The Rotary Leadership Academy (RLA) is proud to announce the graduation of its 2025-2026 class — 19 remarkable individuals representing Rotary clubs across Districts 5495 and 5500, and even District 4100 in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. The graduates read like a who's-who of future leaders of Rotary in Arizona, including two individuals already in the District 5495 Governor Line:
- Donald “Don” Bierman, 5495, Scottsdale
- Pollyanne Cady, 5495, Mesa West
- Pamela Cohen, 5495, Mesa West
- Laura Dohner, 5495, Kingman
- Dr. Sally Downey, 4100, Puerta Penasco, MX
- Lena Gamble, 5495, Sedona
- Rebecca “Becky” Goldberg, 5495 Lake Havasu City
- Jan Gray, 5495, Scottsdale Sunrise
- Teresa Haire, (DGND) 5495, Sun City
- Dave Lenox, 5500, Rainbow Tucson
- Valerie Lubken, 5495, Rim Country - Payson
- Stephanie Martin, 5495, Lake Havasu City
- Suzanne Nann, 5495, Verdes
- John Oszust, 5500, SaddleBrooke
- Gerald “Jay” Paulus, 5495, Mesa West
- James “Jim” Quinn, 5495, Prescott Valley
- Chad M. Reid, 5495, Mesa West
- John Sullivan, 5500, Sahuarita
- Joe Sweeney, (DGE) 5495, Prescott Valley
This class is the largest in the program's 21-year history — a milestone that reflects both the growing reputation of the RLA and the hunger for meaningful leadership development across the Rotary community.
Over eight months of cohort-based learning, participants dove into the full spectrum of leadership — mastering conflict management and negotiation, exploring the art of mentorship and coaching, understanding meaningful strategic planning, improving their emotional intelligence, dissecting change management, and sharpening their skills in influence and persuasion. But RLA has always believed that great leadership isn't something you check at the door when you leave a meeting. These graduates leave the program with tools and insights they'll carry into every corner of their lives — their careers, their families, their communities, and every volunteer role they embrace.
"Leadership isn't a title — it's a practice," said PDG David Simmer, Dean of the Rotary Leadership Academy. "This class showed up, did the work, and grew in ways that will ripple through everything they touch. We couldn't be prouder."
The 2026-2027 RLA program application is now open. If you know a Rotarian, Rotaractor, or Toastmaster ready to take their leadership to the next level, encourage them to apply at https://forms.gle/atTELAB3FGWdeqFT6.
For more information, contact David Simmer, RLA Dean, at dsimmer9@gmail.com.