People & Culture
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An Update from the President
July 2026
Leadership is Built in the Large and the Small.
One of the highlights of our April Conference was the People & Culture leadership session, From Individual Connection to Organizational Excellence. Together with an incredible panel of leaders from across AEP, we explored a question that doesn't often get enough attention: What is leadership?
Our answer was probably a little different than many leadership courses.
Leadership isn't simply about a job title, authority, or managing people. It's built through the everyday practices that create alignment between people: respect, empathy, curiosity, psychological safety, and relationships grounded in trust. Those small moments shape our teams just as much as the biggest organizational decisions.
Throughout the session, participants reflected on their own leadership stories, shared experiences with one another, and practiced ways to build stronger connections within their organizations. We also discussed how the stories we hear from one another are more than interesting conversations. They're valuable data that help us improve our policies, programs, and workplace cultures. When we truly listen, we create organizations that are stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to serve both our colleagues and our communities.
One of my favorite moments came at the end of the session, when participants stayed to continue the conversation, share ideas, and celebrate together. Seeing planners, biologists, consultants, attorneys, agency staff, students, and leaders all engaging with one another reminded me that the strength of AEP has never been just our technical expertise. It has always been our people.
If you weren't able to attend, or if you'd like to revisit the material, we've made the presentation available below. I hope you'll find an idea or practice that you can bring back to your own team.
Thank you to everyone who participated, shared your stories, and helped make the session such a meaningful experience. The conversations we began in April will continue to shape the work of the People & Culture Committee as we keep building an organization where connection, learning, and belonging go hand in hand.
In community,
Mindy Fogg
AEP President