SHADYSIDE — Ed Good, Mead Township trustee, was recognized as one of 17 graduates of the Ohio Township Association Leadership Academy 2.0.

This advanced program is created exclusively for Ohio township officials looking to further their leadership skills in their communities and who have completed the OTALA 1.0 classes. Good was part of the inaugural class dedicated to honing the critical skills necessary to support the needs of the township and shift focus from day-to-day managing to long-term strategic approaches to their positions.

This collaborative and interactive program consists of in-class and online courses totaling 34 hours over 13 months. The final session concluded with each student presenting their final projects in person at the OTA office. Once completed, all graduates were presented with their certificates of graduation.

“After utilizing tools I learned in the original Leadership Academy in 2005, I wanted to continue with the (OTALA 2.0) program in moving Mead Township forward with my fellow trustees. Successfully applying for and receiving local, state, and federal dollars can be attributed to this continuing education,” Good said.

The original OTALA program was created in 2001 with the Ohio State University’s Office of Community Development and Miami University’s Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs.

Program participants must complete at least six of the 10 approved training courses and a federal component. Over 500 OTA members have completed the program.

OTALA 2.0 was launched in 2022 in partnership with OSU and CPMRA. It aims to help township officials lead with vision, inspiration and authenticity and had its second class begin in September.