Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce's community leadership development program, graduated Monday, May 21, 2012.

Amelia Island, FL – The 12th class of Leadership Nassau, the Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce’s community leadership development program, graduated Monday, May 21, 2012.

PHOTO CAPTION
Graduation ceremonies for the Leadership Nassau Class of 2012 were held May 21, 2012, during Business After Hours at The Amelia Island Club at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation on Amelia Island, Florida. The graduates include (back row from left) Jorge Puentes, Patricia Scattolon, Jennifer Rines, Shanea Jones, Angel McClellan, Chelsea Hill, Nancy Bell, Karen Klima, Sarah Bell, Hank Martinez, Kimberly Fahlgren, Mike Beard, Katrina Bearden, Donna Martin, Lauren Toffolo, (front row from left) Linda Simmons, Amanda Thien, Lyn King, Peggy Albrecht, Barbara Herring, John Martin. Class 12 members Oliver and Pat Welch were unable to attend and are not pictured.

The commencement ceremony, held during Business After Hours at The Amelia Island Club, wrapped up class members’ 10-month immersion into the history, economy, environment, government and culture of Nassau County.

Participants met all day once a month from September to April and attended key governmental meetings throughout the year. The daylong classes once a month covered areas of interest to the business community: economic development, education, justice and law enforcement, health and social concerns, government, arts and culture, environment and recreation, and regional business.

“This year’s class has toured a submarine at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay and the Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control Center in Hilliard,” said Leadership Nassau Steering Committee Chairman Noelle Perry. “They have spoken with RockTenn employees on the company’s environmental and economic impacts and heard from a myriad of local organizations which work diligently on a daily basis to provide much needed services to our county, such as Micah’s Place and the Barnabas Center.”

More than 200 Nassau County residents have now participated in Leadership Nassau, with graduates going on to become members of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, local political officeholders and candidates, and leaders in nonprofit organizations.

Leadership Nassau is open to any resident of Nassau County, but recruitment targets individuals with diverse geographical and socio-economic backgrounds and seeks a racial, gender and age mix reflective of the population. Cost is $650 for members of the Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce, $850 for non-members.

Applications for the 2012-13 Leadership Nassau class are now available at the Chamber, 961687 Gateway Blvd., Suite 101G, Amelia Island, and on the Chamber’s website at www.islandchamber.com/Leadership-Nassau.aspx. To have an application e-mailed or faxed to you, contact the Chamber at info@aifby.com or (904) 261-3248.

Application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, July 20, 2012.

Leadership Nassau Class of 2012

Peggy Albrecht
Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce

Mike Beard
Nassau County Health Department

Katrina Bearden
Family Support Services

Nancy Bell
Science First

Sarah Bell
Attorney

Kimberly Fahlgren
Exceptional Case Services, Inc., Nassau County School Board

Barbara Herring
Paralegal

Chelsea Hill
Servpro

Shanea Jones
Nassau County Office of Management & Budget

Lyn King
Guardian Ad Litem

Karen Klima
Klima Consulting Group

Angel McClellan
Sutton Place Behavioral Health

Donna Martin
Florida State College at Jacksonville, Nassau County School Board

John Martin
Nassau County Veterans Services

Hank Martinez
Nassau County Sheriff’s Office

Jorge Puentes
Florida Public Utilities

Jen Rines
CBC National Bank

Pat Scattolon
Amelia Urgent Care

Linda Simmons
Real Estate

Amanda Thien
UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension

Lauren R. Toffolo
CitiCorp

Oliver Welch
Retired

Pat Welch
Retired