The NADONA Executive Fellows Program has made so many positive impacts on my life; personally and professionally. The program has taught me how to truly assess what are my values and my priorities and how to find them again!!How to real life apply them with my day-to-day actions. The coaching session held in the Fellows program has become the single most LIFE changing assessment and intervention I have ever experienced in my career.I LOVE my job and I LOVE long term care; most of us or else we wouldn't be doing these types of jobs. I had allowed my job to consume my life. I had become ineffective at work and was losing myself in my personal relationships. I had lost my joy!! At work and home. The NADONA Fellows program has helped me realize areas/things that were having a negative effect on me that I would have never recognized as they had become my culture. Through the Fellows program I have become a much more inspiring and influential in my career and personal life as I have learned strategies and knowledge of how to handle and manage situations instead of them managing me.Some of the benefits I have learned include; learning what my real leadership style is and learning others so that I can better communicate and reach our goals, learning what emotional intelligence is and how that really does affect me. Currently I am learning about "Leadership Presence" and it has done a 360-angle change with my actions and how I function at my facility.My staff and peers have noticed a drastic change in my performance and my family has shared they are so happy to have "me" back!!!!!The NADONA Fellows program has taught me initiatives, strategies and basic life principles that will help me succeed at work and home. It truly has changed my life!!!!!!Thank you NADONA, Sherri and Heather!!!!!

Cassie F. Faircloth, RN CDONA, FACDONA, CDP, IP-BC, EFLA

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continuous commitment to assist and strengthen the leadership skills of NADONA Members. The NADONA's Executive Fellow's Program you initially launched this year through the partnership you have with world class mentor and speaker---Ms. Heather Clarke-Peckerman who is the founder and CEO of Stratengy Corporation.I have attended many courses offered through NADONA or other providers but this inaugural class of Executive Fellows Program which I am very grateful to be a part of is one that I would strongly recommend for others to consider looking into. In the climate that we are currently in - DONs and many different types of Executives or Company leaders need more than the knowledge of policies, procedures, ability to inspect, delegate and validate to survive the current work force environment that we are in. I say that because I was once that kind of Nurse Leader - who was results oriented, focusing on the goal to get the job done, consistent, nice but firm and along these wonderful traits an employer could wish for its employees comes labeling from unproductive, challenging & negative employees such as "she is difficult to please" or "she will take nothing less than perfect".One of the most valuable aspects that this class has taught me was to re-learn my inner self, appreciate and value myself not just as a Clinician or a Nurse Leader but as an individual who has life beyond work. Heather's monthly webinars are so powerful that things I thought initially weren't important turned out to be one of the most important things in my life that I needed to do and in turn assisted me in making an attempt to have a work - life balance. It is when I learned more about myself is when I was able to fully understand and implement the following strategies to perform my work successfully at:

• Recognizing and Expressing Emotions by increasing my self-awareness and way I convey a message
• Understanding Others' Emotions by being perceptive and knowing what makes others move or feel optimistic
• Decision Making by taking into account others' feelings and how could it affect employees
• Managing Emotions by promoting a positive environment &; effectively intervening to help others cope with stress or work load and remains persistent to achieve set goals.
• Controlling Emotions by being able to think objectively and remained focused when dealing with a difficult employee

As a Leader, this program made me realized that it is alright to step back at times and one of many important tasks of a strong leader is to "listen". Listening attentively to the needs of employees or clients then comparing it with what I initially thought were sole priorities and together - collaboratively coming up with mutually agreed plan to get to the end result is one of the best ways to get the job done in an efficient manner when everyone is working together and not against each other. Everyone is Empowered!This class has benefited me in so many ways… Not only in the aspect of Leadership training but I have gained life-long friendship of fine women and a mentor like Heather Clarke-Peckerman who had great stories and experiences shared during our class. The webinars were organized and planned very well by Stratengy Corporation. In addition - knowing that I was not alone in my own struggles or challenges at work and life made me appreciate how blessed I am to have been given the opportunity to rectify and/or further improve myself to be the best Nurse Leader I can be not only to those employees who knows and appreciates assistance provided to their success but even to the ones who are resistive to change or purposely ignores any recommendations provided for them in a very calm and professional manner. Though I am not quite there yet at this time when it comes to work -life balance, but I can confidently say that having the knowledge, tools and guidance I have gained from this class and experiences that my peers have shared--- I know in due time, I will be able to achieve my ultimate goal of living and maintaining a good work-life balance.Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my wonderful experience with NADONA's Executive Fellow's Program - one of the newest yet interesting courses offered out there. I highly suggest to take advantage, enroll and have the same positive outcome or experience just like the women and I had who were on the 1st Inaugural class.