Business people standing and walking in an office setting

Littleton Leadership Academy

The Littleton Leadership Academy has its roots in the Littleton Community Retreat founded in 1975. For many years the retreat was held over a weekend for citizens to explore and discuss important issues in the community. In 2015, former Littleton mayors and council members Susan Thornton, Pat Cronenberger, and Amy Conklin decided to evolve the retreat into a 10-month Academy consisting of full-day once a month meeting. The last Littleton Leadership Academy was held in 2019 and then the global pandemic halted the annual continuation of the program.

As the City of Littleton’s community college, Arapahoe Community College has a long history of supporting the growth and development of individuals within the community. Building on that history Arapahoe Community College is serving as the new home for the Littleton Leadership Academy. In January of 2024, Arapahoe Community College welcomed a new group of Littleton residents and individuals working for employers within the City of Littleton to participate in the program. This program provides an opportunity for participants to explore and engage with civic leaders, organizations, systems, and socioeconomic issues impacting the City. Through this exploration and engagement participants gain a greater understanding of how and why decisions and policies are made, giving them a unique perspective to influence civic and community life. Participants have the opportunity to examine themselves as leaders, build professional relationships and networks with individuals interested in supporting the City, and develop new skills that will give them the ability to implement positive change for the community.

Who Should Apply?

The Littleton Leadership Academy welcomes individuals who are leaders or aspiring leaders from all sectors including corporate, nonprofit, government, education, and entrepreneurs. Ideal candidates for the program are collaborative, innovative, action-oriented, creative, humble, and demonstrate personal responsibility and integrity.

Arapahoe Community College is an inclusive organization. We welcome and value the identities and experiences of our students, staff, faculty, and surrounding communities. We seek to engage and support historically marginalized groups whom higher education has traditionally failed to serve. We welcome candidates who reflect the City of Littleton’s and surrounding area diversity of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, marital status, ancestry, disability and veteran status.

To be considered for the Littleton Leadership Academy, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Live or work in the City of Littleton
Have been in their current full-time position for at least one year as of the start of the program (it is an advantage, but not a requirement)
Have a desire for leadership growth
Have a history of volunteering or other civic engagement activities
Passion and drive to tackle some of the challenging issues facing the City of Littleton
A willingness and ability to commit fully to the Academy
Be 18 years of age or older

Academy Expectations

The Littleton Leadership Academy is a 10-month long program consisting of full-day once a month meetings from 8:30am to 4pm on the 3rd Friday of the month beginning in January each year. Individuals accepted into the program will commit to the following expectations:

Attendance at each Friday session with active engagement and participation.
Note: We realized that life happens and allow for two emergency or pre-planned conflicts in order to graduate from the program.
Active engagement and participation in the Friday sessions.
Completion of assignments for each of the Friday sessions.
Completion of a project plan for something that you are passionate about which will contribute to the Littleton community
A financial contribution to the Littleton Leadership Academy will be due by January 31, 2026 Scholarships are available and direct all questions to heidi [dot] becklenberg [at] arapahoe [dot] edu (Heidi Becklenberg).

Littleton Leadership Academy 2025 by Month

Note: All sessions are held at various locations in Littleton and the Denver Metro area. Some highlights are the Littleton Museum, Hudson Gardens, South Platte Renew Water Treatment Plant, Advent Health Littleton Hospital, Town Hall Arts Center, City of Littleton City Council Chambers, Colorado History Museum, Colorado State Capital, Arapahoe Community College, and many more!

January 17 - Beginning and Remaking

Welcome to the Littleton Leadership Academy! During this session participants will be provided with a more detailed overview of the Littleton Leadership Academy, expectations for the year, and an overview of the City of Littleton from the Mayor and City Manager. They will get to know their fellow participants and be introduced to the program’s leadership framework – The Leadership Challenge created by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner.

February 21 – State of the State Perspectives: Past, Present, Future of our Centennial State

How do state and city policies and politics impact a city? What does it mean to be a home-rule municipality with a council-manager form of government? During this session participants will have an opportunity to examine the interplay between city and state. Presenters will cover topics such as state demographics, economic projections and strategy impacting legislation, and current challenges and opportunities for the state. Current and past state and regional representatives will share their experiences and insights on leadership.

March 21 – Taking a Closer Look: The Basics of Governing and Managing a City

How does a city really function? Who does what and how? During this session participants will discover some of the ins and outs of what is needed to govern and manage a city. There will be presentations from the City of Littleton Deputy City Manager, Finance Director, Library Director, Municipal Judge, City Clerk, Fire and Police Chiefs and Littleton City Council Members.

April 18 – Taking a Closer Look: School District and Post-Secondary Education Systems

Why and how are school districts and colleges important to a city? How are they funded? What are the options for education for residents? Successful education opportunities are key to a successful community. During this session participants will learn more about how a school district is funded and managed and how the Littleton Public Schools compares with other districts in the region. Participants will also learn more about post-secondary education opportunities provided by Arapahoe Community College and other local education providers.

May 16 – City Land Use and Infrastructure

How does city land use and infrastructure interact to affect the quality of life in the community? During this session participants will learn about the interplay of land use and infrastructure (water, transportation, etc.) to support the residents of Littleton. There will be presentations from South Metro Housing, South Metro Denver Relators, Denver Regional Council of Governments, Multimodal Planning for the Colorado Department of Transportation, Regional Transportation District, and South Platte Renew.

June 20 – The Role of the Non-Profit Sector in a City’s Livelihood

Vibrant and adaptive cities have a network of social service, religious, and community service non-profit organizations that support the residents in a variety of ways that don’t fall under traditional municipal services but are essential to a city. Participants will learn more about how these organizations were founded, the services they provide, and how their leaders meet the challenges of serving the community in both long- and short-term capacities.

July 18 – Health and Wellness: The Pulse of a Resident’s Vitality

The state of Colorado is known for the many opportunities available to its residents to be healthy and active and the City of Littleton builds on this reputation by continuing to support the full spectrum of health and wellness. There will be presentations from Advent Health Littleton, Doctors Care, Mental Health Colorado and All Health Network, and South Suburban Parks and Recreation District. Participants will have an opportunity to gain greater insight into the range and scope of services that help keep the City of Littleton healthy.

August 15 – Economic Development and Vision Planning

What do we really mean by economic development and how does it help to build a sustainable city? During this session participants will dive a little deeper into the key aspects of economic development and vision planning for a city. Well planned and executed economic development can create jobs, expand the tax base, attract new businesses and residents, and support infrastructure improvement. Participants will move from state to city perspectives by hearing from presenters from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, regional and local employers, the City of Littleton Economic Development team, and the Littleton Business Chamber.

September 19 – Arts and Culture: Building Creative Opportunities for the City

Arts and cultural organizations create many benefits for a city. They can help to shape a community identity, attract tourism and foster social connections. Participants will hear from the individuals that have been building these organizations and events for the city and region. There will be presentations from City of Littleton Arts and Culture Board, Littleton Ballet Academy, Western Welcome Week, Littleton Museum, Town Hall Arts Center, Voices West, and Littleton Fine Arts Guild.

October 17 – Reflecting and Moving Forward

During this final session of the program participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their experience and hear some leadership lessons learned from past Littleton Leadership Academy participants. The day will end with the 2025 Graduation Ceremony.