Diana Coyle Takes the Reins of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy
Writer / Megan Arszman
Photography Provided
With a passion for continuing education and crafting professional relationships, New Jersey native Diana Coyle was recently announced as the new executive director of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy (HCLA).
“I discovered that I really enjoyed the work I was doing at my previous position, which was cultivating a relationship and building professional pathways for others – which is why when I saw the position for the HCLA open, I knew it was the right place for me,” she says. “I knew that as the executive director I’d be able to do so much of what I’ve been building throughout my professional career, while giving back to the community.”
Community is very important to Coyle, as is Hamilton County’s growth in focusing on community. She’s currently looking for a new home somewhere within the county, but is taking her time to choose the right space.
“I’ve been living in Indianapolis for four years now, and I’m still enjoying learning more about the culture and life of the place I call home,” she says.
Established in 1991, the HCLA is available for professionals and community members in Hamilton County, and accepted applicants learn in an immersive environment once per month. The program focuses on different elements of the professional community of the county, including nonprofits, government agencies, civic groups and other resources. For example, the January curriculum focused on arts, culture and recreation, and the lesson included a tour of Westfield’s new playhouse.
“It’s an educational mix of hearing and experiencing in Hamilton County,” Coyle says.
After the 10-month process, each graduate has the opportunity to stay connected as an alumnus of the program, whether by serving as a board member, sitting on a committee or just using new knowledge to give back to the county and community.
The program leaders are looking forward to a fresh outlook with Coyle, and she is looking forward to expanding the program.
“I’m excited to see what my first year holds as we continue to fine tune and really think, strategically, of what our next steps will be to give back to Hamilton County,” she says.
One of the ways Coyle started to immerse herself in the county was by setting a goal of spending every Wednesday of 2022 finding a new place to explore in the county, whether that includes visiting a new park, shopping at a local boutique or noshing on a meal that’s locally sourced. 
“I’m a relationship and community person,” she says. “I want to make sure I’m building relationships in the place I look to call home and the place where I work.”
Coyle’s family resides in North Carolina, and she looks forward to sharing her community treasures with them.
“I love taking my nephews to Conner Prairie and sharing my favorite wine spots with my parents,” she says.
Coyle’s beloved dachshund mix, Coal, escorts her on her adventures. Coyle grew up as an active member of 4-H. She showed dogs in 4-H and was a junior handler in the American Kennel Club.
“Dogs are an important part of my life and an aspect of family that is always a necessity,” she says.
To learn more about the Hamilton County Leadership Academy, go to hcla.net.
