The Mission of Leadership Burbank is to identify, educate, and motivate current and emerging leaders in Burbank to develop ideas and solutions that make Burbank a strong, sustainable and vibrant community.
Leadership Burbank is a community-based organization that offers leadership development programs including a nine-month leadership training program for people who live or work in Burbank. Through a hands-on curriculum, leaders and emerging leaders have the opportunity to enhance their personal and professional skills, gain a deeper understanding of community dynamics, and build a network of colleagues and associates throughout our city.
It is hoped that Leadership Burbank graduates will use the insights and contacts they develop through this program to enhance performance in their current endeavors and to enrich the community through civic engagement with local government, business, faith and/or charitable organizations.
Leadership Burbank also offers other leadership programs and mixers to support and connect our more than 600 alumni. In election years, Leadership Burbank has also hosted nonpartisan Candidate Forums for City Council and Burbank Unified School Board candidates.
Since 1995, Leadership Burbank has been serving the community of Burbank investing more than a million dollars in goods and services throughout the City.
All of our programs seek to build a better Burbank.
Serving as volunteers and fiduciaries of this small charity is our esteemed Board of Directors.
2024-2025 Board of Directors
Board Officers
Chair
Trena Pitchford
Executive Director
LACHSA Foundation
Class of 2013
Vice Chair
Jessa Freemyer
Executive Manager of Senior Properties
Cusumano Real Estate Group
Class of 2007
Treasurer
Courtney Padgett
Assistant City Manager
City of Burbank
Class of 2020
Secretary
Marisa Di Domenico
Burbank Water & Power
Class of 2022
Board Members
Anita Hutchinson
CMO & Vice President of Marketing
UMe Credit Union
Jamie Keyser-Thomas
President & CEO
Burbank Chamber of Commerce
Class of 2005
Joan McCarthy
Retired Director, Enterprise Community Engagement
The Walt Disney Company
Joan Marques, Ph.D., Ed.D.
Dean and Professor of Management, School of Business
Woodbury University
John Paramo, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Burbank Unified School District
Class of 2016
Jon Schafer
Vice President
Schafer Electric
Karen Volpei-Gussow
Realtor
Volpei-Gussow Real Estate
Class of 2010
Terry Walker
Executive Director
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
Class of 2005
Ian Waterhouse
Sunrise Rotarian of Burbank
Cindy Yee Akuin
Burbank Public Library
Class of 2024
Member Emeritus
Michael Walbrecht
Vice President Public Affairs
Warner Bros. Discovery
Class of 1999
Legal Counsel
Ernie Burger
Attorney
Burger Law Group