It's Material.

• Author: Froemming, Denise LeDuc

Lead the Way

If you've listened to our Rise & Stride podcasts, you'll know that leadership comes up in each conversation. And you've likely noticed that each guest defines leadership a little bit differently. Yet, there are a couple of characteristics that repeatedly pop up in those definitions: Being a role model, mentor or coach, and lifting others and the organization. As author Simon Sinek said in his book, "Leaders Eat Last," "Leadership is not about being the best, it is about making everyone else better."

There's a third commonality, too, that I'll get to later.

At CalCPA, I'm proud that our member leaders take those characteristics to heart and as we begin our fiscal year this month, I want to recognize and thank some of the members who are stepping into officer roles for 2023-24.

Board of Directors officers:

* Chair: Meredith A. Johnson (San Francisco Chapter)

* First Vice Chair: Matthew Martin (Los Angeles Chapter)

* Secretary/Treasurer: Jillian Phan (Los Angeles Chapter)

* Immediate Past Chair: Tayiika Dennis (Los Angeles Chapter)

Board of Trustees officers:

* Chair: Andrea Cope (San Francisco Chapter)

* First Vice Chair: Ruben Davila (Los Angeles Chapter)

* Treasurer: Scott Donnelly (Los Angeles Chapter)

* Immediate Past Chair: Adam Blitz (Fresno Chapter)

This is by no means an exhaustive list of our dedicated member leaders. You can find the full slate at calcpa.org/leadership/be-a-leader-in-calcpa, and then add to that our chapter presidents and officers; chapter and state committee members; our member instructors; our student influencers on college and university campuses across the state; our Board, Council and Trustee members... and the...