Strategy & Expertise
We deploy three concurrent strategies to Catalyze, Cultivate, and Connect leaders, amplifying their skills and talents in service of thriving, equitable, and resilient communities.
CATALYZE
The core of the program is a transformative, seven-month executive education experience hosted at Harvard Business School, taught by HBS faculty and other prominent thought leaders from across the state. The curriculum is designed to enhance the skills and leadership of LEADS fellows, with a focus on advancing personal, organizational, and community development, and a strong emphasis on applied learning.
CULTIVATE
Throughout the program and beyond its conclusion, LEADS fellows are actively engaged and supported in developing on-the-ground, cross-sectoral projects that benefit local or regional communities. LEADS offers ongoing support and connections to key stakeholders across the region and state, helping to bring ideas to life.
CONNECT
Through periodic network-wide events, LEADS fellows build social capital and establish networks with individual leaders and cohorts across Greater Boston and Massachusetts. These connections foster the ongoing exchange of ideas, create valuable mutual relationships, and provide access to greater resources, empowering fellows to drive change in their local communities.
Developed with EXPERTISE
LEADS is led by a dedicated group of experts with decades of experience in executive education, catalyzing transformative startups, and working in Gateway Cities. LEADS has hosted three cohorts in Lawrence, Haverhill, and Lowell, and will launch its first cohort in the North Shore, focusing on Greater Lynn, Salem, Peabody, and Beverly, in September 2022.
The concurrent delivery in multiple communities enables the development of an impact cluster, recognizing that many structural challenges must be addressed at the regional level. The North Shore Impact Cluster (Greater Lynn, Salem, Peabody, and Beverly) is supported through a partnership with the Essex County Community Foundation, offering supplemental programming and networking opportunities to amplify regional collaboration.
In addition to the year-long Fellowship, the LEADS Network provides a platform for continued connectivity, fostering the acceleration of ideas and relationships among all members who have successfully completed the program.