District 5495 held its first in-person Rotary Leadership Institute in over a year when it met March 19 at the ASU Thunderbird School of Global Management in downtown Phoenix.
 
Mesa West Past President and Member Polly Cady is currently serving as Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Chairman for Rotary District 5495.  She was delighted to be able to hold the first in-person RLI since the COVID pandemic began in the spring of 2020.  All three sessions of RLI ran concurrently Saturday, March 19, 2022.  The staff of the Thunderbird School of Global Management were very welcoming and happy to share their space with Rotary for the day. 
 
Gwyn Nichols, who completed RLI virtually is a member of the Thunderbird Rotary Club and was instrumental in making the connections necessary to hold RLI at such a prestigious facility.  Gwyn also wanted to receive her RLI completion certificate in person.
 
 Completing their third and final RLI session were three Mesa West members - Pam Cohen, Colleen Coons, and Logan Harper.  Ron Klaphacke, President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Wickenburg was a member of the graduating class as well.
 
Mesa West Rotarian Bob Zarling, who had completed RLI virtually, accepted the invitation to come to the campus to receive his completion certificate in person. 
 
All photos by Wayne General
 
 
PDG Art Harrington instructs.
 
 
 
 
DG Bret McKeand and RLI Chair Polly Cady congratulate Graduate Colleen Coons.
 
DG Bret McKeand and RLI Chair Polly Cady congratulate Graduate Gwyn Nichols.
 
DG Bret McKeand and RLI Chair Polly Cady congratulate Graduate Logan Harper.
 
DG Bret McKeand and RLI Chair Polly Cady congratulate Graduate Pam Cohen.
 
DG Bret McKeand and RLI Chair Polly Cady congratulate Graduate Ron Klaphake.
 
Dean Sanjeev Khagram poses with RLI instructors and several Past District Governors.
 
Dean Sanjeev Khagram is shown welcoming DGN and RLI Facilitator Kevin Pitts.