New Leadership for the LC
- Leadership Collaborative
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
The Board of the Leadership Collaborative has announced that Linda Buck, CSJ, will step down from the role of Executive Director effective June 30, 2026, concluding nearly five years of outstanding leadership and service.
Since joining the Leadership Collaborative in 2021, Linda has guided the organization through significant periods of growth and transformation. Under her leadership, the LC hosted the inaugural Hope-Esperanza event in Chicago in January 2024, HOPE 2025 in Rome in June 2025, and will host HOPE 2027 in Nairobi in January 2027.
Linda was instrumental in launching the Facilitation for Transformation program, a three-phase, multi-year program to develop facilitators for consecrated life, and she implemented a redesigned Collaborative Leadership Development Program (CLDP) that responds to the evolving needs of religious life. Linda helped to create relevant and sustainable structures for the longevity of the LC.
Most importantly, she and the LC strategy team have established key operational and networking systems that have allowed for the development of a shared leadership model that will be implemented when she steps down on June 30. Associate Directors Romina Sapinoso, SC, Elia Cárdenas, DMin, and Tammy Townsend Denny will oversee operations, programming, and visioning for the organization.
The LC’s shared leadership model emphasizes collaboration, interdependence, and shared responsibility, ensuring the mission is carried out.
“Thanks to the professionalism, dedication, and vision of Romina, Elia, and Tammy,” said Carla Rush, Associate with the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati and member of the Collaborative Board Executive Committee, “we are confident the mission of the LC and the integrity of our programs will continue to serve the needs of religious life, now and into the future.”
In announcing the transition, Linda expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve with the LC. “The growth of the LC has been beyond anything I could have imagined when I first started. None of this would have been possible without the support of a tremendous collaborative team and board who believe in the mission of the LC and the need for collaborative, transformational leadership development in our world today.”
“The Collaborative Board is grateful for all Linda has done to facilitate and expand the mission of the LC. Under her visionary leadership, the organization has become a global resource for transformational leadership development in consecrated life,” said Joyce Mbataru, CCVI, member of the Collaborative Board Executive Committee.
While the LC Strategy Team will share responsibility for mission and strategic visioning along with the board, each associate director will have a specific area of focus. Romina will continue to lead the Sisters Under 65 programs, including HOPE 2027, along with the facilitation program. Elia will continue to direct the Collaborative Leadership Development Program (CLDP) along with the Charism Carrier programs. Tammy will oversee strategic integration of operations and communications.
