The Frances Hesselbein Legacy and Leadership Fund will host their first event honoring the life and legacy of Johnstown native Frances Hesselbein. The Frances Hesselbein Legacy and Leadership Program will be held on Saturday, October 5 at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ) Living Learning Center from 8:00 a.m–3:00 p.m.
The event will include a private screening of a documentary on the life of Frances Hesselbein as well as panel discussions and breakout sessions that will engage participants in meaningful conversations about Hesselbein’s influence. 
After attending her funeral in 2022, Dr. Jim Dittmar, President and CEO of the 3Rivers Leadership Institute, recognized an opportunity within the Johnstown area for education on Hesselbein’s work. The October 5 event is the inaugural event of a year-long initiative that will operate through the Frances Hesselbein Legacy and Leadership Fund, which is housed at CFA.
“Frances was proud to be an alum of UPJ and was proud of her Johnstown roots,” said Dittmar. “We wanted to bring a program to the area that would introduce people to her legacy and inspire people in Johnstown to lead as she led.”
Hesselbein rose to success in executive management at multiple nonprofits, including Girl Scouts of the USA, where she served as CEO from 1976-1990. Known as a “quiet revolutionary,” Hesselbein helped influence progressive changes within the organizations she led and became an inspiration for women in business and other leaders throughout the world. Hesselbein was known for her servant leadership throughout her career and lived by the motto, “to serve is to live.”
“We hope that people will take away these principles of servant leadership and apply them to their organizations, nonprofits, and community groups,” Dittmar said. “We want this to be a learning opportunity that will challenge people to become servant leaders.”
During the afternoon session, a special program is planned for Girl Scouts and their leaders from the Johnstown region. They will have the opportunity to learn more about Frances Hesselbein and apply her principles of servant leadership to their scouting experience.
Tickets to the event are available here. All community members are encouraged to attend; registration is free for Girl Scouts and their leaders as well as for college students.
For more information about the event, contact Dr. Jim Dittmar at jimdittmar@jimdittmar.com or 724-462-9962.
