Shea Van Hoy (FL ’16), managing editor, Louisville Business First
As someone relatively new to my position at Louisville Business First, I entered Focus Louisville intent on making connections in the metro area’s business community and learning more about the city I’ve called home for more than a decade.
The program from Leadership Louisville more than delivered on my expectations.
My main takeaway from the program was the breadth of information about different sectors in Louisville. The part that stuck with the most after Focus Louisville concluded was the amazing work that nonprofits are doing here.
Maggie Elder, vice president of Community Impact for Metro United Way, nailed it when she said Louisville truly is a connected community. Even though we’re a city that’s big enough to have amenities like a great arts scene, fantastic and varied restaurants and pro and college sports, it’s really a small town at heart.
I learned that it’s easy to get involved and give back: All you have to do is ask around.
It was awesome to visit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana’s Shawnee center and see staff members who were guided as children by the nonprofit now positively shaping the children of today.
The community can make a difference, but so can one person, as we learned on the final day of class, when Karyn Moskowitz told us about New Roots, which is helping bringing fresh produce to areas of town where healthy food is hard to find. It’s an organization I look forward to helping out in the future.
On a personal and professional level, the class was great for meeting potential contacts and sources for story ideas for Business First, and I have already had follow-up conversations with classmates.
Our class was full of both Louisville lifers and people who are new to our city, which is a testament to the base of knowledge Focus Louisville provides.