Sherry Knapp, chief executive officer of the Hamilton County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, is preparing for three weeks of intensive classroom work, outdoor physical activity and mixing with state and county officials from around the country.

Knapp, 44, of Columbia Township, has been selected to participate in the July 2003 program for senior executives in state and local government through Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

"This is a great honor to be chosen because they were so many people applying for the program," Knapp said. "I am looking forward to mixing with people from across the country and from abroad."

Knapp

Classes start July 6 and run through July 25. They are designed for senior-level executives with state, county and local governments to receive training that helps officials assess the tasks they face in managing results-driven government agencies.

The course outline includes exploring the interrelationship between citizens and government, examining the ethical and professional responsibilities of leadership, and exchanging ideas with experienced faculty and participants from diverse backgrounds

Knapp has been with the Hamilton County agency for four years. She was nominated for the Harvard program by Luceille Fleming, director of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services. Fleming said Knapp's ability to juggle simultaneous tasks and her creative adaptability to constantly fluctuating priorities makes her a fine choice for the program.

Other local people who have graduated from the Harvard program include: Ken Blackwell, Ohio secretary of state; Peg Moertl, director of Cincinnati's department of community development and planning, and Ohio Rep. Catherine Barrett, D-Cincinnati.