FSWB and FSWCF Employees Graduate from Inaugural Leadership Alamosa Program

Leadership Alamosa event
From left to right: Libby Spears, Instructor; Evans Auden Gonzalez Garcia, Dress Code by Evans; Kate Jack, SLV Behavioral Health Group; Shawnee Wolfe, Edward Jones Monte Vista; James Kynor, Trinidad State College; Naillali Karizma Rodriguez, First SW Community Fund; Jolene Carrica, Valley-Wide Health Systems; Jolene Lopez, Valley-Wide Health Systems; Uriah Cisneros, ASU; Alyssa Danielle Gallegos, SLV Health; Jaime A. Maestas, First Southwest Bank; Kristy Esquibel, First Southwest Bank; Derrick J. Garcia, SLV Health / Alamosa Ambulance; Mark Pittman, ASU; Brandon Gallegos, City of Alamosa; Yula Cisneros Montoya, Yula Cisneros Montoya LLC; and Erin Keck, Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce.
January 31, 2023

Congratulations to the 16 graduates of the inaugural Leadership Alamosa program, including three FSWB & FSWCF staff members: Naillali (Naya) Karizma Rodriguez, Lending Specialist, First Southwest Community Fund; Kristy Esquibel, Lending Manager, SVP and Jaime A. Maestas, Consumer Lending Director, VP, First Southwest Bank. The leadership program was launched by the Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce with support, in part, provided by FSWB.

The program provided seven sessions of comprehensive leadership training focusing on topics such as public speaking, self-awareness, conflict management, team building and more, and culminated with a Shark Tank style series of presentations of ideas each group had for a way to solve a need or problem in the community.

Kristy Esquibel, Lending Manager, SVP reflected upon the program stating, “As a First Southwest Bank leader and Alamosa community member, I’m extremely grateful to the Alamosa County Chamber for establishing Leadership Alamosa in our community. Having participated in many leadership programs, I have to say this program is top notch! I’m so excited for other professionals in our community to experience Leadership Alamosa and also to see the impact of future projects as a result of this program.”

Leadership Alamosa was created by the Alamosa Chamber with the support of the SLV-SBDC to provide top-tier leadership opportunities in the San Luis Valley and to invest in aspiring leaders in the business community. Applications for the 2023 class will open in late spring. The program is made possible by Program Founders and Sponsors: CO Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Southern Colorado Community Fund, First Southwest Bank, Adams State University, Valley-Wide Health Systems, the City of Alamosa, Edward Jones Monte Vista, Connect for Health Colorado, San Luis Valley Health, San Luis Valley Federal Bank, Xcel Energy, and Eclipse Property Management. Learn more about the program here.