Yakima County commissioners heard presentations on July 29, 2025, from two county employees who participated in Leadership Yakima, a community leadership program run by the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce. The county sponsored a second cohort this year, sending Lance Larson from Human Services and Tracy Hyatt from the Sheriff’s Office.

Why it matters: County officials said the program builds cross-sector relationships and creates local ambassadors who can connect residents and service providers. Commissioner Curtis thanked the pair and the sponsoring departments for the time commitment required by the program.

What participants said: Lance Larson described a “real Yakima moment” in which federal, state and local leaders he met through the program later appeared in everyday local settings, underscoring the program’s value in building relationships. He noted class members included executives from local behavioral-health providers that his office funds, which helped shift interactions from contract management to peer collaboration.

Tracy Hyatt said his top takeaway was new knowledge of federal, regional and local resources — including facilities the public may not know exist — and new contacts that help employees direct members of the public to appropriate services. Both presenters and commissioners emphasized that the program requires a substantial time commitment and that departments had supported the participants’ release time.

Next steps: The board expressed interest in continuing sponsorship and said it viewed the program as an investment in community leadership and cross-sector collaboration. No formal action was taken during the meeting.