The 2025 Pickaway Fellows class has completed the education program and are now
ready to use their skills to support local organizations and agencies.
The 2025 class includes James Brown, Brad Hughes, Matt Fields, Drew Wichterman,
Casey Liddy, Hannah Parker, Natalie Balallo, Brittany Grate, Lexi Heidish and Andrea
Green.
The Pickaway Fellows program goal is to bring experience and skills of members with
experiential learning sessions as preparation for the next generation of elected and
appointed leaders in the county. The initiative is born from the Pickaway County
Community Foundation and is the work of the Leadership for Tomorrow Fund.
Sereana H. Dresbach, PhD, chair, Leadership for Tomorrow Fund said, “Leadership
doesn’t ‘just happen’. Individuals should be encouraged and nurtured to step into those
roles.”
The program, conducted every two years, consists for day-long sessions within the
county, as well as in Columbus and Washington DC, that cover a myriad of subjects that
local leaders will encounter. Topics address the breadth and depth of Pickaway County
components and focus on people, places, economics, history, and social systems. One
of the most popular sessions is called Surviving in the Public Eye and focuses on crisis
communication and decision making in public roles.
Jama Cobb, committee member, said, “Through the Pickaway Fellows program, we look
at issues and systems. What is unique about these sessions is that participants bring
their perspectives and experience into each session so Fellows are learning from each
other.”
The capstone of the program each year is a visit to Washington D.C. to meet with Ohio
Congressional delegation office holders. The 2025 program participants met with David
Taylor, Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted. They also met with officials from the Canadian
Embassy, the National Manufacturer’s Association, and American Feed Industry
Association, among others.
James Brown said, “It was unique to see firsthand that we are connected regardless of
the titles we hold. You must have a robust network of people to be able to deal with new
trends or changes that can affect your community. Your strong networks are beneficial
for building and maintaining strong communities.”
The program is funded by local donors. Since the program’s foundation over 75 people
have completed the course. The next class will be held in 2027.
Brittany Grate said, “Through the program sessions on diverse populations,
boardsmanship, and collectively throughout the program, I was able to experience the
collaboration that we have currently in our county. It was reinforced to a larger scale the
importance of listening to all voices and keeping open to differing perspectives for better
understanding. Better understanding leads to best outcomes for all.”
An underlying theme to the program is the interconnectedness of Pickaway County
residents, agencies, and entities. Participants gain insight into areas they haven’t
experienced and are able to reinforce skills in their professional lives.
Brad Hughes stated, “The Fellows Program has allowed me the opportunity to represent
the Pickaway County agricultural community and has shown me how I can be a leader
and a voice for the local agricultural community among all levels of government.”
More information on the Pickaway Fellows program can be found at
yourpccf.org/initiatives/leadership/ or contact PCCF at 740.477.6207.
