Akron, OH –A new online platform will transform the way emerging and existing leaders navigate the community, supported by a $50,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to Leadership Akron. LeaderSource will equip users from multiple walks of leadership to connect with one another and highlight opportunities that match their individual interests.

Many new and emerging leaders in Akron have difficulty connecting to civic and professional opportunities. The new platform will customize information on events and opportunities for involvement based on each user’s unique combination of professional skills and community interests. It w ill also target the information and opportunities that are available which are relevant to individual leaders. The platform will include the following capabilities:

·       Identification of leaders according to specific combinations of interests, abilities and backgrounds;

·       Opportunities for nonprofit and community groups to post events and opportunities for involvement that are targeted to specific constituencies of leaders;

·       Engagement of leaders in events, volunteer/ leadership opportunities, and news that align with their interests and facilitate their involvement.

“LeaderSource is an important new tool that will provide Akron’s emerging leaders with more access to opportunities,” said Jennifer Thomas, Akron program director at Knight Foundation. “We are particularly interested in engaging the community’s next generation of talent and improving leadership across generations.”

Mark Scheffler, Leadership Akron’s Executive Director added, “As Leadership Akron has developed a presence with more audiences across the ‘continuum of leadership,’ this tool will enable us to promote community involvement across these audiences with a web-based resource.”

About Leadership Akron

For 28 years, Leadership Akron has equipped participants for community involvement and leadership. The signature program offers intensive study of community issues and interaction with top decision-makers, enabling participants to expand their effectiveness as community leaders. For more information on Leadership Akron and LeaderSource, go to their website, www.leadershipakron.org.

About John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more information, visit www.KnightFoundation.org.

Contacts: 

Mark Scheffler, Executive Director, Leadership Akron [email protected], 330-436-5291, 

Andrew Sherry, Vice President/Communication, Knight Foundation (305) 908-2677 or [email protected]