Celebrating the Graduation of the 2025 KINBER MOR Leaders Program Cohort

KINBER MOR Leaders Program Meeting

KINBER is proud to celebrate the graduation of the 2025 cohort of the KINBER MOR Leaders Program. These exceptional professionals have completed a dynamic eight-month journey of personal growth, professional development, and collaborative learning—emerging as stronger, more empowered leaders ready to shape the future of digital access and opportunity across Pennsylvania. 

The KINBER MOR Leaders Program, developed in partnership with MOR Associates, is designed to cultivate transformative leadership. KINBER facilitated the participation of digital inclusion leaders in Pennsylvania in the program. Participants engage in structured workshops, peer learning, and real-world leadership challenges, all aimed at building confidence, resilience, and strategic thinking. 

From Uncertainty to Empowerment 

For many participants, the journey began with uncertainty. Dwana Pinchock (Dauphin County Library System), a 2025 graduate, admitted, “When I walked in the first day, I had a severe case of imposter syndrome. I kept thinking, ‘These people are so fabulous—why am I here?’” But that feeling didn’t last. “When we shared our leadership journeys, everyone was vulnerable. That was the turning point where I felt like I did belong,” she recalled.  

Michelle Hang (RSVP Volunteers) echoed the sentiment: “I didn’t know that it was going to be that good—but it turned out to be that good.” As a self-proclaimed lifelong learner and educator, Michelle found the program refreshingly different from other professional development experiences. “Even the virtual sessions were engaging. I’ve done probably 50 webinars in the last two years and found maybe one useful. This was a complete game changer.” 

Putting Leadership Into Practice 

Unlike typical leadership trainings, the KINBER MOR Leaders Program focused on active learning and implementation.  Participant Cid Espinal (Reading Public Library) remarked, “We did a lot of team building at the KINBER MOR leadership program, but the difference between the ones that I've been through, and the MOR program was that it was challenging the way that I saw what leadership is. Meaning, in other leadership programs, it's all about being the dominant one in the room, taking the dominant role, just being the one to have all the answers. Versus where the KINBER MOR leadership program was really challenging yourself to see through other individual's viewpoints”. 

For Allan Gomez (Philly Community Wireless) the impact continues, as he recalls a moment working with his team through a difficult conversation, noting: “It was just coming through naturally and halfway through that moment is like when I realized that ‘Oh, I'm doing the coaching practice here!”. 

A Lasting Network and New Perspective 

The program also created powerful peer connections. “I had real allies by the end,” said Michelle. “It was a very different dynamic working with peers rather than teaching students, and it helped me realize I absolutely have a place here.” The KINBER MOR Leaders program has played a pivotal role in the formation of a lasting network of peers in the digital inclusion sector.  

KINBER is proud to support this strong network of Pennsylvania leaders, who promise to pave the way for digital access and opportunity work in the Commonwealth, facilitating collaboration and innovation along the way.   

To learn more about KINBER, visit www.KINBER.org.