NCC’s Leadership Pocono (LP) program is designed for emerging leaders at all levels of organizations. With the intention of building personal leadership, organizational leadership, and community leadership, the LP program consists of 11 day-long sessions over a ten month period. Participants will learn about their developing leadership skills and about the systems thinking that builds strong organizations and communities. Participants then apply their learning to team projects regarding the complexity of maintaining a healthy Pocono Mountains community.
LP promises to deliver exceptional leadership training that features:
- A carefully crafted leadership immersion program suited to any industry or organization
- Best practices of effective leadership
- Attention to learning from local community leaders and addressing local community issues
- Unique professional networking opportunities in the Pocono region
Program Specifics
People who are looking for ways to enhance their leadership skills, and people who are interested in learning more about the region and how it operates in terms of Government, Education, Social Services and Culture among other topics. Participants actively engage in their own learning.
The program runs for a total of 11 days over 10 months, one day a month from September until June. The only exception is the October session, which is a mandatory two day leadership retreat. Beyond the scheduled program, participants will manage their own outside class time as needed to complete their team assignments. Program days typically run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are times that participants will be on site visits or will be engaged in volunteer work. The dates for the Class of '26 are listed below:
- September 12, 2025
- October 16 & 17, 2025 (2 day Leadership Retreat)
- November 7, 2025
- December 5, 2025
- January 9, 2026
- February 6, 2026
- March 6, 2026
- April 10, 2026
- May 8, 2026
- June 5, 2026
LP is an open enrollment program of CBI. Participants are often nominated by their organizations to attend, but people may also enroll themselves. Class size is limited to 25 participants. If the class is full, you can be waitlisted in the event of a cancellation or you can be put on the roster for the next class.
Tuition for the ten-month program is $2,800 per person, to be paid at the time of registration. Payment reserves a place on the program roster. Tuition covers all costs associated with the program including training, materials and meals.
Benefits for Employers
- Strengthening your organization’s internal leadership potential and succession planning
- Demonstrating your commitment to employees’ professional growth and development
- Retaining employees and reducing staff “churn” by improving the leadership structure in which they serve: “People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad leaders.”
Benefits for Employees
- Opportunities to assess your current practices and reflect on your leadership potential
- Tools and processes to expand your leadership “toolkit”
- Experiences partnering with other Pocono professionals on community-minded projects
“As a graduate of the Leadership Pocono Class of 2023, I had the opportunity to graduate with great leaders who helped me gain self-confidence. Each Leadership Pocono session was on a learning skill that I grew into that helped positively influence my career.” – Timaki Johnson, Executive Director, Family Promise of the Poconos
“Leadership Pocono exceeded all my expectations! It is difficult to quantify the benefits I have gotten out LP as it has positively affected every aspect of my life including my interactions with my family and friends, my professional relationships at work and my involvement in the community. By identifying and defining my strengths and translating that to becoming a more effective leader, I have seen incredible growth in my confidence and my ability to interact with my team at work.” – Ashley Potestio, Technical Writer, Messer Electronics and Specialty Products
“My biggest takeaway was that leadership is a deliberate practice, and to lead, you need to share in the vision of your organization. Since the program ended, I have been actively seeking ways to share in Tobyhanna’s overall vision. Having participants from different organizations allowed us to share concerns from our own workplaces and learn that many of our issues are common – it’s not just us.” – Jennifer Sayre, IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Tobyhanna Army Depot
“At first, I hesitated with the 10-month program as I was concerned about the long-term commitment. In hindsight, that extended timeframe was one of its greatest strengths. It allowed for deep, lasting connections and facilitated important discussions that continue to shape my work today. The relationships built during Leadership Pocono have been cemented, remain strong, and whenever my township encounters a challenge, I know I have a network of trusted professionals I can call on to help get things done.” – James Brechbiel, Economic Development Manager, Middle Smithfield Township
