Advanced Leadership Training Program (ALTP)
The PURPOSE of the Advanced Leadership Training Program (ALTP) is to develop advanced knowledge and skills to lead intentionally in an increasingly complex and diverse context.
The ALTP is designed to build the capacity of the individual participants, and to create an interdisciplinary network of leaders who are dedicated to the health and environment of our region. The program includes some 45 health and environment professionals in the Rocky Mountain region each year. As of May 2020, RIHEL has completed 21 ALTP classes and graduated over 900 fellows.
Admission into the ALTP is through a competitive application process. Accepted applicants begin the year-long program in July and graduate in May.
Why I Applied to ALTP
Maddie Philley, graduate of the Advanced Leadership Training Program (ALTP), talks about why she applied and what she got out of the program.
What You Can Get Out of ALTP
Djuana Harvell, graduate of the Advanced Leadership Training Program (ALTP), talks about what she would tell someone who is thinking about applying to the program.
Key Program Elements
- A year long program - includes four 3-day events held at various locations in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming
- Participants complete a 360-degree assessment of personal leadership practices
- Participants receive a peer coach to work with during the program
- Participants initiate team or individual creative projects as living laboratories in which to practice collaborative leadership skills
Topics studied and practiced include
- Exemplary Leadership Practices
- Collaborative Leadership
- Diversity Assets
- Powerful Conversations
- Peer Coaching
- Intentional Action for Leaders
- Systems Thinking
- Communications
- Exemplary Leadership Practices
- Collaborative Leadership
- Diversity Assets
- Powerful Conversations
- Peer Coaching
- Intentional Action for Leaders
- Systems Thinking
- Communications
Proven Results
The doctoral dissertation of Linda Olson (Olson, Linda. Leadership Development for Public Health and Environment, unpublished dissertation, University of Denver, 2005) examines the leadership changes in 67 graduates for four years (1999-2002) of the Advanced Leadership Development Program. Olson's dissertation concluded: "RIHEL as a training intervention can be credited significantly with the changes in leadership practices of alumni ... . It gave them self-awareness, a leadership framework, and skills to improve in multiple leadership opportunities. ... Leadership training had a positive impact overall in the RIHEL alumni leaders' development." (pages 200-201).
Please see the publication of these research findings in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.
Please see the summary of Dr. Olson's research or her complete dissertation for more details.
The ALTP Experience
Participants in the RIHEL Advanced Leadership Training Program share about their experience in the program and the value that it provides.
Impact of RIHEL
Students from Metropolitan State University of Denver captured the impact of the RIHEL leadership development experience on public health professionals.
Curriculum
The Advanced Leadership Training Program (ALTP) includes the five elements found in the most effective leadership development programs:
1. Conceptual Model: A conceptual model is theory that forms the framework for learning, in this case for learning about leadership. The ALTP uses two conceptual models of leadership:- Leadership is Behavior. Leadership is behavior, not a personality trait or a position on an organizational chart. RIHEL uses Kouzes and Posner’s behavioral model of leadership, the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership: Model the way, Inspire a shared vision, Challenge the process, Enable others to act, and Encourage the heart.
- Collaborative Leadership. Collaboration is the most effective known approach to solving complex problems. Leaders understand the importance of collaboration, communication, and networking with interdisciplinary professionals to address today’s complex health and environment challenges.
2. Action Learning Experience: ALTP participants plan and implement a project as a learning laboratory for the leadership skills that they need to try out, practice or refine. The projects require passion and creativity, bring value to the community or workplace, highlight collaboration, and encourage the participants to think through sustainability after the project is completed. See examples of past projects.
3. Coaching: Leaders are often asked for advice: Good leaders know when to give information or advice and when to be a “strategic thinking partner” to uncover the wisdom inside their peers and proteges. This is known as coaching. The ALTP develops coaching skills to allow participants to tap into their own wisdom and solutions and to practice coaching others. Participants are also paired with a RIHEL peer coach (a RIHEL leadership program alumnus) for regular coaching conversations during the ALTP.
4. 360-Degree Feedback and Other Assessments: ALTP participants take the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) to provide quantitative information about the frequency with which they exhibit specific leadership behaviors. While many similar evaluation tools exist, the LPI-360 has been extensively studied and validated, and corresponds to Kouzes and Posner’s Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership conceptual model used in the ALTP. Participants debrief their LPI reports, and plan actions to help increase the practices they want to magnify.
Throughout the program, participants complete additional assessments to help identify intrinsic traits and behaviors that influence their leadership presence.
5. Reflection: Reflection is the hallmark of a leader, and ALTP faculty model reflection in the delivery of the program, facilitate group reflection during training events, and assign reflection questions between training events.
ALTP Schedule
The Advanced Leadership Training Program runs from July through May each year, and includes four 3-day events held at various locations in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. The program year officially begins on July 1st when the first readings and assignments are sent to the participants of the new class. The first event takes place in August, and the fourth Event marks the end of that year’s program.
ALTP 2022 Schedule
- August 4, 2021 – 9:00am-12:00pm – ALTP Orientation
- August 18-19-20, 2021 – 9:00am-3:00pm – Session 1 Virtual
- October 27-28-29, 2021 – Estes Park, CO
- January 12-13-14, 2022 – Santa Fe, NM
- May 4-5-6, 2022 – Florissant, CO
The August 2021 ALTP training will be conducted online, but the October 2021, January 2022, and May 2022 events are planned to be held in-person. If it is still not safe to meet in-person, the events after August will be changed to the online format.
Program Participants
The ALTP is designed for middle and upper level professionals from the public, private, for-profit and non-profit sectors, who work in the areas of health and environment, or whose work impacts health or the environment.
ALTP seeks participants from local and state health departments, environmental agencies, community-based organizations, boards of health, health care organizations, hospitals, and for-profit companies with impacts or interests in health or environment who are committed to leading their organizations toward better health and environmental outcomes, such as the energy, construction and finance industries and more.
Participants from previous programs represent a wide variety of companies, agencies, organizations and institutions. See the list of employers here.
ALTP Class of 2019
Requirements
Time Commitment. Participants must commit the time required to complete assignments and participate in all of the program sessions. The Class of 2022 sessions will take place:
- Via videoconference using Zoom for the August 4th Orientation and the August 18-20 Session.
- In person (COVID permitting) at various venues around the Rocky Mountain region in October, January and May (see program schedule above).
- Assignments between sessions include readings, online videos, self-assessments, on-line discussions, and leadership project development and implementation.
- From October through May, participants hold monthly coaching conversations with their assigned RIHEL Peer Coach (alumni from RIHEL leadership programs) to support their development in the program.
Employer Support. Participants are required to have the active and demonstrable support of their employers for this time commitment in the form of time-off from work to participate in the on-site events. (Many employers will also support the program tuition and associated expenses of the fellows.) The application requires a supervisor endorsement as part of the submission.
Technology Resources. Fellows must have access to the hardware and software to participate in distance learning. The program cannot assume any costs for the computer and communication systems used by the fellows.
For the health and safety of all involved in ALTP when we meet in person in 2021-2022, RIHEL will require that participants, faculty and staff be fully immunized against COVID-19 before attending any in person events. If you do not plan to receive the COVID vaccine, please delay your application to a future year when the vaccine is not required. The August 2021 ALTP training will be conducted online, but the October 2021, January 2022, and May 2022 events are planned to be held in-person. If it is still not safe to meet in-person, the events after August will be changed to the online format.
Tuition
Tuition for the next cohort is $4,750*. This covers:
- program instruction
- individual peer coaching
- program materials and assessments
- shared lodging at program training events
- most meals (about two meals out of the in-person sessions are on your own)
Transportation expenses to and from the events are the responsibility of the participant, and employers are encouraged to reimburse these costs, if possible. The tuition is payable upon acceptance into the program and due by July 1st unless other arrangements are made. Arrangements can be made for an individual payment schedule, if necessary. All tuition payments are non-refundable.
*Tuition rate is subject to change in future years.
Scholarships
A limited number of specialized scholarships may be available from year to year. These scholarships are competitive and recipients are typically selected by the awarding organization.
Colorado Environmental Health Association (CEHA)
Historically, CEHA has offered scholarship support up to $1,000 for the ALTP. Only CEHA members are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
ALTP Faculty and Staff
Judy Baxter, MA
Leanne Jeffers, MPH, ACC, CMC
Kathy Kennedy, DrPH
Franco Marini, MA, CNL
Connie Sorell
Jen Stachelski, MPH
Janna West Kowalski, MS