May 28, 2026
“You come into the program thinking you already have the tools. Naturally, we’re in these positions because we feel that we are natural leaders, but there is a lot more complexity to it. Having the toolkit we now have at the end of the program is crucial not just for your professional life, but your personal life and applying it to real-life scenarios.”
— Erika Navarro, Participant
On May 28, Goodman Group proudly celebrated the successful completion of Cohort 23 of the NextGen Municipal Leadership Program, a transformative 10-week leadership experience designed to strengthen leadership capacity across the municipal sector.
This cohort brought together emerging and experienced leaders from eight municipalities and organizations, including the Town of Fort Erie, City of Port Colborne, City of Welland, Niagara Region, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, City of Niagara Falls, Town of Pelham and Township of King. Throughout the program, participants engaged in meaningful discussions, practical learning experiences and collaborative problem-solving with peers from across the region.
Led by an exceptional team of instructors, including Pauline Dawson, Caren Burt, François Côté-Vaillancourt, Neil Culp, Jennifer Li, Ken Chan, Abdul Rahimi, Anteneh Ayanso, Sarah Pennisi, Brian Hutchings, Maria Brigantino, Chris McQueen and Cara Krezek, participants explored the challenges and opportunities facing today’s municipal leaders while developing skills that can be applied immediately in their organizations.
Throughout the program, participants strengthened their ability to:
- Lead with greater confidence and self-awareness
- Understand personality dimensions to improve relationships and collaboration
- Apply coaching techniques to support performance and development
- Build financial literacy through budgeting and financial management principles
- Contribute to municipal strategic planning processes
- Navigate leadership in a unionized environment
- Strengthen staff and council relations through effective communication
- Leverage the power of teams to improve outcomes and collaboration
One of the most meaningful outcomes of the program was the strong network of relationships built among participants. Through shared experiences, open dialogue and collaboration across municipalities, leaders developed connections and peer relationships that will continue well beyond the program and into their professional communities.
Whether participants were stepping into leadership for the first time or building on years of experience, many reflected on leaving the program with renewed confidence in themselves, their roles and the opportunities ahead.
Upon completion of the program, graduates received a certificate from Goodman Group within the Goodman School of Business at Brock University, recognizing their commitment to leadership growth and public service excellence.
Congratulations to all graduates of Cohort 23 of the NextGen Municipal Leadership Program. We also extend our appreciation to the participating municipalities and organizations for investing in the development of their leaders and the future of their communities.
Interested in joining Cohort 24? Learn more about the NextGen Municipal Leadership Program or contact us at [email protected] to explore the upcoming opportunities this year.
