NAVAIR Leadership Program Graduates 81 Across the Command

By Robert Kaper
NAVAIR Public Affairs Office

NAVAIR graduated 81 participants from its Senior Executive Management Development Program (SEMDP)/NAVAIR Leadership Development Program during a command-wide video teleconferencing ceremony Nov. 28 in the Rear Adm. William A. Moffett Building, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

“Growing leaders is imperative to our mission at the Naval Air Systems Command,” Vice Adm. David Venlet said. “I want our people saying to themselves, “I want to be like my supervisor because they are the very best at what they do.”

SEMDP was created in 1980 as a flagship leadership development program. The flexible program allows participants three-to-five years of part-time work to complete course requirements. Those requirements include business etiquette, networking, balancing work and home life, and defining personal leadership styles.

In remarks opening the graduation, NAVAIR Deputy Assistant Commander for Corporate Operations Gary Kurtz said, “This ceremony is an opportunity for us to recognize you for your commitment to advancing your knowledge and skills, so that one day as a leader of the future, you may in turn advance our Navy’s future.”

Venlet elaborated on that theme by quoting the words of Adm. William Sims, Pulitzer Prize-Winning author of The Victory at Sea: “A position in the Navy is not an occupation, it is a trust. Your obligation is to prepare yourself for responsible duties upon the successful discharge of which may someday depend the welfare of our country. A lifetime is not too long for this preparation.”

Venlet told the graduates that “it will take leaders with courage” to make the hard decisions that will confront them as they advance in their careers. “Courage comes from preparation,” he said, “preparation that comes from continual training and practice — that builds upon discipline and hard work — that gels in your heart, mind and body creating courage to face any challenge and succeed.”

The NAVAIR Leadership Program (NLDP) was created in 2005 with the merger of SEMDP and AIRSpeed Black Belt training. NLDP retains the critical leadership learning of SEMDP, while adding the vital productivity learning of an AIRSpeed Black Belt to better prepare participants for future leadership roles.

NLDP is a full-time, two-year leadership preparation program and will gradually replace SEMDP with the last “overlap” participants graduating in 2009.

For more information about NLDP/SEMDP, go to the Career Development Community of Interest page on MyNAVAIR, https://mynavair.navair.navy.mil.

The following people are NLDP/SEMDP graduates for 2007 listed by site and competency:

Carter, Gary S. 4.4 Cherry Point
Kelly, D. Paul 4.5 Cherry Point
Paylor, Steven C. 4.1 Cherry Point
Pollock, Robert B. 6.6 Cherry Point
Corzine, Andy R. 4.7 China Lake
*Lesniak, Renee L. 7.0 China Lake
Park, Susan G. 5.2 China Lake
Smith, Pamela P. 7.3 China Lake
*Sumners, Bill W. 4.1 China Lake
Dunlap, Donald A. 6.2 Jacksonville
Irene, Martha H. 4.4 Jacksonville
*Theilacker, David 4.0 Jacksonville
Whitfield, Gary B. 4.3 Jacksonville
Bergman, Eugene 4.8 Lakehurst
Magnifico, Frank J. 6.7 Lakehurst
*Majka, Nicole A. 1.0 Lakehurst
McRae, Robert 4.8 Lakehurst
Uffer, Louis 1.1 Lakehurst
Barnett, Cedearee N. 6.1 North Island
Champagne, Cynthia 6.3 North Island
Davies, Joseph A. 6.2 North Island
Padgham, Elizabeth J. 6.2 North Island
*Pilgrim, Bryan J. 4.9 North Island
Thurmond, JB 6.2 North Island
Conley, Pierre PMA205 Orlando
Cope, Bradley 4.6 Orlando
Ethridge, Anita 1.3 Orlando
Litz, Alan 1.3 Orlando
Matta, Aida 1.0 Orlando
Wieckhorst, Robin 1.3.6 Orlando
Borgen, Joyce M. 4.1 Point Mugu
Chacon, Druana 6.0 Point Mugu
Duquette, Dennis J. 4.8 Point Mugu
Hutson, Michael L. 5.1 Point Mugu
Williams, Thomas H. PMA208 Point Mugu
Zapata, Jesse M. 4.8 Point Mugu
Adler, Karen L. 1.0 Pax River
Askins, Joseph PEO(A) Pax River
*Bibee, Donna M. 2.2 Pax River
Bonner, William R. 7.0 Pax River
Branch, Anthony V. 4.1 Pax River
*Butner, Clark J. 6.6 Pax River
Cook, Stephen P. 4.0P Pax River
Cote, Gary C. 4.1 Pax River
*Dagenhart, Kathy H. 7.8 Pax River
*Dawson, Tania M. 7.3 Pax River
Forte, Gabrielle A. 5.1 Pax River
Getson, Edward S. 5.1 Pax River
Hanley, Denis PMA274 Pax River
Hansard, Derwin 4.5 Pax River
Harrer, Stephen W. 4.4 Pax River
Heffner, Peggy L. PMA265 Pax River
Hicks, Chris W. 4.5 Pax River
*Higgs, Veronica M. 7.8 Pax River
Holmberg, Jessica A. 4.3 Pax River
*Hough, Peggy A. 6.6 Pax River
*Jamieson, Pamela J. 7.3 Pax River
Jarvis, Bridget A. 11.1 Pax River
Johnson, Bradley E. 4.1 Pax River
Johnson, Jonathan S. 10.1 Pax River
*LaBatt, Thomas E. 4.1.1 Pax River
Langelier, Marcie K. 4.6 Pax River
McDermott, James W. 4.1 Pax River
*McGilloway, James J. 6.8 Pax River
Meiser, David H 4.1 Pax River
*Mellies, Thomas 5.2 Pax River
Morse, Cannon L. 7.10 Pax River
*Motamed, Daniel 4.1 Pax River
Overs, Michael E. 6.6 Pax River
*Owens, Daniel J. 1.1 Pax River
Paglierani, Joseph A. PMA257 Pax River
*Parker, David H. 5.4 Pax River
Payton, Woodrow M. 6.6 Pax River
Rock, Michael K. 2.2 Pax River
*Runowich, Nicholas 4.3 Pax River
Sanchez-Bubb, Enid M. PMA203 Pax River
Vaughn, Barbara J. 4.1 Pax River
Wilkinson, Edward A 1.0 Pax River
*Woods, Glenn A. 4.5 Pax River
Younano, Bella 5.2 Pax River
*Young-Hill, Lakeeta J. 2.0 Pax River

*NLDP graduate

Cutlines:
Top Photo: MC CAPT Ralph Portnoy addresses graduates with VTC screen in background
Middle Photo: Graduate Pamela Jamieson is congratulated by Gary Kurtz, NAVAIR Assistant Commander, Corporate Operations and Total Force, as NAVAIR Commander VADM David Venlet looks on
Bottom Photo: EMDP/NLDP graduates and NAVAIR officials at Pax River ceremony