HCLA BLOG
The HCLA Blog allows alumni, community partners, and interested applicants to gain a glimpse into the experiences and connectivity HCLA offers. The HCLA Blog highlights class day experiences, leadership lessons, and Hamilton Connection and alumni spotlights.
Interested in sharing content for the HCLA blog? Email engagement@hcla.net.
Empowering Change | Reflections on My Journey as Dean of Hamilton County Leadership Academy
Every Dean likely holds a special affinity towards their cohort, and I am no exception. However, there was something distinctly different about the class I had the pleasure of guiding through their leadership journey. From the moment they gathered for the opening...
Hamilton Connections Spotlight | Bonnie Riley
Summer concerts have an almost magical quality, don’t they? They’re like a rite of passage, special to both the season and our communities, marking the start of warm evenings and unforgettable memories. In 2007 when I moved to Hamilton County, Indiana (Carmel) from...
Class of 2024 Spotlight | Arts, Recreation, & Culture Class Day
Oh the places you will go… May 9 was our Arts, Recreation, and Culture class day. We started the day at Grand Park Sports Campus where we were welcomed by Mayor Scott Willis of Westfield. We learned about his vision for Westfield as the new mayor of one of the fastest...
Hamilton Connections Spotlight | Jennifer Miller
Recently, I changed jobs. It was a homecoming of sorts. I returned to the field of urban planning after working seven years in the nonprofit sector. I went to work for a small municipality in northern Hamilton County that I have always thought had amazing potential....
Class of 2024 Spotlight | Agriculture Class Day
Last week the HCLA Class of 2024 had the privilege of learning more about the impact and heritage of agriculture within our county. The main host of the day, Beck’s Hybrids, symbolizes the role of agriculture in our community. Beck’s began as a regional seed company...
Class of 2024 Spotlight | Workforce & Economic Development Class Day
I have to start with how excited I feel to be part of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy Class of 2024. My cohort and the speakers always make class days special. This month, we dove into Economic Development and Workforce, and let me tell you, it was...
Hamilton Connections Spotlight | Doug Hsu
When our family voluntarily chose to move from central Virginia to central Indiana in 2015, our friends and family asked us a slew of predictable questions. Why Indiana? Why would you leave the East Coast? What’s out there besides corn? Are you out of your mind? While...
Hamilton Connections Spotlight | Ranj Puthran
I began my Allstate career in the fall of October 1995 and this year will be 29 years with Allstate. It started in Southfield, Michigan, a small suburb of Detroit. When I decided to accept a position as an underwriter, I had no idea where it would take me. At the...
Class of 2024 Spotlight | Social Services Class Day
The Carmel Clay Public Library recently played host to the February class of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy (HCLA), and what a day it was! Sponsored by Riverview Health, the class delved into the heart of community care and service, shedding light on the vital...
Class of 2024 Spotlight | Criminal Justice & Public Safety Class Day
The HCLA class of 2024 attended the first half of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Class Day on the campus of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department (HCSD). To say that this was a unique experience is an understatement. Chief Deputy John Lowes provided us with...