Lead Virginia, an organization of community leaders from across Virginia, will bring its 2009 class to the Shenandoah Valley June 18 through 20.

The program, which brings together experienced senior-level executives and community leaders from public and private entities across the Commonwealth, will be in Staunton and Harrisonburg to meet with local leaders and experts to learn about important local and regional issues.

The visit to the Shenandoah Valley is the third of seven visits to different regions of the Commonwealth.

The class will meet with local leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities as they relate to economic development, education and health care in addition to visits to Rosetta Stone, Polyface Farms, downtown Staunton, Cross Keys Vineyards and Harrisonburg Children’s Museum.

The group will also hear about Rockingham Memorial Hospital’s new Hospital and Health Campus. Harrisonburg Economic Development and Rockingham Community Development are co-sponsoring a luncheon Friday.

Participants will learn about the impact of healthcare, economic and educational issues across the Commonwealth. Regional leaders will provide context on these issues, how they uniquely affect the area and the broader impact on the Commonwealth.

Karen Wigginton, vice president for college relations at Bridgewater College, and John Downey, vice president for instruction and student services at Blue Ridge Community College, are co-chairs for the Shenandoah Valley region.

Lead Virginia has visited the Shenandoah Valley each year since its inaugural session in 2005. The two-day sessions offer leaders a forum for gaining deeper insights into complex statewide issues, exchanging resources, creating momentum and working within and outside the political arena to usher in positive change for the Commonwealth.

In-depth dialogue, on-site field studies and experiential activities are designed to highlight the diverse interests of each of the regions visited.

“Each region’s leaders bring a fresh, unique perspective to Virginia’s diverse and talented makeup,” says Susan Horne, president and chief executive officer of Lead Virginia. “The Lead Virginia program continues to be successful because of the willingness of regional leaders, like those in the Shenandoah Valley to share their thoughts on how the Commonwealth can nurture its strengths and overcome obstacles.”

The 2009 Lead Virginia class kicked off with an orientation and opening session in Williamsburg in mid-April and a visit to southern Virginia in May. In addition to the Shenandoah Valley, class participants will visit Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads and Central Virginia before concluding with a session and graduation activities in Richmond in November.