Press Release: Leadership Fauquier Graduation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Wednesday, May 27, the 2026 cohort of Leadership Fauquier celebrated their graduation at Laurel Ridge Community College. The cohort was composed of nineteen individuals from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. They spent nine months learning about Fauquier County from expert guest speakers while working with facilitators to build leadership and professional development skills such as servant leadership, public speaking, and conflict resolution. “I thoroughly enjoyed the leadership lessons and how they were approached,” said Fauquier Fire & Rescue Captain Jordan Coleman. Throughout the program, participants explored the opportunities and challenges facing Fauquier County while building relationships with fellow leaders from across the community. The graduation marked an important milestone for the organization as it celebrated its tenth graduating cohort.
The cohort selected the name “KNIGHTS to represent the qualities they aspire to demonstrate as leaders: Kind, Noble, Impactful, Genuine, Humble, Trustworthy, and Synergistic. In a graduation tradition inspired by their cohort identity, Board President Liz Witt-Lee ceremonially “knighted” each graduate during the ceremony.
Over the course of the year, cohort members also worked on projects tied to community issues. This cohort focused on the theme of affordable housing through the work of two teams. A community impact team painted a dining room for Fauquier Family Shelter Services, documenting the experience with a video highlighting the experience of a woman who benefitted from the organization's services as a youth and concluding with a call to action to donate or volunteer to the nonprofit. The strategic education initiative team coordinated a housing round table discussion with eight community leaders including elected officials, nonprofit executives, and major county employers. They presented the steps proposed during the meeting and highlighted the role of the Fauquier Affordable Housing Coalition. Together, the projects sought to increase awareness, encourage community engagement, and foster collaboration around one of Fauquier County's most pressing challenges.
Leadership Fauquier was founded in 2014 with the mission of creating a thriving community through informed and connected leaders. Today, more than two hundred alumni serve in leadership positions around the community as they continue to work with other alumni both professionally and through alumni service projects. Alumni can be found serving on nonprofit boards, leading businesses and organizations, volunteering in the community, and helping address local challenges through cross-sector collaboration. “I hope that ten, twenty years from now, we’ll able to call on each other,” said Andrea Brubaker, Director of Business Development at Broadview Pest Management.
For sponsorship opportunities, email director@leadershipfauquier.org.
This year’s graduates were:
Fatima Attai, UVA Community Credit Union
Darine Barbour, GFT
Kyle Beck, Fauquier Community Child Care
Richard Benavidez, Town of Warrenton
Andrea Brubaker, Broadview Pest Management
Sima Button, Simavisions
Devon Byrne, 4P Foods
Renard Carlos, Northern Piedmont Community Foundation
Roy Clowser III, Fauquier Health
Jordan Coleman, Fauquier County Fire Rescue
Shawn Greer, MBP
Jennifer Hennessy, Laurel Ridge Community College
Joanne Hilliard, Meridian Financial Partners
Benjamin Musser, Fauquier County Chamber of Commerce
Lauren Perez, Fauquier County Economic Development
Katie Quadrini, Discovery Publications
Kelly Tremaine, Fauquier Times
Michaela Weglinski, Piedmont Environmental Council
Tracy Werner, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Department
Creating a Thriving Community Through Informed and Connected Leaders
Leadership Fauquier
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Stephanie Hanson Executive Director
- May 27, 2026
- (703) 402-0846
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