In Their Own Words
The mentors and the other fellows in the cohort are generous, transparent and incredibly helpful as iron sharpening iron.
- Robert Eames, Virtual
SLG is a phenomenal way to reflect critically on your role as a leader. The mentors and other fellows will challenge you in your own assumptions and perspectives to learn and apply new approaches to leading your team. The Virtue Proposition at the center of SLG will help guide you in developing even greater leadership ability!
-Marc Prather, Virtual
The program does more than equip you to lead a team within an organization. The program gives you the confidence to walk in leadership regardless of having an actual leadership position. The program helps to shape conversations and mindsets on winning at life and learning how to follow in humility. And that's where leadership lies.
-Donnell Harrison, Annapolis
SLG is both a good option for seasoned leaders or those who are in the pursuit of leadership. It will help you, no matter what season of life you are in, to take a hard look at what you are doing and what your purpose is in doing what you do. If you currently lead an organization it will be what you need to take your organization from good to excellent.
-Lori Stevens, Annapolis
Impact Stories
Steve Parsons
Assistant Principal, Baltimore County Public Schools
As a career educator, Steve had been through his share of leadership training. These trainings largely shaped his view of a leader as one who was an “omnipotent figure who finds strength in always having the answers.” In his current role as Assistant Principal at Hereford Middle School, he found that definition to be restrictive and it wasn’t helping in his confidence as an administrative leader.
Steve has family members connected to Severn Leadership Group and had many conversations with them about how SLG’s approach to leadership was transformative and could help shed new light on his challenges as a leader. With renewed enthusiasm for growth, Steve embarked on a journey with SLG that would reshape how he viewed leadership and impact his team in positive ways.
Steve began his sessions with SLG with a desire for a mentor who would challenge him and help him grow in his communication skills. He was pleased that his mentor, Paul Becker, met both those qualifications, and as Steve shares, Paul helped him redefine his narrative.
“I initially thought I just needed more confidence, but I realized that confidence comes from truly understanding my own leadership journey. My mentor provided the challenge I needed but also offered support in ways I didn’t even know I needed.”
Not only did the program positively impact Steve’s confidence, but his team saw his growth impacting them in positive ways, with Steve fostering a culture of openness and grace. “We’re more collaborative, more willing to learn from each other, and there’s a stronger sense of trust,” Steve commented.
Steve is looking forward to continuing his leadership journey by focusing on refining his communication skills. He has a fresh perspective of leadership as a continuous journey, not a destination, and knows that growth is more important than having all the answers.
Leah Paley
Chief Executive Officer, Anne Arundel County Foodbank
When Leah Paley came to the Severn Leadership Group she had ideas about leadership. She was serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Anne Arundel County Food Bank, a position she had held since September 2021. While she had led nonprofits in Maryland for almost a decade, she had recently identified wanting to embrace the relationship with her team more fully as a growth opportunity.
SLG’s motto of “Leadership starts with you, but is not about you” highlighted the importance of the followers in an organization and Leah was seeking a fresh lens on leadership. She wanted to lead in a more visionary way that included defining success for herself, her team, and her organization.
Several aspects of the Fellows Program helped Leah develop a new perspective on leadership. When she began the program, she was looking for a mentor who was empathetic and understanding mentor who would challenge her, and offer reflection. She found all these qualities and more in her mentor, Kristi Neidhardt, who helped guide her “to open my mind and approach things in a different way.” Leah found Kristi's experience with non-profit boards helpful in relating to the work she was doing with the Food Bank.
Initially, giving feedback was something that Leah approached apprehensively but through working with Kristi and reflecting on the program materials, she found a way to give feedback that wasn’t so daunting. “Through the program, I realized the importance of feedback in helping folks grow, and demonstrating love in a way that isn’t scary,” shared Leah.
The increased confidence in giving feedback to her team was a step towards prioritizing relationships. Leah started sharing some of the program's resources with her team, which helped create openings for dialogue and “opportunities for conversations through the learnings.” This led her to spend less time in her office and more time out and about in closer connection to her team.
Now, Leah moves forward with courage and clarity—grounded in her ability to lead with vision and authenticity. She’s giving herself credit for the accountability she’s always practiced and embracing a renewed commitment to relationships at the heart of her leadership.