UT Extension embraces its own Mission and Vision to be the premier educational organization for all Tennesseans by developing highly engaged personnel who serve their community, office, and Extension. Through leadership development, employees will become self-aware of their strengths, how to utilize those strengths to lead others and to grow an organizational culture where employees thrive and the communities we serve prosper. Extension aims to foster interest in and prepare employees for leadership roles across the organization and to enable participants to better serve as leaders in any role or capacity.
Goals of the Leadership Academy
Participants will:
- Strengthen skills including self-awareness, teamwork, communication, conflict management, navigating change, and increasing innovation.
- Build relationships with other aspiring leaders across the organization to foster professional growth.
- Better understand how individuals and teams work together to contribute to the larger vision and efficacy of Tennessee Extension services.
Application Process
Applications for the 2025-2026 Cohort is open February 1-28, 2025.
2025 – 2026 Dates
| Dates | Format | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation: August 1, 2025, 9:00 – 11:00 am CT | Virtual | Zoom |
| September 16-18, 2025 | In Person | Sevierville |
| October 2, 2025, 9:00 – 11:00 am CT | Virtual | Zoom |
| November 18-20, 2025 | In Person | Memphis |
| December 10, 2025, 9:00 – 11:00 am CT | Virtual | Zoom |
| January 6-8, 2026 | In Person | Knoxville |
| February 11, 2026, 9:00 – 11:00 am CT | Virtual | Zoom |
| March 10-11, 2026 | In Person | Nashville |
Program Components
Dates: September 16-18, 2025
Location: DreamMore Resort, Sevierville
Goal: Establish the leadership journey by increasing self-awareness.
Participants will:
- Identify personal strengths and areas of growth.
- Learn/increase understanding about leadership style and ethical leadership.
- Learn the expectations of being a leader in Extension.
- Develop greater skills in logical and critical thinking.
- Discover ways to implement work/life balance.
- Engage in networking and build relationship with other cohort members.
Topics Include:
- CliftonStrengths Themes Assessment
- Ethical leadership
- Leadership styles
Schedule:
Day 1
4:00 pm – Arrival
5:00 – 9:00 pm – Opening Event
Day 2
8:00 am – 8:00 pm – Sessions and Evening Event
Day 3
8:00 am – 3:00 pm – Sessions
Dates: November 18-20, 2025
Location: The Peabody Hotel, Memphis
Goal: Build interpersonal and communication skills to effectively lead others.
Participants will:
- Recognize and value teamwork.
- Demonstrate openness and flexibility to different work styles and strengths.
- Seek solutions that foster and enhance relationships.
- Demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
Topics Include:
- Understanding others: bias, moving from yourself to leading others.
- Inclusive Leadership
- Emotional Intelligence and Empathy in Leadership
- Communication, Team Building, Relationship Building
- Conflict Resolution
- Visionary Leadership
Schedule:
Day 1
2:00 pm – Arrival
3:00 – 9:00 pm – Opening Session and Dinner
Day 2
8:00 am – 8:00 pm – Sessions and Evening Event
Day 3
8:00 am – 3:00 pm – Sessions
Dates: January 6-8, 2026
Location: UTIA Knoxville Campus
Goal: Lead and empower others to support the vision and mission of Tennessee Extension.
Participants will:
- Apply and teach leadership concepts.
- Develop collaboration and partnership skills.
- Model behavior consistent with organizational values.
- Use visionary leadership skills to achieve goals and navigate change.
Topics Include:
- Book presentations
- Public accountability and advocacy for Extension
- Partnership building
- Navigating and adapting to change
- Leading with vision
Schedule:
Day 1
4:00 pm – Arrival
5:00 – 9:00 pm – Opening Event
Day 2
8:00 am – 8:00 pm – Sessions and Evening Event
Day 3
8:00 am – 3:00 pm – Sessions
Dates: March 10-11, 2026
Location: Nashville
Goal: Showcase knowledge gained and skills learned to celebrate accomplishments of cohort members.
Participants will:
- Present final leadership journey plan.
- Complete evaluation of program.
- Accept the charge by the organization to go forward in their leadership journey.
- Establish personal accountability for continued leadership development.
- Participate in a review of leadership plan.
Schedule:
Day 1
4:00 pm – Arrival
5:00 – 9:00 pm – Opening Event
Day 2
8:00 am – 2:00 pm – Sessions and Celebration Luncheon
The Leadership Journey Plan is a required component of the Tennessee Extension Leadership Academy and serves to help cohort members showcase skills gained by participating in the academy. The plan should be innovative and align with each individual’s personal and professional interests. Participants will develop a plan and present their idea and progress towards implementation at the TELA Showcase, which will take place at the last session each year of the academy. Examples could include but are not limited to:
- Identify a new community/agency/foundation/partner to develop a new program and/or partnership, and begin to build it.
- Plan and implement a new activity or program that meets an unmet need, and begin to build it.
- Build a volunteer development program.
- Work within an existing team to accelerate it to a new level.
Participants will each read a pre-selected book then work in groups of 4 to facilitate a 15-minute leadership activity for the rest of the cohort members.
The activity should apply concepts or ideas from book and will be facilitated during the third session.
Download Program Overview Materials
TELA Cohort 2025-2026
Beatrice Harris
TSU – Extension Specialist & Associate Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences
TELA Alumni
TELA Team
In 2022, a team was charged to develop an Extension leadership program accessible to all employees to build formal and informal leadership capacity throughout the organization to support the Extension Strategic Plan Goal: “Cultivate a workplace where employees thrive”.
