Program overview
New for the 2023 – 2024 program year, LEAD is open to Tribal Health Organization partners within the Alaska Tribal Health System.
LEAD is a nine month program, starting with the Kickoff and Program Orientation in September and ending with the Graduation in May. Participants attend monthly core trainings, either complete five 1-credit modules at Alaska Pacific University (APU) or complete classes to earn a Certified Manager (CM) Certification, meet with internal and external mentors, complete a job shadow, attend the Annual Meeting, attend an executive meeting, complete community service hours, attend networking events, and propose a project to the executive team.
During the ANTHC core trainings, participants gain a better understanding of management and leadership skills from having discussions and listening to internal and external guest speakers.
To allow for a variety of experiences and perspectives from the participants, each cohort is restricted to a maximum of 10.
Core Trainings
During the ANTHC core trainings, participants gain a better understanding of management and leadership skills from having discussions and listening to internal and external guest speakers.
Each year LEAD Core Trainings are customized to ensure maximum interest and growth, the core trainings topics are determined from the responses received during the application and interview process
Track 1: APU Modules
The weekend Modules at APU are all day (8am to 5pm) Friday and all day Saturday for one (1) weekend a month, November through March; all credits go towards a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Those with their undergraduate degree will receive 600-level credits and those without their undergraduate degree may attend and receive 400-level credits
Track 2: CM Sessions
The Wednesday, Certified Manager sessions are 8am to 5pm are designed to complement and supplement the textbook material and prepare participants to take the three exams for Certification.
Possible Topics
- Importance of effective communication
- Metrics and risk management
- Building organizational capabilities for change
- Leading effectively
- Public speaking
- Process improvement in leadership development
APU Modules
- MBA 55001 Tools for Success-AU
- MBA 60203 Effective Communication
- MBA 60300 Metrics and Risk Management
- MBA 60601 Decision Making and Risk Analysis
- MBA 60404 Building Org Capabilities for Change
- MBA 60501 Leading Effective Organizations
CM Books and Exams
- Certified Manager I:Management Essentials – Test 1 in December
- Certified Manager II: Planning and Organizing – Test 2 in February
- Certified Manager III: Leading and Controlling – Test 3 in March
Eligibility
Applicants for these programs are or want to be self-directed, self-aware, self-motivated and should have a strong desire to complete all core trainings and graduation requirements.
Non ANTHC Employees
In addition to being Alaska Native or Native American, to meet minimum eligibility requirements one must:
- Work for a THO within the ATHS for a minimum of twelve months by Program Kick Off (September 15, 2023)
- Reach out to training@anthc.org if you are unsure if your organization qualifies
- Obtain a formal letter of recommendation/endorsement from current supervisor. Please keep to 3-4 paragraphs.
THO organizations may or may not have their own requirements for LEAD applicants, recommended requirements include:
- Have no corrective actions, and be in “good standing”, for the past 12 months;
- Have received a “meets expectations” (or higher) on Annual Evaluation.
Must have:
- A combination of education and work experience
- Undergraduate degree, AND
- Be a current or former supervisor for a minimum of 1-year
- OR
- Be a Pathways to Leadership Graduate AND
- Be in a leadership position for a minimum of 1-year
ANTHC, including Remote Employees
In addition to being Alaska Native or Native American, to meet minimum eligibility requirements one must:
- Be a full time employee, including designated groups of employees who work “regular full time” at 36 hours per week
- By Program Kick Off in September have been an ANTHC employee for a minimum of twelve months,
- Have no corrective actions, and be in “good standing” for the past twelve months,
- Have received a “meets expectations” (or higher) on Annual Performance Evaluation or employees who haven’t received an evaluation must obtain a Letter of Recommendation from their supervisor.
Must have:
- A combination of education and work experience
- Undergraduate degree, AND
- Be a supervisor for a minimum of 1-year
- OR
- Be a Pathways to Leadership Graduate AND
- Be in a leadership position for a minimum of 1-year
Specific Eligibility based on track for both ANTHC and Non ANTHC Employees
Track 1: APU – Strong written and oral skills are needed, participants must be able to turn in 400-level undergraduate or 600-level graduate level writing for the APU modules.
- Exceptions for not meeting education requirement: Supervisor Letter of Recommendation maybe obtained, it must include why the supervisor supports you skipping Pathways to Leadership and how the applicant has the skills and self-motivation to complete the modules. Please keep to 3-4 paragraphs.
- Exceptions for not meeting work experience requirement: Supervisor Letter of Recommendation maybe obtained, it must explain how the applicant is a leader in the organization. Please keep to 3-4 paragraphs.
Track 2: CM – Strong ability to study and prepare for exams independently.
- No exceptions for applicants that don’t meet education eligibility.
- Exception for not meeting work experience requirement: 8 years of non-supervisory experience.
Notes:
- Applicants must wait one year between applying for the next program, i.e. a 2023 Pathways graduate may apply for the 2024-2025 LEAD program.
- Impacts of withdrawing, or being removed from a program
- Participants must wait one year before applying, i.e. 2022-2023 participant withdrew for health reasons, or removed for Corrective Action, is eligible to apply for a 2024-2025 program.
Applying for the LEAD program
2023 – 2024 Application period will be open from May 15, 2023 to June 25, 2023.
The following items must be submitted for a complete LEAD application:
- LEAD Application
- Current Curriculum Vitae or Resume
- Leadership Program Development Plan
- Personal Statement, 1-2 pages in length, stating:
- Who you are, why you work in Tribal Health, and what your motivation for applying to LEAD is.
- Your short-term and long-term goals, and how participating in LEAD will help you achieve them.
- What leadership means to you and how you demonstrate or role model leadership in your current position.
- Following your participation in LEAD, how you will reinvent yourself both personally and professionally.
- Program Time & Obligations form
- Signed by applicant, applicant’s supervisor, and budget approver/sponsor
- All Non ANTHC Employees or ANTHC Employees who do not have an annual performance evaluation
- Letter of Recommendation/Endorsement from current supervisor. Please keep to 3-4 paragraphs.
Documents:
2023 – 2024 LEAD Program Schedule
2023 – 2024 Electronic Fillable Leadership Development Plan
2023 – 2024 LEAD Program Time and Obligations Electronic Fillable
Selection Process
- Complete online application
- Complete interview
- Committee reviews all applicants and scores
- Applicants notified of acceptance into LEAD
- Track 1 note: complete Alaska Pacific University required documents
- Track 2 note: complete Institute of Certified Professional Managers required documents
Program Requirements for Graduation
- Attend the Program Kickoff, including Program Orientation, in person
- Participate in 6 of the 7 Core Trainings
- If you live within 50 miles of Anchorage you are required to attend in person
- If you live outside 50 miles of Anchorage you are required to attend the October and April Core Trainings in person
- Discussion Board posts
- Introduction post
- 7 of 9 months
- Maintain “Good Standing” at ANTHC or your organization
- Attend 2 Networking events, outside your normal networks
- Complete 8 hours of community service, outside your normal networks or volunteer activities
- Attend 8 hours of T&D’s Professional Development Trainings
- Complete 1 job shadow (8 hours, can be completed over 2 4-hour days) with an executive (chief, president, or senior director in their title)
- Attend 1 ANTHC executive meeting (CET)
- Attend ANTHC’s Annual Meeting
- Have one internal mentor from your organization (meet with them 7 of the 9 months for at least 1 hour each time), excluding your supervisor
- Have one external mentor (not someone at your organization) (meet with them 7 of the 9 months for at least 1 hour each time)
- Complete a Project Proposal, including Executive Summary, to improve service or quality within the Alaska Tribal Health System
- For LEAD graduates in the past 5 years who created and delivered a Project proposal, creating a new project proposal is OPTIONAL
- Present Project Proposal to the executive leadership team
- Attend and participate in two ANTHC Leadership Book Club discussions of your choice (must read books)
- Deliver 1-hour presentation to Pathways to Leadership Program, Core Training theme
- Write a Personal Vision Statement
Track 1: Alaska Pacific University – additional requirements
- Complete 4 of the 5 APU modules (maintain Academic Good Standing)
Track 2: Certified Manager Certification – additional requirements/exception
- Attend 4 of the 5 CM days
- Pass all 3 Certified Manager exams
- Deliver 1-hour presentation on Alaska Native Reader to Pathways to Leadership Program
- Facilitate either a Leadership Book Club discussion or a Pathways Mission, Vision, Values activity