Participants reflect on key lessons as they graduate from Leadership Main Line

Twenty three executives representing corporations, educational institutions, local government, health care providers and nonprofit organizations formed the recently graduated 24th class of Leadership Main Line. On the final day of programming in June, participants highlighted some of the takeaways in which they gained greater appreciation including:

• Getting out of their comfort zones to grow
• Greater understanding of how to be a servant leader
• The importance of both providing clear feedback when improvement is needed and helping others to shine
• Reframing thinking to get to a higher-level view
• The value of engaging with different speakers from different leadership styles, backgrounds and perspectives
• Enhanced communications skills, including improved listening skills
• Greater understanding of the challenges facing nonprofits and how board members can help

Class members described each other as competent, committed, insightful, respectful, diverse, dynamic and generous.

Leadership Main Line is part of a suite of professional development programs operated by The Main Line Chamber of Commerce, Pennsylvania’s largest Greater Philadelphia-based suburban chamber of commerce. Additional professional development programs include the Society of Professional Women, Leadership Principles & Profiles management training, Women Helping Women Peer Mentoring and the Middle Market Business Growth Initiative for business owners, CEOs and other c-suite leaders. The program is sponsored by M&T Bank and the Philadelphia Foundation, which invest in connecting and empowering business and nonprofit leaders in the region.

Each year’s class undertakes a class project for a single nonprofit organization. This year’s project was the creation of an Expansion Growth and Sustainability Plan for Girls Spark, which has a mission of providing middle and high school girls with a safe, supportive empowering environment where they can learn, collaborate and overcome adversity in facing today's social issues.

In thanking the class, Girls Spark Board Chair Laura Kasper said words could not express how much she appreciated it’s work on the project.

“What you delivered for Girls Spark exceeded even my biggest expectations,” Kasper said. “You took everything we asked for and returned to us a comprehensive strategic guidebook and roadmap that will help shape the future of our organization for years to come. The depth of research, thoughtful planning, practical tools, communication resources, forms, and recommendations you developed are nothing short of extraordinary.”

The exposure that Girls Spark received through the class project led to a surprise $10,000 donation from a company that had no prior knowledge of the organization.

Another aspect of each year’s class is that it is held at different locations, which in 2026 included the Museum of the American Revolution, the Enterprise Center in West Philadelphia, the Lower Merion Township Building, the City Ave District and the Church Farm School in Chester County.

One of the highlights was a tour personally given by Museum of the American Revolution President and CEO R. Scott Stephenson, who shared reflections on leadership as he highlighted some of his favorite exhibits. Additional speakers included Enterprise Center President and CEO Della Clark, Main Line Health President and CEO Ed Jimenez and Main Line Health Vice President and Chief Belonging, Equity and Community Officer, Dr. Rosangely Cruz-Rojas, Wawa Director of Talent and Organizational Development Nate Prosser, who is a graduate of the program himself, elected officials and several of the region’s prominent nonprofit leaders.

The Leadership Main Line Class of 2026 included participants from Aqua Pennsylvania, Independence Blue Cross, Main Line Health, M&T Bank, Lincoln Financial Group, Maven Communications, Radnor and Lower Merion Townships, Stephano Slack, SEPTA, WSFS, Harcum College, Chester County OIC, KenCrest Services, City Team Ministries, the Maternal and Child Health Consortium, LMC, Truist and Blackbird Clinical Services.

Veronica Mikitka Reed, Vice President at Maven communications agency, said one aspect of the program that she valued most was forming relationships with fellow participants and regional leaders.

“Leadership Main Line sharpened my ability to lead with a community-centered approach, strengthening my effectiveness as a trusted communications advisor,” she said. “Over five months of cohort-based project work for Girls Spark and leadership engagement, I gained not only new skills but a deeper appreciation for diverse leadership styles. These insights have already shaped how I operate, both personally and professionally.”