Academy Update

By Michelle Aguayo, Training Coordinator

The California JPIA successfully broadcast five virtual academies this year from its campus in La Palma. The Authority’s training team created virtual academies when it became apparent that in-person trainings would be canceled due to the pandemic. A survey of past academy attendees helped guide the decision to develop the virtual academy format.

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A new Governance Leadership Academy focused on issues unique to seasoned elected officials was added this year at the request of members. Presenters Kevin Duggan and Ken Hampian, both former city managers, led the attendees through a series of sessions, including “From Campaign to Governance” and “Keys to Being an Effective Governing Body Member.” In the session entitled “Goal Setting,” Kevin and Ken were joined by Jim Lewis, City Manager of the City of Pismo Beach.

Additional academies in 2021 have included the Parks and Recreation Academy, Risk Management Academy, Executive Academy, and the Newly Elected Officials Academy. Robin Picken of the City of Bishop attended the Executive Academy in May and commented, “I felt that the academy addressed many issues that we, as public servants, deal with every day that we don’t get to reflect on and evaluate very often. We were able to discuss and evaluate topics such as the city’s use of social media and website effectiveness, how to be prepared to handle the media and the city’s public perception in time of crisis, ethics in both our personal and professional lives, our overall role as ‘leaders’ in each of our organizations, and how we can each have a direct effect on the agency’s culture.”

The Authority will close out this year with three more virtual academies: the Human Resources Academy, August 17 – 19; the Public Works Academy, October 12 – 14; and the Management Academy, November 9 – 11. For more information on these and other academies, please contact Michelle Aguayo, Training Coordinator.

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