Women Leading From the Front Lines: Core Leadership Principles from the Army and West Point
Program Overview
Superior leadership principles, values, and ethics
A unique opportunity to have a fully immersive, exclusive, and interactive experience with role models who have demonstrated superior leadership skills in highly challenging and ever-changing situations leading teams and individuals in extraordinary circumstances. The faculty, all inspirational leaders of character, will lead and facilitate discussions and provide mentorship and guidance in small, interactive experiential sessions, which reflect the leadership principles, values, and ethics from the Army and West Point.
The faculty will bring theory to life and demonstrate meaningful connections between military leadership, and leadership in the corporate, governments, and non-profit sectors. Participants will actively hone these concepts and apply the skills through experiential activities, while simultaneously expanding their professional network.
Program Agenda
| DATE | EASTERN TIME | SESSION |
|---|---|---|
| PRE-WORK: SEPTEMBER 20-27 | Daily | Virtual: Kickoff with Senior Advisors; Online: Leading with Character & Competence |
| Tuesday, October 5 | 4:00 – 5:00 PM | Check in at The Historic Thayer Hotel at West Point |
| 5:00 – 8:30 PM | Academy Kickoff and Dinner | |
| Wednesday, October 6 | 7:00 – 8:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:00 – 10:30 AM | Accelerating your Leader Identity - BG (Ret.) Maureen LeBoeuf, Ed.D. | |
| 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Commander’s Intent & Precise Communication - BG (Ret.) Becky Halstead | |
| 1:00 - 2:15 PM | Lunch | |
| 2:15 – 6:15 PM | West Point Staff Ride - COL (Ret.) Pilar McDermott, Ph.D. | |
| SHOW MORE + | 7:15 - 8:30 PM | Dinner |
| Thursday, October 7 | 7:00 - 8:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:00 - 11:30 AM | Urban Orienteering - Carlys Lemler, Esquire | |
| 12:30 AM - 2:30 PM | Keynote Address & Lunch: “Lessons From The Ledge” - Alison Levine | |
| 3:00 - 5:30 PM | Leader Resilience - COL (Ret.) Donna Brazil, Ph.D. | |
| 5:30 - 5:40 PM | Battle Buddy Action Learning Kick-Off | |
| 6:15 - 8:15 PM | Battle Buddy Action Learning and Dinner | |
| Friday, October 8 | 6:30 – 7:30 AM | Military-Style Physical Training - Kate Wender |
| 7:30 - 9:00 AM | Breakfast | |
| 9:00 – 11:00 AM | Commander’s Call with Senior Advisors: BG (Ret.) Becky Halstead & BG (Ret.) Maureen LeBoeuf, Ed.D. | |
| 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM | Action Planning & Academy Close | |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch/Departure | |
| POST-WORK: OCTOBER 14, 19, 21, 26, 28 | Weekly | Online: Leading with Purpose; Virtual: Action-Plan Check-In with Senior Advisors |
| SHOW LESS + |
Program Faculty
Leaders Building Leaders
(USA, Retired, USMA 1981)
Becky is a 1981 graduate of the United States Military Academy and achieved an historic milestone as the first female graduate of West Point to be promoted to General Officer. She was the senior Commanding General (equivalent to CEO) for logistics in Iraq, and was the first female in U.S. history to command in combat at the strategic level. In this capacity, she was responsible for leading over 200 multi‐disciplined units (20,000 military and 5,000 civilians) located across 55 different bases, providing supply, maintenance, transportation and distribution support to over 250,000 personnel serving in Iraq.
(USA, Retired, St. Bonaventure 1976)
Maureen was born and raised in Olean, New York. She graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1976 and received a direct commission as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Maureen holds a Masters and Doctorate of Education, Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Georgia; an Executive Diploma in Strategic Leadership, US Army War College; and an Executive Diploma in Management and Leadership, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
(USA, Retired, USMA 1986)
Colonel McDermott is a soldier-scholar who served in a variety of command and staff positions, stateside and overseas, during her 27-year Army career, including command of Bravo Battery, 1stBattalion, 30thField Artillery Regiment, the largest artillery battery in the Army at the time. Some of her other assignments include service in a tactical Military Intelligence battalion in Germany, executive officer of 1/30th Field Artillery Battalion, Deputy G2 (Intelligence) of III Corps Artillery, both at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, political-military planner and counter-proliferation strategist for United States Forces Korea, and executive officer to the Assistant Chief of Staff, Strategy and Policy, United States Forces Korea/Commanding General, Marine Corps Forces-Korea.
(University of Arizona 1987)
Alison is an adventurer, explorer and mountaineer. She has climbed peaks on every continent, served as the team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition, and skied across the Arctic Circle to the geographic North Pole. In January 2008, she made history as the first American to complete a 600-mile traverse from west Antarctica to the South Pole following the route of legendary explorer Reinhold Messner. Levine completed this arduous journey on skis while hauling 150 pounds of her gear and supplies in a sled harnessed to her waist. In May 2010 she completed the Adventure Grand Slam – climbing the 7 Summits (highest peak on each continent) and skiing to both Poles, an accomplishment fewer than 30 people in the world can claim. Her success in extreme environments is noteworthy given she suffers from a neurological disease that causes the arteries that feed her fingers and toes to collapse in cold weather, leaving her at extreme risk for frostbite.
(USA, Retired, USMA 1983)
Dr. Brazil retired from the United States Army as a Colonel with over 31 years of leadership experience. She served in wide variety of leadership assignments to include executive officer and operations officer for a 1000-person logistics unit, commander of a transportation company, and director of Leadership and Psychology Programs at the United States Military Academy (USMA). Donna concluded her service as the Deputy Head of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at USMA. She served with the Office of Military Cooperation – Afghanistan assisting the Afghan Ministry of Defense in establishing the Afghan Military Academy and collaborated with the Los Angeles police department and the New Jersey Chiefs of Police in designing a Command and Leadership course for their officers.
Logistics/Refund Policy
When:
Online Pre-Work: September 20-27, 2021
Onsite: October 5-8, 2021
Online Post-Work: October 14-28, 2021
Where: Onsite at the Historic Thayer Hotel at West Point, NY
Who: Mid-to senior-level leaders, across all industries, who want proven, practical tools for what it means to be a more effective, inspiring leader.
Program Fee: $6,900 all inclusive
Program fee includes all online courses, program materials, program-related meals, and guest room accommodations at The Historic Thayer Hotel at West Point. Full payment is due no later than September 21. Spaces are guaranteed once full payment has been received and your application has been reviewed. For payment options, we accept cashier’s or corporate checks, electronic fund transfers, and credit cards.
Registration: Closes September 13, 2021
Early registration is strongly encouraged. Registration is limited to 33 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Spaces are guaranteed once full payment has been received. Please email the completed registration form to
registration@thayerleadership.com
For more information, please call 845-446-4731 ext. 7998.
Cancellation Policy:
You may cancel your registration without penalty if written notice is received by Thayer at least 31 days prior to the start date of the on-site portion of the Course. If you cancel your registration between 15 and 30 days prior to the start date of the on-site portion of the Course, Thayer shall keep $3,000 of your registration fee as a cancellation penalty, and will apply the balance toward another Thayer course within the same calendar year. If you cancel your registration within 14 days of the start date of the on-site portion of the Course, your full registration fee shall be payable and retained by Thayer as a cancellation fee.
If you wish to transfer your registration to another Thayer course within one year of the Course and you are making only one transfer request: (i) if you provide notice of such request within 15-30 days of the start date of the on-site portion of the Course, Thayer shall permit such transfer upon payment or retention of a $500 change fee; and (ii) if you provide notice of such request within 14 days of the start date of the on-site portion of the Course, Thayer shall permit such transfer upon payment or retention of a $3000 change fee, with the balance of the registration fee being applicable towards the new Thayer course.
If you wish to transfer your registration in the Course to another person and you provide notice of such request and the new person’s information: (i) no later than 3 days prior to the start date of the online portion of the Course, Thayer shall honor such request with no penalty or change fee; or (ii) no later than 7 days prior to the start date of the on-site portion of the Course, Thayer shall honor such request upon payment by you of an additional $300 change fee.
If Thayer cancels the Course due to an act of God or any other condition reasonably beyond Thayer’s control, that makes it impossible or unreasonable to hold the Course, Thayer shall not be responsible for complying with any provision of this Agreement; provided, however, that Thayer shall make reasonable efforts to transfer your payment and registration to another similar course.
Accommodations: The Historic Thayer Hotel at West Point, NY
The Historic Thayer Hotel at West Point, located on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy* and along the banks of the majestic Hudson River, has hosted distinguished patrons, including U.S. Presidents and heads of state. It offers a unique, inspiring venue--a living museum--to experience leadership principles and applications where history has, and is, occurring. Each participant will stay in a luxurious room located on site of the conference. www.thethayerhotel.com
*Security information and a current government-issued photo ID is required for all visitors to access the U.S. Military Academy.
Travel: Attendees are responsible for the arrangement and payment of their travel.