Camp Hill native Patti VanCleave is the Vice President of Workforce Development at the Chester County Economic Development Council.

VanCleave, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Behavior/Applied Psychology from Albright College, credits Wendy Leslie with having the biggest impact on her career.

“Wendy was an amazing mentor who constantly exposed me to new business experiences and pushed me out of my comfort zone,” said VanCleave. “She encouraged me to trust my instincts and to think big. She brought out my best qualities and celebrated them, inspiring a confidence I didn’t know I had.”

VanCleave’s proudest professional achievement is the expansion and development of youth career exploration programs at the CCEDC.

“It is so important to provide hands-on opportunities for students to explore careers outside of the classroom and to gain work-ready skills to prepare them for future internships and employment,” she said.

VanCleave shared her perspective on what makes a successful leader.

“A successful leader is courageous, empathetic, and flexible,” she said. “They are good listeners and help others to succeed. They surround themselves with people who have complementary talents to make the team stronger.”

Of the 12 Principles of the Scout Law — Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent — Trustworthy, Helpful, and Kind resonate the most with VanCleave.

“All of these really resonate with me personally and with my work,” she said. “I guess that’s why I’ve been active in Scouting for over 20 years. Trustworthy, Helpful, and Kind have had the greatest impact because these three points are reflective in all I do with youth career development at work and leadership and character-building with Scouts.”

The Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America will honor VanCleave and the 11 other BSA VISTA Leadership Megastars at an awards reception on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at its new Program, Activity, and Resource Campus (PARC) in Exton. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Kristin Conran at kristin.conran@scouting.org.