DELEGATE BARBARA COMSTOCK SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Delegate Barbara Comstock has been selected to participate in the 2010 Program for Emerging Political Leaders, sponsored by the State Legislative Leaders Foundation and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

This prestigious program is held every year on the campus of the University of Virginia for a select group of state legislators who have been nominated by the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate or Minority Leader from their state. Leaders are asked to nominate one or more members who by their actions have demonstrated those qualities we associate with leadership—integrity, compassion, intelligence, vision, and common sense.

The goal of this program is to inspire these men and women to continued careers in public service. Class discussions will examine qualities and characteristics of leadership including: ethical leadership, the art of compromise and coalition building and the philosophical underpinnings of representative democracy. The discussions will be lead by Professor Ed Freeman, the Elis and Signe Olsson Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School and co-director of the Olsson Center for Applied Ethics. A distinguished UVA faculty along with Dr. Thomas Little, Curriculum Director of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation, will join Dr. Freeman.

Delegate Comstock is one of only fifty state legislators chosen from a nationwide pool of over 180 outstanding nominees.

As Stephen G. Lakis, President of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation, has noted “These legislators represent the best and the brightest, and are destined for future leadership roles in their state. After being with these people for several days, you can’t help but feel proud and more confident about our unique system of representative democracy. They are just that good!”

Delegate Comstock represents McLean, Great Falls, and parts of Herndon and Vienna. She serves on the Transportation, Science and Technology, and General Laws committees. She also serves on the Governor’s Economic Development and Jobs Creation Commission, as well as the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission.  She and her husband, Chip, an assistant principal at Oakton High School, have raised their three children in McLean.