Leadership Sandbox · 2026-04-16 · 16 min
Lead Brevard operates as a connector in Brevard's ecosystem, bringing together leaders from disparate sectors who typically operate independently. Bakke emphasizes that everyone leads within their sphere of influence, but community leadership programs create the intersections where those spheres overlap - enabling healthcare, education, and business leaders to understand each other's challenges and identify collaborative opportunities. The organization's track record includes 200+ community project teams since 1986 that have enabled nonprofits to accomplish initiatives beyond their solo capacity. What makes the model durable is consistent engagement from senior leaders - CEOs and executives who invest time and resources, creating generational continuity in community commitment. Bakke's core insight is that as digital connection increases, face-to-face collaboration becomes more critical, not less. The call is personal: asking what resources and influence each leader can contribute to systemic gaps in their community.
Lead Brevard is a community leadership organization that has operated for 40 years (with Kristin Bakke as president and CEO for 25 of those years). It connects leaders across healthcare, education, business, and nonprofit sectors to identify community gaps and collaborate on solutions through community project teams.
Since its founding in 1986, Lead Brevard has supported over 200 community project teams that have worked with local nonprofits to accomplish initiatives those organizations couldn't achieve on their own.
While everyone leads within their own sphere of influence, community leadership programs connect those separate spheres, enabling collaboration across silos to identify gaps and opportunities that require multi-sector effort to address.
CEOs and executives consistently invest time and resources in Lead Brevard's work, and this commitment carries forward across generations of leadership, creating a consistent thread of community engagement throughout the organization.
No - Bakke argues that as the world becomes more digital, face-to-face connection and community engagement become more critical, requiring leaders to make intentional choices to invest time in in-person collaboration.
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
Everyone talks about leadership inside the walls of their organization. Almost no one is talking about how leaders show up outside of it . In this episode, Tammy J. Bond sits down with Kristin Bakke to break down what community leadership actually looks like - and how leaders from all walks of life can upskill themselves and their teams in the community. Because here's the truth: You don't get to build a strong organization while ignoring the community it lives in. This conversation challenges leaders to stop playing small, stop outsourcing impact, and start owning their role beyond their title. If you think leadership ends at your org chart, this episode will disrupt that fast. Key Takeaways Leadership is not confined to your company - it's visible everywhere you show up Community leadership builds trust faster than internal initiatives ever will Leaders who ignore community impact create disconnected, low-trust cultures Influence isn't declared - it's earned through consistent external behavior Strong communities require leaders who stop waiting and start participating
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
Well, Kristin Bakke, welcome into the Leadership Sandbox. I'm so excited to have you join me today. As the President and CEO of Lead Brevard, you've led this organization for 25 of its 40 years. Today we're talking about why community leadership matters.
Tell us a little about yourself and what brought you here. Thank you, Tammy. I'm so excited to be here. I arrived in Brevard in June of 2000.
Before that, I worked with national and regional leadership organizations. I knew about Leadership Brevard through that network. I reached out, learned more, and was fortunate to be selected. I've been here ever since.
We’re grateful for your leadership and impact in this community. What makes involvement in community leadership programs so important? We are all leaders within our own sphere of influence. Community leadership programs connect those spheres of influence.
Healthcare, education, business - these groups often operate separately. We help them understand each other and collaborate. That collaboration helps identify gaps, needs, and opportunities. And together, people can move a community forward.
You really do see those lightbulb moments when people connect. What has stood out most to you over your 25 years? One major impact is our community project teams. Since 1986, over 200 teams have supported local nonprofits.
They accomplish things those organizations couldn’t do alone. Another highlight is the continued involvement of senior leaders. CEOs and executives consistently invest their time and resources. That commitment carries forward across generations of leadership.
It creates a consistent thread throughout the community. Looking ahead - what do you see for the future? Community leadership will continue to be essential. Even as the world becomes more digital, face-to-face connection matters more.
Being a community leader is challenging - it requires time and intentional choices. But the need for collaboration and engagement will only grow. It’s about asking: how can I help? What resources can I bring to the table?
What role can I play in strengthening my community? As a final thought - what’s your call to action? If not us, then who? We all see needs in our communities.
The question is: what are we doing about them? Even small contributions matter. Like water shaping rock over time - consistent effort creates real change. Well said.
Thank you for being here today. Leadership is not something you are born with - it’s something you grow into. And you are helping leaders do exactly that. Thank you for your time in the Leadership Sandbox.
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