Zeke Hill, Deputy Director of the Office of Facility Management (AMP-2), is a recent graduate from the Federal Executive Institute’s (FEI) Leadership for a Democratic Society (LDS) Program, Cohort #462. This program is an executive leadership-development opportunity that challenges participants to reach beyond their past experiences to embrace a broader perspective of Government and the unique roles they serve in support of the government and its populace. Their goal is to empower excellence in government through great people. LDS prepares senior-level leaders for today’s complex challenges, including:

• Increasing self-awareness as an individual, team member, and leader
• Enhancing leadership and management skills, especially in the areas of team-building, strategic thinking, influencing/negotiating, political savvy, and external awareness
• Expanding professional networks, enabling improved inter-organizational collaboration and problem-solving
• Broadening understanding of the U.S. Constitution as the foundation for federal public service
• Improving the ability to leverage the diverse talents of the federal workforce
• Increasing resiliency, mental and physical wellness, and work-life balance

The LDS program is a full 4 weeks of educational classes, self-reflection, team building, small group work, and physical fitness education. The group took an educational tour of Thomas Jefferson’s home, had an in-depth course on the Constitution, and offered specialized elective courses for each participant.

Zeke attended the FEI campus in Charlottesville, Virginia in December 2019 for the first two full-time weeks of the program. The next two weeks were scheduled to occur in Virginia in March of 2020 but due to COVID-19, the program was delayed and eventually converted to virtual learning. Zeke was recently able to complete the program and attend a virtual graduation ceremony on October 22, 2020. Congratulations Zeke on your accomplishment!