About the Program

Our History

Ensuring the long-term stability of a community is a difficult task. It requires the creativity and vision of those people in leadership roles as well as a solid understanding of the many ingredients that make up this community. With this in mind, in September of 1985, the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce created the Santa Cruz community’s first and finest leadership training program called Leadership Santa Cruz (LSC). Two years later, the Watsonville Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture (now the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce), joined the Santa Cruz Chamber as a co-sponsor and the program was renamed Leadership Santa Cruz County (LSCC).  The Capitola Chamber of Commerce became a sponsor in 1989, followed by the Aptos and Scotts Valley chambers in 1990, and the San Lorenzo Valley Chamber in 1992. The chambers of commerce have been joined by numerous sponsoring business organizations and non-profits to guarantee the long-term success of its program in its second decade of operation.

Our Mission

The purpose of Leadership Santa Cruz County (LSCC) is to educate, motivate, and increase the awareness of individuals in leadership roles in Santa Cruz County, enabling them to address the issues, needs and opportunities facing the county now and in the future.

The Participants

The participants of Leadership Santa Cruz County are people who desire a broader exposure to the growing concerns of this county and who wish to discover the leaders within themselves.

Alumni Association

With the graduation of the approximately 1,000 LSCC class members, we have formed an Alumni Association that allows the LSCC experience to live on. The LSCC Alum Association organizes leadership forums, fireside chats, and leadership program efforts that support the LSCC mission and vision.

Diversity

Class members have ranged from teenagers to seniors, and those in between. They have been newcomers and long-term residents. Class members and alumni reflect the diversity of the community. Throughout its existence, Leadership Santa Cruz County has provided quality, non-partisan instruction and watched its alumni go on to take responsible positions throughout the community.

Leadership Program Description

The Leadership Santa Cruz County program provides a broad base of community knowledge and understanding to class members. At each training session, class participants practice and develop leadership skills as they solve real problems related to the topics of the day. They listen to individual speakers, interact with panels of experts, work with case studies, and make site visits throughout Santa Cruz County.

From September through June, LSCC participants spend one day each month (12 all-day training sessions) adding to their knowledge of the county’s inner workings. They also attend a two-day leadership skill-building retreat.