Five Northeast Michigan nonprofit leaders have been selected by the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan to attend an eight month Leadership Learning Lab.

Facilitated by NorthSky Nonprofit Network, the Leadership Learning Lab seeks to connect and empower nonprofit leaders and give them the skills to strengthen the organizations and communities they serve.

Funded by the Frey Foundation and CFNEM, the Leadership Learning Lab aligns with the foundation’s strategic efforts to support capacity building among local nonprofits. The five leaders chosen by CFNEM will go through the series in a cohort with six other leaders chosen by Otsego County Community Foundation and Roscommon County Community Foundation – both of which are also providing funding for the Northeast Michigan series.

The emerging leaders are Judy Burns, Kristen Fries, Mary Schalk, Nena Sork and Rebecca Yuncker.

Burns is attending on behalf of Friends Together, which she founded in 1996, and for which she currently serves as director. She hopes the program will allow the cohort to lend support to each other through the challenges of running a nonprofit. She also looks forward to learning about successful transfer of leadership in both staff and boards.

Fries is attending on behalf of Hope Shores Alliance, where she serves as the Sexual Assault Outreach & Services advocate. Fries said she is looking forward to learning the dynamics of leadership and tools for making that leadership effective.

Schalk is attending on behalf of Partners in Prevention where she serves as a program coordinator. Schalk said she is looking forward to sharing experiences and learning from the wisdom of a tight-knit group of peers in the nonprofit field.

Sork is attending on behalf of Northeast Michigan Community Mental Health Authority, where she has served as chief operating officer since 2008. Sork said her hope is that the program will improve networking and empower nonprofits to work together to strengthen the communities they serve.

Yuncker is attending on behalf of Northern Michigan Children’s Assessment Center, where she has served as the executive director since 2014. Yuncker said she is looking forward to developing peer support to enhance opportunities for growth and leadership.

Additional leaders in the cohort chosen by OCCF and RCCF include Kristen Carmany of Roscommon County Transit/Mid Michigan Mobility Transportation; Amy Fuller of Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency; Tish Jankowski of Otsego County Habitat for Humanity; Brandy Riopelle of Otsego County Economic Alliance; and Jennifer Muladore and Jennie Zoll of Huron Pines.