Get Your Gary Smith Scholarship Application In for the Leadership Institute For Public Managers!

Applications are now being accepted for the University of Delaware’s Leadership Institute to be held January 10-15, 2016.   Applications are due by November 10, 2014.  This week-long, leadership development program is designed for both current executive-level leaders and emerging leaders. The focus of the Institute is on assessing and strengthening leadership skills, setting organizational direction, and understanding the future of the intellectual/developmental disabilities field.  Skills highlighted during the institute include succeeding in leadership challenges unique to today’s I/DD field, sustaining person-centered change, building positive organizational cultures, and goal achievement.

The Gary Smith Scholarship Fund for Public Managers is available to support one participant from state government at the January 10-15, 2016 University of Delaware Leadership Institute.

The Gary Smith Scholarship Fund for Public Managers was established by the NASDDDS Board of Directors in honor of Gary Smith, an extraordinary leader in the developmental disabilities field who was intensely committed to making state government developmental disabilities agencies effective at delivering quality services and achieving good outcomes for people. He served in senior management positions in the states of Illinois and Colorado.  As the Director of Special Projects for NASDDDS from 1987 to 2001, he was an expert in state operations, and using Medicaid to fund services. Gary was well known for confronting state agencies with respectful criticism and the challenge to perform better and helping them do so.

Recognizing the importance of public professionals to receive leadership training and for other participants to be involved with state leaders during leadership training, the NASDDDS Board of Directors approved an annual contribution to the Gary Smith Scholarship Fund to support the participation of one participant from state government at the University of Delaware Leadership Institute, held twice yearly.

FMI To learn more about the Leadership Institute, see http://www.nlcdd.org/week-long-institute.html

For specific questions about the Gary Smith Scholarship application, please email Nancy Weiss at nweiss@udel.edu