Leadership Little Traverse Alumni

08/25/2026

Congratulations to all the members of the Leadership Little Traverse class of 2027!!

07/14/2026

Don't miss your opportunity to experience "an ecosystem of opportunity" with LLT. Be a part of the class of 2027 to develop your leadership skills and learn more about Emmet County. Applications are due by 5pm Friday, July 17. Learn more and apply at https://www.petoskeychamber.com/leadership-little-traverse

07/06/2026

The clock is ticking! Don't miss the deadline for the next class of Leadership Little Traverse (LLT) - it's sneaking up on you!
Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday July 17

Apply to be a part of Leadership Little Traverse class of 2027. LLT is a community leadership program hosted by the Petoskey Regional and Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce. Sessions begin in September and will be held monthly through May. Each session is a full day in length and introduces class members to different facets of the community while helping them to hone personal leadership skills. In addition to the classroom experiences, the participants will also undertake a class-wide community service project, a personal leadership project, and each participant will develop a mentor relationship with a community leader. Learn more and apply at https://www.petoskeychamber.com/leadership-little-traverse

06/17/2026

Apply to be a part of Leadership Little Traverse class of 2027. LLT is a community leadership program hosted by the Petoskey Regional and Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce. Sessions begin in September and will be held monthly through May. Each session is a full day in length and introduces class members to different facets of the community while helping them to hone personal leadership skills. In addition to the classroom experiences, the participants will also undertake a class-wide community service project, a personal leadership project, and each participant will develop a mentor relationship with a community leader. Learn more and apply at https://www.petoskeychamber.com/leadership-little-traverse

05/28/2026

Graduates of the Leadership Little Traverse (LLT) class of 2026 were honored Tuesday, May 26th at graduation ceremonies held at the Hotel Perry in Petoskey and sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. This marked the 25th graduating class of the program which now boasts more than 336 alumni.

Members of the LLT Class of 2026 include:
• Calla Beers, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
• Melissa Cannon, Roast and Toast Cafe
• Briannaca Cobb, Northmen Dens
• Kayla Cross, Friendship Centers of Emmet County, Council on Aging
• Helen Habicht, Crooked Tree Arts Center - Petoskey
• Lauren Madison, Harris Law
• Jennifer Mancini, Northern Community Mediation
• Melissa Mansfield, North Central Michigan College
• Stephanie Marchbanks, Networks Northwest
• Ashley McMurry, Emmet County Recycling
• Annie Montagne, Bay View Association
• Jake Myers, Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation
• Elizabeth Powers, Great Lakes Center for the Arts
• Amanda Stead-Stirton, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Government
• Branden Wheeler, Klepadlo Winnell Nuorala P.C..
• Sarah Wiese, Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau

Leadership Little Traverse is a 9-month professional leadership program of the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce and Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce with a mission to inspire and prepare civic leaders in the Little Traverse Bay Region to take action and better our community.

05/04/2026

Attention LLT Alum - Invitation to help plan the future of Emmet County. Emmet County is updating their Master Plan, a long-term policy document that sets goals for how the County will develop in the next 5-10 years. The plan is developed via the Planning Commission and is used by elected officials, staff, residents, and others to guide decision-making around community growth, look, transportation, and land use.

County staff are hosting a community discussion geared towards Emmet County young professionals on May 11 from 4:30-6pm at the Carnegie Building meeting room (451 E Mitchell St).

The discussion will focus on confirming Emmet County priorities, future development scenarios, and desired development aesthetics. The conversation will be informal and laid back, with opportunities to contribute via real-time polling, open discussion, and written prompts. Results from the conversation will build upon the community input received to date and inform the first draft of the Master Plan recommendations.

For any questions about the project or evening, please contact Tammy Doernenburg at [email protected].

12/19/2025

The Thrive 45° 6th Annual Heartfelt Holiday Card and Letter Drive hit a new record this holiday season, collecting 1,841 cards from area families, businesses and individuals to spread holiday cheer to our area seniors. Cards were full of kindness, creative imagery and heartfelt messages. We thank the LLT Class of 2025 for stepping up to take on and assist with the drive this year. Thank you to the wonderful card writers who participated and will be bringing some additional joy to so many people in the community this year.

08/27/2025

Please help us welcome the LLT Class of 2026!! This is the 25th class!! Currently LLT has 350 alumni.

07/29/2025

Area non-profits - hurry and submit your proposal for the Leadership Little Traverse Community Service Project. The deadline is coming up on August 1.

Not-for-profit organizations that provide services in Emmet County are invited to submit proposals for the next Leadership Little Traverse (LLT) Community Service Project. To qualify, the proposed project should start no earlier than Nov. 1, 2025 and be completed by no later than April 30, 2026. The requirements of the LLT class should be specifically stated. Projects can be hands-on, can include fundraising, can involve organization development, can be public relations campaigns, and/or can be community activation. The deadline to submit your proposal is August 1, 2025.Get additional details here http://bit.ly/3TsloiG

07/15/2025

Do you want to join the 2026 class of Leadership Little Traverse? This is an incredible opportunity to:
1. Learn about the state of our community, its systems, and current issues.
2. Develop your civic leadership skills and capacity to make an impact.
3. Find your path and commit to doing 'community better' in the Little Traverse Bay Region.

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 18th. Applications are available online at https://www.petoskeychamber.com/leadership-little-traverse

Leadership Little Traverse is a community leadership program hosted by the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce and Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce. The class of 2026 will be the 24th class to go through the program. Sessions begin in September 2025 and will be held monthly through May 2026. Each session is a full day in length and introduces class members to different facets of the community while helping them hone personal leadership skills.