Nonprofit Employee of the Year: Cindy Mergen | Leadership Springfield

For 40 years, Leadership Springfield has been connecting people with community organizations and with each other as they search out ways to give back.

In her role as director of core programs and engagement for Leadership Springfield, Cindy Mergen gets a charge out of seeing the light bulb go off for participants in the organization’s programs.

“There are people who always wanted to join a city board or commission or a nonprofit board,”

Mergen says. “They always thought they wanted to do that in the future, but it hits them – ‘I can serve on a board. I can run for office.’”

Mergen says after four decades, there are “dozens and dozens” of examples of people finding their way to service.

“They’re bolstering and animating our spirit of collaboration,” she says.
For many, that cooperative spirit is the essence of Springfield.

“You hear all the time about how Springfield is so collaborative,” she says. “Leadership Springfield is one of the key organizations that makes that possible. It’s about being that connector between different industries and organizations and helping people get a broader perspective than just their own organization or workplace can provide.”

Leadership Springfield’s stated mission is to inspire, develop and connect leaders to work together for meaningful community impact, and Mergen says the people who coined the mission absolutely nailed it.

“Really, what we do is just inspire, develop, connect and serve,” she says. “That’s absolutely the heart of our mission.”

According to its website, Leadership Springfield offers four programs: a yearlong signature class for professionals to focus on each of the city’s industries, an academy class for high school juniors and seniors, a two-day access class to offer a deeper understanding of how Springfield works and Rosie, a free advocate network for women.

Some participants come from the C-suite and are interested in serving their community and representing their business. Mergen says it’s great to see the effect of the program on these people, but she gets a special charge out of observing others learn through the programs.

“My favorite part is seeing those people who are earlier in their careers and still need to grow that confidence,” she says. “I love to see them go through our programs and get empowered with information and connections.”