The Ottumwa Leadership Academy celebrated its 11th year with a graduation ceremony on Thursday.
Program participants are required to attend a full-day session one day per month, participate in a team project, and attend one public meeting.
The graduates from Ottumwa Leadership Academy are:
Tony Akridge, John Deere Ottumwa Works
Chad Arnold, John Deere Ottumwa Works
Ashley Baum, Care Initiatives Hospice
Kelly Bennett, Ottumwa Regional Health Center
David Bossou, Community 1 st Credit Union
Trisha Doudou, High Porch Coffee/Scooter’s
Noah Eklund, Indian Hills Community College
Kara Guerra, Community 1 st Credit Union
Jeny Herrera, Manpower
Russ Hull, SimpleRay Solar
Marlena Huycke, JBS
Angie Mach, Sieda Community Action
Elizabeth Martinez Calderon, JBS
Aaron McConnell, Wapello County Sheriff’s Office
Heather Morehouse, Ottumwa Job Corps Center
Sandra Pope, Retired Educator
Meadow Ream, Ottumwa Community School District
Jennifer Reynolds, First Resources Corporation
Brenda Salter, Indian Hills Community College
Matthew Selden, Trinity Church of the Nazarene
Alysia Simmons, Community 1 st Credit Union
Stephani Stockton, First Resources Corporation
Samantha Ulin, South Ottumwa Savings Bank
The following participants received scholarships and/or sponsorships as listed below:
Matthew Selden – Andy Hansen Legacy Scholarship
Ashley Baum – Dr. Marlene Sprouse Legacy Scholarship
Trisha Doudou & Russ Hull – O.L.A. Alumni Scholarship
David Bossou – O.L.A. Alumni Scholarship (partial) plus additional sponsorship from JBS and
Cambridge Investment Research
Angie Mach – sponsored by Resilient Communities of Wapello County
Aaron McConnell – sponsored in part by JBS
Sandra Pope – sponsored by LULAC
Stephani Stockton – sponsored by Ottumwa Job Corps
The graduation event included project team presentations, the announcement of the winning project, and the unveiling of the 2024 dean. Additionally, as part of the graduation ceremony, the recipient of the Barb Allison Alumni Award was announced. Barb, a 2014 graduate of the Ottumwa Leadership Academy, passed away in 2019, leaving a legacy of service to the Ottumwa Leadership Academy and many other organizations in the Ottumwa community.
