Two United Way of Southwest Michigan directors to participate in prestigious leadership development opportunities
Heather Cole, UWSM Director of Advocacy and Public Innovation, and Maureen Ovington, Director of Berrien College Access Network, to spend next year learning more about systems change.
In June, Maureen Ovington, Director of Berrien College Access Network—a collective impact effort supported by United Way of Southwest Michigan—was accepted into “SYSTEMNESS: A Systems Leadership Academy.” Over the next year, as part of the cohort, she will focus on systems-building principles, exchange concrete examples of the ideas in action, and be provided a space to practice these skills. The course is designed to empower experienced collaborative and/or systems leaders to approach and address complex social problems from a systems perspective. This opportunity was made possible by funding from the Michigan College Access Network.
In July, Heather Cole, Director of Advocacy and Public Innovation at United Way of Southwest Michigan, was accepted into the “Collaboration Lab,” a learning experience designed to guide collaborative leaders through a 10-month journey to create healthier communities through cross-sector collaboration. The program is a partnership between the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and Healthy Places By Design. The lab taps current and future leaders’ deepest capacity to be collaborative local change-makers, ones who understand when it’s important to collaborate, why, how, and in what structures. The curriculum equips local leaders to collaborate in fresh new ways in service to lasting systems-change work.
“I am excited to see how these experiences of Heather and Maureen will help to create more change and impact in our communities. What an honor for them to being chosen to lead in these spaces,” said Anna Murphy, President and CEO of United Way of Southwest Michigan.
Cole joined United Way in 2014 as Director of Be Healthy Berrien, a collective impact effort of United Way of Southwest Michigan. UWSM launched its advocacy department in 2020, with Cole as Director. She has facilitated projects aimed at advocating for health policies, building local and statewide partnerships and increasing access to educational opportunities. Cole received her B.S. in Dietetics and M.A. in Health Promotion & Program Management from Central Michigan University. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist and has participated in Leadership Training from NovoEd, Teams of Leaders, and the Center for Creative Leadership/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Ovington joined United Way of Southwest Michigan in 2019 as Director of the Berrien College Access Network. For the past four years, Ovington has led a leadership team in Berrien County that focuses on helping to identify and ensure students and returning adults have a plan to be successful after graduation from high school. Berrien CAN believes that every student and adult should have the opportunity to earn a degree or trade credential, and it works with K-12 schools, community colleges, nonprofits, and government agencies to help take a systems, policy, and environments approach to the work it does. Ovington received her B.S. in Integrated Leadership/Business Management from Central Michigan University. She is a Leadership Accelerator graduate in Berrien County and has also completed the “Getting Started Lab” and “Unleashing Impact Lab” from the Harwood Institute.
Learn more about SYSTEMNESS: A Systems Leadership Academy at systemness.org/the-academy.
Learn more about Collaboration Lab at healthyplacesbydesign.org/collaborationlab.
ABOUT BERRIEN COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK
Berrien College Access Network is a collective impact effort supported by United Way of Southwest Michigan. The mission of Berrien CAN is to achieve a goal of 60% of Berrien County residents earning degrees, certificates, or other high-quality post-secondary credentials by the year 2030. This is in conjunction with the State of Michigan goal of all Michigan residents earning some sort of post-secondary degree or credential by 2030. Berrien CAN aims to foster a “college-going” culture, lower barriers that prevent students from pursuing post-secondary credentials, deliver comprehensive and coordinated college access services, ensure alignment of current college access resources, and encourage replication of successful strategies.
For more information about Berrien College Access Network, visit uwsm.org/berriencan.
ABOUT UWSM ADVOCACY
Our 2023 Advocacy Agenda focuses on advancing policy and system changes that create positive impact for issue areas defined in UWSM’s current Agenda for Change, including Early Education & Literacy, Post-Secondary Success, Financial Stability, and Safe Environments. UWSM’s Agenda for Change was built on a foundation of equity for all, leaning into the reality that all people have different needs and different lived experiences. The 2023 Advocacy Agenda builds upon that foundation by focusing on issues that have disproportionate impacts on underrepresented groups including the BIPOC community, LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities.
For more information about UWSM’s advocacy initiatives, visit uwsm.org/advocate.
ABOUT UNITED WAY
United Way of Southwest Michigan fights for the Health, Education, and Financial Stability of every person in every community. We have the influence and relationships to make sustainable change a reality. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit,and public partners, we provide immediate assistance to our most vulnerable populations while addressing the root causes of our community's longstanding challenges and changing lives for the better. To join the fight—through giving, advocacy,and volunteering—visit www.uwsm.org.