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bridging the gap

​This leadership program is designed to help current and emerging leaders understand the dynamics of the community
and the role leadership shares in building healthy communities.
The program consists of one session per month for nine months, September through May. Each session typically runs
​8 am – 4:30 pm. The cost of the program covers all materials, meals, refreshments, and bus tours.

​leadership

Skills are developed through seven professional leadership development seminars led by educators from the University of Minnesota Extension’s Center for Community Vitality.
• Understanding Your Personal Leadership Style
• Committees that Work: Common Traps, Creative Solutions
• Bridging Generational Trends: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Workforce
• Stimulating Visionary Leadership
• Navigating Conflict
• Enhancing Ethical Leadership
• Improving Your Critical Thinking

​connections

Through the networking opportunities of this program, participants will gather knowledge of the trends, challenges and issues that face our communities and Brown County.

​9 meetings

Each of the nine sessions will be held in a different location throughout Brown County—Comfrey, Hanska, New Ulm, Sleepy Eye and Springfield—where you will tour industries, city facilities and unique businesses. In addition, you will have days dedicated to agriculture, government and history.

join in - Open to 24 participants only

Applicant Information
• Tuition support may be offered by employers as professional development. Please inquire with your employer.
• Scholarships are available to qualifying participants.
• Participants should live or work in Brown County and agree to attend all 9 sessions.
• Acceptance is based on:
          • Demonstrated interest in the Brown County area
          •A desire to better understand and improve leadership skill
          • Interest in future community involvement
          • The ability to commit the time needed to attend program sessions

Apply now...

Apply Now
Paper applications can be made available upon request.

Testimonials

Bridging Brown County is a great program that fosters networking and brings the communities of Brown County together.  The programing and leadership skills that are taught and shared are essential in the development of emerging leaders in our communities.  As an employer I highly encourage my staff to take part in this tremendous program.
Paul Pieschel, President
F&M Bank Springfield
Bridging Brown County has been such a rewarding experience for me. The leadership development seminars gave me an opportunity to better understand myself and those who are close to me; they also provided helpful tools and resources to bring back to my agency to utilize as alternatives or improvements to a process. It was awesome to experience each community first hand – I never knew what was in my own “backyard” and it ignited a fire to dive deeper into my community outside of this experience. The personal and professional relationships I have created through Bridging Brown County are priceless.  Thank you for this amazing opportunity!
Melissa Hoffmann, RN, BS, PHN
Brown County Public Health
I am very pleased with Bridging Brown County and feel the training sessions are excellent and the tours and information on local businesses are extremely interesting.  I would recommend others to join, you will not regret the experience of learning more about your area and meeting new people.
Shelly Kosak
Operations Assistant
​Americana Community Bank

Organizations are one big team, made up of many teams, made up of individuals. These teams rely on leadership and collaboration in order to be successful.  Bridging Brown County offers attendees valuable training, presented by very experienced educators, to develop these skills and implement them with their teams. A great opportunity to connect with other leaders and learn about businesses in the county
Iris Runck
Human Resources
SouthPoint Financial Credit Union

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Program Educator

​Catherine Rasmussen

Education
  • B.S., English and Speech, Minnesota State University, Mankato
  • M.S., Continuing Studies, emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction
Work ExperienceCatherine (Catie) Rasmussen has been an Extension Educator in Leadership and Civic Engagement since 1997. Along with her prior career as a secondary teacher, she brings over thirty years of experience in educational programming. She is the primary designer and educator of "bridging" leadership program s for counties. Her work focuses on building leadership capacity and enhancing collaboration among communities to address public issues. She has co-authored the facilitation guidebook, Committees That Work: Common Traps - Creative Solutions.
Catie is a frequent educator of leadership development workshops for organizations and provides training and consultation on emotional intelligence for Extension state and national leadership cohort programs. She recently designed and taught a leadership program in Morocco which focused on building skills necessary to create cooperatives.

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  • About
    • Administration
  • Leadership Program
    • Leadership Program Application
    • Alumni
  • Nonprofit Leadership
  • News & Events
    • Grant Forum
  • Brown County Communities
    • Cobden
    • Comfrey
    • Essig
    • Evan
    • Hanska
    • Leavenworth
    • New Ulm
    • Searles
    • Sleepy Eye
    • Springfield
  • Contact Us