​A big welcome to the seventh class of the Oxnard Leadership Program! The Class of 2023's first session on January 27 was focused on government and set the stage for many of the topics they will explore over the remaining nine months. This year's class includes 15 participants who represent an array of businesses, agencies and nonprofits in the county (scroll down for the class roster).  

On December 7, the WVCBA celebrated the sixth and largest graduating class of the Oxnard Leadership Program since it began in 2016.  The ceremony took place at Heritage Square Chapel with alumni, friends, family and employers cheering on the 15 graduates who completed the 10-session program in just nine months (condensed due to the COVID surge in early 2022). 

With questions about the ongoing drought, new food waste rules, and Measure E updates, Oxnard Leadership 2022 got answers directly from the city's Public Works department. This was the 10th and final session for the Class of 2022, which is the largest cohort since the program began in 2016. 

As the 2022 Oxnard Leadership program winds down, participants experienced two eye-opening sessions in late September and mid-October. From SWAT demonstrations to packing food for the homeless, Public Safety Day and Health & Human Services Day highlighted two different - yet in many ways connected - aspects of our community. 

On September 30, Leadership participants got a firsthand look at the people and agencies protecting the community with session coordinator Tom Cady, former Assistant Chief of Police for the City of Oxnard and the Chair of the Oxnard Leadership Steering Committee. Public Safety Day began at Oxnard Police Department (OPD) with an overview from Community Affairs Manager Paul Carganilla and a presentation on body cameras from Corina Gardner. At OPD's Sturgis Annex, the group met with Chief Jason Benites, who delivered the keynote address later that day for Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center’s Academy graduation. They also got an up-close look at SWAT equipment and training exercises. To understand safety services county wide, the group went inside the county's Juvenile Justice Center and the county's jail facility at the Government Center. The day ended by meeting with Sheriff Bill Ayub and Chief Parole Officer Mark Varela for an open Q&A session. 

The 2022 Oxnard Leadership Program has entered the home stretch with only three sessions remaining for the current cohort. In August, participants received an insider's view of three economic engines: Naval Base Ventura County, the Port of Hueneme, and the Channel Islands Harbor. And in the first of two September sessions, participants explored Oxnard's education system and how it is preparing youth for the future.

On July 15, participants of the Oxnard Leadership Program explored the present and future of farming for its fifth session of the year. The day focused on providing an understanding of the current state of local agriculture, innovations in farming, packing and distribution, and how the next generation is learning about an industry that's critical to Oxnard and all of Ventura County.