Associate Principal Jennifer Dunn and Associate Nick Sackos recently graduated from Leadership Montana and Leadership Bend, respectively. Here, Jenn and Nick reflect on their experiences with these programs.
About Leadership Montana and Leadership Bend
These programs provide community leadership development training to active professionals in their communities. Over the course of nine months, participants engage with local leaders to explore regional issues and enhance their leadership skills. The curriculum includes leadership topics that foster a deep understanding of each area’s challenges and opportunities — Leadership Bend also includes a class capstone project to put these new skills to immediate use. Combined, the programs have more than 1,500 alumni. Graduates of these programs serve as community “trustees” in various capacities, including nonprofit board members, elected officials, and civic committee members, significantly contributing to community growth and governance.
Why did you join your program?
Jenn: I was primarily excited to learn about different communities across Montana and meet the diverse participants in the leadership training program. The opportunity was brought to my attention by prior participants — everyone involved is so enthusiastic and encouraging. It didn’t take long for me to see what they meant! The program was such an incredible opportunity to expand my leadership knowledge.
Nick: I had also received glowing recommendations about Leadership Bend from past graduates — including Camilla Cok, who was part of last year’s graduating class. The program seemed like a great outlet to align my professional skills as an architect and designer with the needs of my local and regional community. I was also excited to expand my circle and make meaningful connections with people outside of the architecture, engineering, and construction community.
What was your favorite opportunity of the program?
Jenn: I loved spending time in places I had only passed through or never been to at all. Each session is for three days in a different city, giving you a lot of time to experience new places and speak with local leaders. We learned what unique struggles they are facing and what kept them up at night. A lot of times, it was not what you expected.
Nick: Learning — it’s rare to have the time to sit, listen, and interact with the people that make Bend and Central Oregon what it is. It can be easy to take these things for granted, but it’s so great to hear from the people who spend their time working on maintaining, improving, and growing what makes this place special. It makes me thankful and want to do my part, too.
In what ways are you excited to apply what you’ve learned?
Jenn: The program encourages a lot of self-reflection about your leadership style. Examining your current approach helps you build on your strengths and be aware of your weaknesses, improving your general leadership skills and teaching you to build coalitions around ideas. So many of our firm’s design projects are centered around larger owner groups needing to come to consensus on a project’s direction. It is exciting to have new skills and approaches to building consensus and moving these projects ahead.
Nick: I’m looking forward to getting more engaged. The program connected me to a range of organizations and people that I hope to stay in touch with — I want to leverage my experience to find the right fit and get more plugged in to the community. I see so much potential here in Bend and want to help realize it.
Hennebery Eddy continues its support of and participation in leadership development programs: associate principal Katie Hall, AIA was selected for the 2025-2026 Leadership Bend Program, and principal Erica Thompson, AIA, was admitted to the Leadership Portland Class of 2026.