 40” Local Leaders Breakfast by calling 740/345-9757.

Jennifer McDonald is the president and CEO of the Licking County Chamber of Commerce.