On April 9, 2026, MAX convened our Leadership MAX Class of 2026 for Data Day, hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Special thanks to MAX board members Karen Leone de Nie, Vice President, Community & Economic Development with the Atlanta Fed, and Marion Phillips, Associate Executive Director, Corporate Philanthropy with Georgia Power, for their leadership of the planning and execution of this day, for the second year-in-a-row.
The day began with a welcome from Leone de Nie along with Kristin Laarhoven, Assistant Commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia – Office of Workforce Development who is chairing this year’s Leadership MAX program with Jenny Taylor, Vice President, Career Services and Chief Mission Officer with Goodwill of North Georgia. Following their remarks, the Class of 2026 were invited to a data-themed Family Feud game hosted by Leadership MAX Class of 2025 alum Sergio Galeano, Adviser, Community and Economic Development, with the Atlanta Fed. Team Maroon the victor!
Following the game, Phillips reviewed best practices in data collection and analysis which was followed by an opportunity to get to know metro Atlanta through data with Dr. Ann Carpenter, Chief Research & Innovation Officer with the Atlanta Regional Commission. Research experts Reba Adams, Project Manager with the Georgia Tech Center for Economic Development Research, Nye Hodge, Policy Specialist with the Atlanta Fed, and Rebecca Hunt, Public Service Faculty with the University of Georgia Carl Viinson Institute of Government rounded out the morning with a review of research tools to solve problems and answer questions with data-driven insights.
Data Day proceeded with a networking lunch with the speakers followed by a tour of “the vault” at the Atlanta Fed. During the afternoon, class members were given a chance to get into the data themselves. First, they engaged in a role-playing exercise where they used data to better understand the problem or opportunity and to draft recommendations based on data insights. Second, teams dove back into the results of their CliftonStrengths assessments to gain insights on what the data reveals for the cohort as a whole, their individual teams, and each team member.
Special thanks to all the partners who joined us to share timely insights and expertise wiht our Leadership MAX Class of 2026!
Our sincere gratitude also to Leone de Nie and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta for so wonderfully hosting our group and for providing a delicious breakfast and lunch.
And last but certainly not least, a hearty shout out to Amazon for serving as our Presenting Sponsor and to Goodwill of North Georgia for serving as a program sponsor for this year’s class.
ABOUT LEADERSHIP MAX
Leadership MAX provides an exciting opportunity for workforce developers to grow within the workforce development community and develop into a community of peer leaders who will solve problems together in the years to come. Designed especially for developing leaders in the workforce development field, this cohort-based leadership development program is as an extension and evolution of MAX’s commitment to provide high-quality professional development and network-building opportunities for our members. Click here to learn more.