The second cohort of Educate 2 Lead (E2L) officially launched their leadership journey with a three-day retreat at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.
On October 2, Dr. Jeremy Hunter (Founding Director of the Executive Mind Leadership Institute, Claremont Graduate University) led a session on Self-Awareness, focused on cultivating clarity, resilience, and transforming life’s challenges into opportunities for growth.
The leadership journey continued on October 3, with Giselle Gandara (Civic and Political Engagement Manager at WELL) leading a session on transcendental meditation, a technique designed to reduce stress, sharpen focus, and enhance mental clarity.
Victor Griego (President and Founder of WELL) then guided participants through an exploration of Leadership Values, Qualities, and Skills. The day also featured a session on Uncouncious Bias, led by Liji Thomas (Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California), Stephan Tucker (General Manager, Water Replenishment District), and Martha Tremblay (Assistant Chief Engineer/General Manager, LA County Sanitation Districts) who shared practical strategies for building inclusive teams and embracing diverse perspectives.
On October 4, Victor Griego led a workshop on Building Meaningful Relationships, focusing on strengthening the human connections that make leadership effective, followed by a session on Leading Through Change, Crisis, and Uncertainty with Dr. Jaguanana Lathan (CEO and Founder, New Generation Equity and graduate of the WELL UnTapped Fellowship Program) and Stephan Tucker, equipping participants with equity-centered strategies to navigate resistance and lead with trust.
We were also honored to have Shivaji Deshmukh (General Manager, Inland Empire Utility Agency) and Stacie Takeguchi (Chief Assistant General Manager, Pasadena Water and Power) join us to welcome the new cohort.
The E2L program, founded by WELL and the CAAWEF, continues to empower mid-level managers to drive change and shape the future of California’s water and energy sectors.
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