The Academy offers flexible, versatile curriculum options designed to enhance the performance of individuals serving in the public sector.
- State and local government
- County and regional agencies
- Nonprofit organizations
- Elected and appointed officials
Our training focuses on developing leadership qualities in these areas: building teams, organizational culture, thinking strategically, and effective communication.
Content for each training is tailored to meet the needs of high potential employees, frontline supervisors, middle managers or executive leadership.
Academy instructors include university faculty and real-world practitioners. In our workshops, the emphasis is on an interactive process. Instructors use case studies, individual and group exercises and discussions that allow participants to understand how the ideas and methods they learn apply to their own work. This unique, dynamic experience may be presented in full or half-day workshops.
Agency-Specific Customized Training Courses
The Voinovich Academy offers customizable trainings to meet organization-specific needs. Customized training typically involved a series of full or half-day workshops, conducted over a time span defined by the partner.
The Academy offers flexible, versatile curriculum options, allowing partners to identify a range of courses to meet their needs. Whether your focus is developing individuals, building teams or meeting the strategic objectives of your organization, we can create a customized path to address your talent development needs.
For more information about Agency-specific Customized Training courses, please contact Jay Johnson .
Open Enrollment Workshops
The Voinovich Academy offers workshops open to anyone interested. Academic experts and real-world practitioners share their knowledge and experience on critical public service topics. All workshops include discussion, group and individuals exercises and case studies. The workshops may be single-session or series learning opportunities. Open enrollment registration may be limited to ensure an interactive approach.
For more information about upcoming Open Enrollment Workshops, please view Upcoming Trainings .
Sample Workshop Topics
- Leading with Strengths
- Leading in the Public Sector
- Communicating in an Organization
- Communicating with Style
- Data Visualization
- Fostering Workplace Inclusion
- Team Building
- Improving Workplace Culture and Climate
Governing Essentials for Local Elected Officials: The Basic Course
Designed for newly elected officials (or experienced officials seeking a refresher), this six workshop series will promote a high-level understanding of topics essential to effective elected service at the municipal, township, and county level.
The curriculum is delivered by both seasoned practitioners and academic experts and is organized to fit the demanding schedules of participants. All sessions include practical information you will use immediately, plus opportunities to network and collaborate with peers.
"There is so much information to learn that I feel this course is appropriate for anyone in public service- not just newbies. There is something to be said about always being a "student" of your craft."
- Participant, 2023 Cohort
The Curriculum
- Governance
- Economic Development- Fundamentals
- Infrastructure Public Works, Planning and Development
- Economic Development- Field Trip
- Budgeting and Finance
- Safety and Communications/ Current Trends in Local Government
The 2024 program has concluded.
For questions or to be added to the mailing list for upcoming workshops, please email GVAcademy@ohio.edu .
Leading in Appalachia 2024: Community Engagement
This is the fifth year of Leading in Appalachia, a leadership development program for those living and working in Appalachian Ohio.
This year's program will be offered entirely in-person!
- Learn skills to develop as a leader within your community and/or organization.
- Become part of a network of other new and emerging leaders in Appalachian Ohio.
- Engage with your cohort and community leaders through regular participation in a project to support the Little Cities of Black Diamonds and its annual Little Cities Day in October.
Workshop Schedule
Workshops will be held on Wednesdays, with the exception of October. Workshops will be held on the Ohio University campus in Athens unless otherwise noted below.
- March 20– Opening Retreat, 9-3 at Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville
- April 17– Asset Mapping, 9-12
- May 15– Effective Communication, 9-12
- June 19– It's a Great Idea, How Do We Pay for It? 9-12
- July 17– Trauma Informed Leadership, 9-12
- Aug. 21– An Insider's Guide to Non-profits, 9-12
- Sept. 18– Appalachian Identity, 9-12
- October– Little Cities Day (Date and Place TBD)
- Nov. 20– Closing Retreat (location TBD), 9-12
Participants are asked to commit to all nine workshops. There is no charge for participants from Appalachian Ohio.
Registration has closed for the 2024 program.
For more information contact Sarah Mitchell, mitches1@ohio.edu .
Leading Complex Collaborations: Strategic Doing Practitioner Training
Strategic Doing enables leaders to design and guide new networks that generate innovative solutions. It is a strategy discipline that is lean, agile, and fast — just what organizations, communities and the Appalachian region need to survive and thrive.
Strategic Doing practitioner training helps you move from talking about a problem to action. In two days, you will
- Learn key concepts of Strategic Doing.
- Learn and apply the 10 skills that comprise Strategic Doing.
- Engage in a workshop simulation to experience the Strategic Doing.
Practitioner training will help you develop skills to lead complex collaborations and to innovate in open, loosely connected networks in which "no one can tell everyone else what do to."
At the end of practitioner training, you are recognized as a Strategic Doing Practitioner and are ready to use the Strategic Doing process to facilitate a project or activity with a team, group, or coalition.
"Every element of the discipline is important, but understanding the practical relationship between assets, networks and individual accountability has delivered most 'Aha' moments."
Darryl Graves, Strategic Doing practitioner
Learn More about Strategic Doing
Registration has closed for the June 2024 program.
For more information about Strategic Doing, please contact GVAcademy@ohio.edu .