Class 7 of the ASU Leadership Institute graduates with key leadership takeaways

On Friday, May 16, Class 7 graduates of the ASU Leadership Institute crossed the stage in the Carson Ballroom of historic Old Main, cheered on by family and friends. This ceremony marked the end of a nine-month journey and the beginning of a new chapter in their lifelong leadership stories.

“It’s a bittersweet feeling,” reflected Ravi Seshachala, IT director at Blue Yonder. “On one hand, it’s a program where I’ve learned a lot and made many connections and friendships. On the other hand, this is our last session together. I’m hoping we’ll stay connected – we’ll do our best to get together as often as we can.” 

The ASU Leadership Institute is a nine-month personal and professional development program designed exclusively for Sun Devil alumni, hosted by the ASU Alumni Association. The program helps deepen participants’ understanding of leadership through the lens of the ASU Charter, strengthen their leadership capabilities and build an expansive network of fellow Sun Devils.

“We received valuable insights and leadership development focused on organizational structure,” said Tiffany Ellington, client services manager at Small Giants. “That’s definitely something I’ll take back and apply to how I structure my teams.”

This year’s class included participants from the Phoenix metropolitan area, as well as California, Texas and Georgia. The group represented a wide range of industries including construction, technology, public relations, nonprofit, hospitality, health care and more. With alumni graduation years ranging from 1992-2023, the program supports leaders at varying stages of their careers.

The cohort’s experience began with orientation in August 2024. Over the past nine months, members have participated in monthly Innovation Days held on the last Friday of each month.

These immersive sessions gave participants a behind-the-scenes look at key locations across ASU’s campuses, such as ASU Gammage, the School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) and the set of Cronkite News – the nation’s No. 1-ranked student-powered newscast that airs on PBS from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

In addition to site visits, members conversed with top university leaders, including ASU President Michael M. Crow, head Sun Devil Wrestling coach Zeke Jones and Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, special advisor to Crow for leadership initiatives and co-founder of the ASU Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab.

“My favorite part of this experience was hearing Dr. Crow speak,” Ellington said. “His vision for the school is incredible. ASU is where it is because of his leadership, and to see that firsthand was really impressive.”

During the graduation ceremony, participants reflected on their transformative experience in the program. The cohort elected Jay Williams, digital learning media producer at Morehouse School of Medicine, to deliver graduation remarks. He spoke about the importance of building a personal legacy as a Sun Devil leader and contributing to the broader, enduring legacy of ASU alumni.

“We have such an incredible collection of people from different industries and different walks of life,” Williams said to the crowd. “Because of your excellence, you allowed this cohort to be what it is, and that’s something incredibly special.”

Congratulations to the graduates of the ASU Leadership Institute Class 7:
 

• Angelo Accomazzo, Duffy Group, Inc.
• Amber Allen, Desert Financial Credit Union.
• Pleshette Axtell, Moses Lake Industries.
• Ben Bearden, Hilti North America.
• Randy Biersdorff, JE Dunn Construction.
• Brendon Blake, AARP Arizona.
• Jon Desch, Willmeng Construction.
• Tiffany Ellington, Small Giants.
• Joe Forte, D-MAK Productions.
• Brendan Franks, AZ Law Now Injury Attorneys.
• Tim Gomez, Arizona State University.
• Jessica Haag, Make-A-Wish Arizona.
• Sasha Houts, Lauren's Institute for Education.
• Katherine Huffer, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
• Sierra Johnson, Sundt Construction.
• Kate Kneip, Sundt Construction.
• Sarah Muench, Muench Strategic Communications.
• Mike Noble, Noble Predictive Insights.
• Micah Pappas, WGU.
• Dana Rowitz, Omni Hotels and Resorts.
• Ravi Seshachala, Blue Yonder, Inc.
• Jolie Soza, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona.
• Scott Stoker, Chevron.
• Jason Turnquist, Fyresite.
• Joy Vick-Waller, RES.
• Jay Williams, Morehouse School of Medicine.

To learn more about the ASU Leadership Institute, visit https://alumni.asu.edu/leadership-institute.