Members of Class 9 of the Fountain Hills Leadership Academy graduated on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the Eagle Mountain Golf Club. With this class, there are over 130 Fountain Hills leaders actively participating in local non-profits and serving on town commissions, according to a press release.

Class 9 graduates were Mike Baumgartner, Dee Brown, Tania C. Brown, Phillip Caldwell, Susan DeGennaro, Julie Ewald, Rob Hanford, Steve Hedden, Kerri Lowber, Catherine Mirick, Payton Sears, John Skewes, Holly Tate, Laura Tiebert and Kyle Tolis.

Graduates heard speeches from local leaders and provided their own presentations on five community-focused projects.

Those included developing a food bank for pets, moving forward with the Blue Zones project, building community with the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, a program designed to attract younger families to Fountain Hills and a look at beautifying downtown Fountain Hills.

The 2025 program, through its eight weekly sessions, gave Class 9 valuable insights into the workings of town government, public safety, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, local utilities and a behind-the-scenes look at Fountain Park, the Fountain Hills Unified School District, local businesses and non-profits, environmental stewardship and community services.

Class 9 began its journey on Sept.18 with an overview of I Love Fountain Hills and all the programs under its wing. The class ended the last session with a look inside the new International Dark Sky Discovery Center.

The 15 participants in this year’s class were selected through an extensive application and interview process. The program is offered through the non-profit I Love Fountain Hills and is designed to develop better-informed citizens.

Classes are held every Thursday from mid-September through mid-November and conclude with a graduation ceremony.

According to the release, the Leadership Academy challenges participants to bring forth their leadership skills to help improve the community.

During the course, participants identify an issue or challenge that affects the Town of Fountain Hills and develop a project proposal that offers a solution. These projects are presented at the graduation ceremony in November.

To learn more about the program, visit ilovefountainhills.org/leadership-academy/.