The Flagler County Local Government Leadership Academy saw its latest group of students graduate last week. The ceremony was held at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center on the afternoon of Thursday, June 12th. Those who graduated received a certificate of completion from Daytona State College, who helped organize the program.
The participants in the Leadership Academy are employees from any of the several municipal government entities within Flagler County. A diverse group of individuals working in all levels of local government went through the course, which is put on in a partnership of the Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office and Daytona State College.
As they go through the material, students learn how to embody the qualities that make effective leaders within a government environment. They meet once a week for two hours over a four-month span in a classroom set up at the Tax Collector’s Office. Among the skills taught are human resources, budgeting, risk management, customer service, program evaluation, teamwork, and organizational culture, according to a release from the Academy.
Leading the Course
Teaching the course is Dr. Joe Saviak, a leadership consultant who founded Saviak Consulting in 2021. Previous titles of Saviak’s include associate professor at Flagler College in St. Augustine, director of governmental affairs and communications at the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, and executive director at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Dr. Joe Saviak, Tax Collector Shelly Edmonson, and DSC’s Mike Scheck. ⓒ Courtesy Photo
“We are looking forward to seeing your continued accomplishments for many years to come using everything you’ve learned,” Saviak said to his students. “We congratulate you on this highly impressive personal, professional, and academic achievement. We celebrate your commitment to being the leaders who exemplify the very best in public service.”
The Flagler Tax Collector’s Office hosted the class for all four months. “We all strongly believe in investing in the success of our teams,” added Flagler Tax Collector Shelly Edmonson. “We all want our local government to have leaders successfully serving the public. While we may have different specific functions, we are all one team with the same shared mission of providing effective, efficient, and responsive local government to the citizens we serve. That’s why we partnered together to offer this leadership academy.”
List of Graduates
Twelve local government employees made up the latest graduating class.
- Kelly Bowman (Flagler Board of County Commissioners)
- Benny Cope (City of Palm Coast)
- Jean Ferrer (Office of the Flagler County Tax Collector)
- Stephanie Field (Office of the Flagler County Tax Collector)
- Bill Freeman (City of Flagler Beach)
- Michael Hanson (City of Palm Coast)
- Bryanna Ivey (Office of the Flagler County Tax Collector)
- Amanda Raslowsky (Flagler Board of County Commissioners)
- Toussaint Roberson (Flagler County School Board)
- Megan Scheide (Office of the Flagler County Tax Collector)
- Sarah Spector (Flagler Board of County Commissioners)
- Jonathan Welker (Flagler County Sheriff’s Office)
