A mass shooting. A wildfire. A violent protest. a hurricane. In fall 2017, tragedies turned regions upside down, presenting four alumni in public leadership positions with some of the most challenging circumstances of their careers. They demonstrated strength and composure, drawing wisdom from their Leopard roots to pull through.
November 19, 2019
Police know their jobs can be dangerous. But Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Detective Kenneth Mead ’97 likely had no idea how bad things would get after first hearing about the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival shooting. Community solidarity has helped Mead and his fellow officers stay focused as the investigation continues.
Napa County is known for its lush vineyards and rolling hills. But when Minh Tran ’95 was appointed as its chief executive officer in October, the county looked quite different. Four major wildfires were raging through Wine Country, requiring the College of Law alumnus to work hard and maintain a calm demeanor to help residents survive.
Allison Farole ’07 traded in a dream of becoming a television reporter for a career in emergency management. Though she had faced plenty of stressful situations in her job, a white nationalist rally that arrived on her doorstep in Charlottesville put her leadership skills to the test.
Bravery, strength, and determination helped residents of Houston, Texas, survive the floods and whipping winds of Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. Alumnus Art Acevedo ’05, chief of the city’s police department, relied on valuable lessons of trust to lead his department — and the city — through the disaster.