Public Health Essentials team holds Leadership Empowerment Workshop

Public Health Essentials team holds Leadership Empowerment Workshop

LIBERTY, NY: Over 50 people took part in a successful Leadership Empowerment and Workplace Wellness Workshop for local provider agencies and non-profits held on July 21 at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County.

Under the coordination of Cheyanna Frost, the Program Manager for Public Workforce Development at Cornell University, the team of Action Toward Independence (ATI), Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County (CCE) and Sullivan 180 has been working together on the topic of Public Health Essentials for the past two years.

Attendees at the workshop included health providers, agricultural organizations, and even employees from the criminal justice system.

During the day’s introduction, ATI Executive Director Deborah Worden talked about “the art of public health” and how providers can “change the message … in a creative manner” to get it across to their clients. Additionally, she said, “We’re all struggling with staffing … with compassion, fatigue and burnout, and the last three years have done nothing to help that.”

The purpose of the workshop, Worden said, was “to give some tools to learn about workplace wellness,” to help retain staff and recruit people.

Presenters included SNAP-ED Nutrition Educator for CCE Bee Moser who talked about healthy eating and taking brain breaks during the day, Chi Hive Yoga Instructor Susan Mendoza who led the group in relaxation and meditation techniques, CCE Program Director Malinda Ware who spoke about workplace culture for both teams and individuals, and Director of Health and Wellness for Sullivan 180 Meaghan Mullally-Gorr, who talked about turning around the health of Sullivan County.

Worden also spoke briefly about the importance of saying “thank you” to both staff and volunteers, and what a difference that can make in people’s lives and relationships.

Shar McBee, the creator of experimental, groundbreaking, cutting-edge leadership development programs and author of the books “To Lead is To Empower” and "To Lead is to Serve" was the keynote speaker. She talked about positive thinking and whether it’s important to be right or be happy when presented with a possible confrontation. She also spoke about being authentic with your strength and personal power, being joyful, and the power of inclusion. “There’s so much freedom and joy in just being yourself,” said McBee.

“Your job as the leader,” says McBee on her website, “is not to make people do what you say. Your job is to make it possible for them to succeed."

You can follow Shar McBee at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shar-mcbee, or connect through her website at https://joyofleadership.com.

A healthy lunch was served, and all the participants left with a renewed sense of energy about what can be accomplished with authenticity, joy, inclusion and a positive attitude.

From left to right, the presenters and coordinators of the Public Health Essentials Workplace Wellness Workshop:
Director of Health and Wellness for Sullivan 180 Meaghan Mullally-Gorr, CCE SNAP-ED Nutrition Educator Bee Moser,
CCE Program Director Malinda Ware (on tv), Executive Director of Action Toward Independence Deborah Worden,
Program Manager for Public Workforce Development at Cornell University Cheyanna Frost,
and CCE Healthy Schools Program Coordinator SueAnn Boyd