Six months ago, Amy Warker and Katlin Muckenthaler didn't know each other. 

Today, they're not only good friends, but share a common bond of caring for and wanting to help lead the way into North Idaho's future. 

"She's been a great mentor for me," Muckenthaler said. "I know I can be a senior VP someday.”

Warker had high praise for her mentee. 

"I met a new friend I will support well beyond today," she said. 

Warker, board president of the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association, was teamed with 25-year-old Muckenthaler, who works at Northwest Specialty Hospital, in the Coeur d'Alene Regional Chamber's new NEXT GEN Coeur d’Alene program. 

Forty-two participants, paired with 42 mentors, graduated from the inaugural six-month program Thursday at the chamber building. 

The program had two elements: A monthly MasterClass workshop on leadership and development skills and a monthly mentorship meeting with a senior business leader in the community.  

"We're all passing on what we know," Warker said. 

Muckenthaler said she learned that regardless of a title, leadership is the same. 

"You're not growing unless you're uncomfortable and this has given me incredible opportunity to connect," she said. 

Linda Coppess, chamber president and CEO, was thrilled with the outcome.

"It's just been incredible for our pilot program, and to have this kind of response was overwhelming and wonderful. It just validated the need in our community for something like this," she said.

More mentors signed up than were needed. 

"That just goes to show you how much business leaders have an appetite to help young people," Coppess said. 

She said young professionals want to be engaged, care deeply about community, connection and purpose, but often don’t know where to start or how to plug in. 

NEXT GEN provided that connection and targeted those ages 25 to 35. 

Mentors included people like Jimmy McAndrew of Mountain West Bank; Amy Voeller of the Salvation Army's Coeur d'Alene Kroc Center, Rick Rasmussen of Northwest Specialty Hospital and Maggie Lyons of Charity Reimagined. 

"The purpose is to have a senior leader in the community they can have real conversations with about real issues they're facing and get advice and wisdom from people who have been community leaders for a while," Coppess said.  

Matt Adams of Coeur d'Alene Tractor was mentor for Jordan Anderson with the city of Coeur d'Alene's Parks and Recreation Department. 

Adams was glad to share what he knows about the importance of leadership and relationships in business and liked what he heard from his counterpart.

"Younger people have different ideas to keep this community going," he said.  

While appreciative of learning what Adams taught him, Anderson valued their new friendship. 

"The relationship piece was my biggest takeaway, for sure," he said. 

Adams said NEXT GEN was effective.

"You create a friendship, you create a trust, you create a bond," he said. 

Lyons was paired with 28-year-old Allie Schumacker of the nonprofit Safe Harbor Anti-Human Trafficking in Coeur d'Alene.

They came away from the NEXT GEN Coeur d'Alene program more than friends. 

"I would say family," Schumacker said. 

She said it was a blessing to learn from Lyons, who listens well and offers sound advice. 

"She's been a great sounding board," Schumacker said. 

Lyons said she encouraged Schumacker to trust and believe in herself, and said even at her young age, she possesses great wisdom. 

"She's got great judgment," Lyons said. 

Marita Diffenbaugh was part of the committee that helped form the NEXT GEN program. As director of innovation at North Idaho College, she said they are all about working together to solve problems and create opportunities.  

"That is exactly what our next generation would like to do," she said. "Not just hear about. We want to help solve it." 

A key is investing in people to keep them growing. 

"There's always work to be done, but the better we are at taking care of each other as human beings, the more productive we will be," Diffenbaugh said. 

She was impressed with the first class of NEXT GEN grads. 

"They're ready to do great things," Diffenbaugh said.  

Coppess said they plan to return with a 10-month program in September.

    Amy Voeller, a mentor in the NEXT GEN Coeur d'Alene program, smiles during the graduation event on Thursday.
  

    NEXT GEN Coeur d'Alene mentors and mentees gather after the graduation on Thursday. Back Row from the left: Linda Coppess, Vanessa Moos, Katlin Muckenthaler, Kailei Hammond, Jeff Conroy, Amy Warker, Ryan Chapman, Gunnar Nickerson, Maddie Pollard, Sara Zwink, Cole Schneider, Bryan Klatt, Reed Christensen, Mark Fisher, Andy Wilmes, Kenna Griffith, Peter Dulebohn. Middle Row: Matt Adams, Pete Roberts, Jordan Anderson, Rick Rasmussen, Coty Cummings. Next Row: Ann Thomas, Gracie Grubar, Marita Diffenbaugh, Justin Torfin, Jimmy McAndrew, Kennedy Krajack, Chris Dallenbach, Darin Hayes, Jeremiah Neal, Heather Duff. Next Row: Michele Whaley, Caiti Bobbitt, Laura Penney, Taylor Bailey, Sydni Parker, Allie Schumacker, Maggie Lyons, SeAnna Baiye, Joan Genter, Amy Voeller, Ada Rouse, Olivia Cretella. Front Row: Lindsay Allen, Kristi Rietze, Adeline Kraft, Elaine Damschen, Katie Spiker, Kaelynn Woodward, Jaidyn Tibeau.  

    Mentor Jimmy McAndrew speaks while mentee Andy Wilmes listens on Thursday.
  

    Matt Adams of Coeur d'Alene Tractor, right, was mentor for Jordan Anderson with the city of Coeur d'Alene's Parks and Recreation Department.
  

    Maggie Lyons, right, was paired with Allie Schumacker for the NEXT GEN Coeur d'Alene.
  

    Amy Warker, right, and Katlin Muckenthaler were paired for the NEXT GEN Coeur d'Alene.