Cattaraugus County
2026 Southern Tier Leadership Summit, hosted by Leadership Cattaraugus and Leadership Allegany, takes place this Thursday, Aug. 20, at St. Bonaventure University.
The annual summit brings together leaders from business, education, government, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen communities throughout the Southern Tier. This year’s conference will focus on leadership and wellness, providing attendees with practical tools, fresh perspectives, and inspiration to lead effectively in today’s evolving environments.
National award-winning writer and journalist Kate Welshofer will headline the event as keynote speaker.
Welshofer, a 1996 graduate of St. Bonaventure, recently joined the university’s Jandoli School of Communication as lecturer and head of the broadcast journalism program. During a nearly 30-year career in local television news, she served as a producer, reporter, and anchor, earning two consecutive national Edward R. Murrow Awards for writing before launching her own creative services company, Welshofer Creative.
Today, through her work as a columnist, speaker, content creator and founder of the Secret Monster Project, Welshofer is passionate about giving people hope in an increasingly stressful world and using humor to encourage, inspire and heal. Her first book, “You Monster! (That’s a Compliment),” was released in 2024.
In addition to Welshofer’s keynote presentation, attendees will hear from a distinguished lineup of speakers whose expertise spans healthcare leadership, organizational wellness, mental health, and resilience:
James “Jim” Helms, chief executive officer of Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville, will share insights drawn from more than two decades of healthcare leadership and 25 years of military service in the United States Army Reserves, where he retired as a Command Sergeant Major. Helms has held executive leadership positions across healthcare systems and remains active in numerous community and professional organizations throughout the region.
Del Rey Honeycutt, Ph.D., director of counseling at Alfred State College, will discuss leadership, well-being, and organizational culture. Honeycutt brings extensive experience in student affairs, crisis response, behavioral intervention, and institutional leadership, with a focus on helping organizations build sustainable systems that support both performance and well-being.
Brent Schlafer, wellness coordinator for the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, will present on resilience, wellness, and self-care. Schlafer is a certified instructor in multiple crisis response and resilience programs and serves as co-founder and instructor of the Sheriff’s Office Officer Wellness Program, promoting physical, emotional and psychological wellness among law enforcement professionals.
Conference check-in begins at 8:30am, with Welshofer’s keynote address starting at 9am. The program will conclude at approximately 3:30pm.
Registration is $70 per person and includes conference materials, a light breakfast, and lunch.
To register or learn more, visit the Leadership Cattaraugus website.