How do leaders communicate with clarity when the stakes are high?

That question set the tone for Leadership Council SMC’s inaugural LEAD Local: Communicate with Impact workshop, a full-day learning experience that united nonprofit, business, and government leaders — including elected officials — from across San Mateo County. The day centered on a deceptively simple but powerful principle: effective communication begins not with what we want to say, but with what our audience needs to know.

As Gabe Aponte (HR Manager County of San Mateo and Leadership Council SMC Alumni ’24) reflected, “Each message must be crafted with intent and delivered with clarity.”

Throughout the day, participants explored what that means in practice. They learned how local media strengthens democracy, how to elevate organizational narratives, and how to speak with confidence and composure under pressure. Stanford Business School Professor and author Matt Abrahams led a dynamic workshop on spontaneous speaking, giving participants practical tools to communicate with presence, clarity, and impact when it matters most.

The learning continued with conversations that connected communication to the community. Local media leaders — Lenny Mendonca (Coastside Review), Jon Mays (Daily Journal), and Henrietta Burroughs (EPA Today) — joined Vanessa Merina (KQED) to discuss the evolving role of media and its influence on public discourse. Later in the day, on a panel moderated by Rich Lee (City of South San Francisco), Michelle Durand (San Mateo County), Andy Lynch (Lighthouse Public Affairs), and Peter Cavagnaro (KQED) shared strategies for shaping narratives that build credibility and trust through real life case studies. 

The event’s success reflected something deeper than a day of learning — it embodied the mission of Leadership Council SMC: to democratize access to leadership and professional development opportunities that strengthen capacity across San Mateo County. By bringing together leaders from government, business, and the nonprofit sector to learn alongside one another, LEAD Local creates a common language for community-driven leadership growth.

As Rich Lee (Assistant City Manager, City of South San Francisco and Leadership Council SMC Alumni ’25) noted, “LEAD Local is a great step to fostering ongoing networks and professional development.”

This workshop was just the beginning. LEAD Local is an ongoing professional development series designed to be flexible, standalone, and customizable — allowing participants to mix and match workshops that align with their leadership and civic learning goals.

A heartfelt thank you to all speakers and participants for making this inaugural workshop a meaningful step forward in strengthening leadership and cross-sector collaboration across San Mateo County. And special thanks to Jason Ting of Ting & Associates – Merrill Lynch, and Leadership Council SMC Board Member, for sponsoring the workshop lunch, catered by Sapore Burlingame.