A dedicated educator with a focus on culture, Ethan Alexander is a Culture and Climate Consultant with the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA). Focusing on helping educators and students develop healthy relationship practices, Ethan is committed to the success of every individual as they go through their education or work in the education system.

As a 2012 graduate of Leadership Kalamazoo, Ethan recalls his experience in the program as eye-opening. “I think the most powerful element of Leadership Kalamazoo was to understand the connections between industries that all of us have,” said Ethan. “Regardless of what industry we were in or what career path, [I found] that we were all essentially trying to do the same things–we were trying to serve our community and to have a positive impact on people around us.”

In his day-to-day work and life, Ethan continues to have a positive impact on others by utilizing the skill of balancing the human element and the task at hand–a lesson he developed during one of the program’s leadership retreats.

“There were several incidents in which we were put in these stressful situations. Because we were really driven, powerful, and intense people, people were so determined to complete the task that they sometimes forgot about the relationships and the people. I remember learning through that process, how important relationships are at any time,” said Ethan.

While his time in the program is almost ten years in the past, Ethan finds himself frequently relying on the lessons he learned. “I often pull on the lessons that came from Leadership Kalamazoo in thinking, you as an educator, we as people are never going to accomplish what we need to accomplish if we ignore that crucial element of relationships,” said Ethan. “It makes me remember to slow down and not push so hard.”

About Leadership Kalamazoo
Leadership Kalamazoo, powered by Southwest Michigan First, is Southwest Michigan’s premier civic leadership development program that helps professionals build strengths, talents, knowledge, and relationships to succeed in ever-changing environments. This feature is part of FIRST & 42’s Leadership Kalamazoo Alumni in Action series brought to you by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.