WHY leadership matters
Strengthening first-rate leadership, collaboration, and community engagement is an investment in the success of the region and its residents.
We all have a role to play in building a thriving region, and the more we get to know each other as people and learn from each other, we create a greater sense of shared purpose, unlocking individuals and organizations to build our positive future.
By creating a network of informed, effective, and connected leaders, Academy alumni strengthen the fabric of our region.
Cultivating inspired leadership and collaboration among current Academy members, and facilitating alumni connections, has been a cornerstone of meeting the needs of sectors and communities in order to address issues affecting the well-being of the region
WHAT is the impact
Nothing has a more powerful impact on the region than effective leadership.
Our network of Academy alumni is a driving force of leadership in MetroWest. Through their professional and volunteer work, they lead the way by:
improving the health of our residents; employing our workforce; advancing school districts and higher education; innovating science and technology; managing our municipalities; stimulating economic development; inspiring creativity and promoting arts and culture; preserving the environment; securing public safety; serving in elected and appointed office, and in all endeavors, embracing the values of respect, inclusion, diversity, equity, antiracism and optimism.
This exceptional work by our alumni brings life to our mission of building and inspiring a network of engaged and collaborative leaders who move the region forward. Their leadership strengthens their organizations and, in turn, improves the lives of MetroWest residents.
MetroWest towns and cities benefit from the culture of collaboration created by Leadership Academy participants and alumni who are eager and willing to drive change by working across disciplines. It’s not always easy to build alliances with unexpected partners.
We are committed to providing this framework to build and grow a culture of collaboration to tackle the challenges in our region.
Community Impact
- Creating an unparalleled pipeline of diverse community, civic and business leaders committed to active engagement in our region
- Alumni who are go-to resources in our community – addressing challenges and embracing opportunities
- Cross-sector collaboration and inclusive leaders who support civic engagement
Individual Impact
- A broader and deeper perspective on the region and your role in it
- Access to the leaders, organizations, and institutions shaping our region
- Discover issues you’re passionate about by experiencing them firsthand
- Build trusted relationships with Academy colleagues and alumni to help you advance or create collaborative initiatives
- A stronger platform from which to have a positive impact on your community
Organizational Impact
- An unparalleled and cost-effective professional development resource for your experienced and emerging leaders to become more effective team members
- Adding value to your organization through direct access to local, regional and state leaders in every sector, including a network of 800+ influential alumni
- A tangible expression of your commitment to community engagement and visibility as a leading organization in MetroWest
HOW we do it
There is no aspect of community that is not touched by the need for positive leadership. For 35 years, we’ve provided experienced and emerging leaders an opportunity to grow and become more effective in their professional and volunteer roles.
Our signature program, the MW Leadership Academy, is designed for people who are ready to make meaningful contributions to the region’s success. Each year a diverse cohort of 30 leaders gains a true understanding of the issues shaping our community’s future, and more importantly, how they can impact that future.
The Academy curriculum is designed for participants from a variety of sectors and settings at every stage of their leadership practice. The powerful, experiential learning journey explores issues, institutions, resources, and opportunities in the region as well as antiracism, equity and inclusion in the context of leadership. Leadership Academy fellows engage together in monthly site visits and discussions with local and state leaders and experts.
They experience diverse schools of thought and team building, and they are empowered with a new understanding of their own personal leadership capacity. Topics covered include government, economy, education, health & human services, environment, arts & culture, transportation, public safety, and housing.
The 11 program days over 10 months include an opportunity to conceive, plan and implement a class service project that addresses a real issue facing the community and incorporates teamwork, collaborative leadership and problem-solving techniques.
The biggest dividend comes in the form of social capital as participants build relationships with people they might otherwise never meet or partner with, increasing their personal leadership capacity to influence change and embrace civic engagement.
Graduates complete the program with new and relevant knowledge and valuable relationships that advance their ability to significantly lead change in their professional and volunteer organizations. They become a part of our alumni network – a unique and influential resource of more than 800 “uncommon leaders serving the common good.” By providing first-rate experiential Academy programs and powerful connections through the alumni network, we continue our long legacy of leadership in MetroWest.
WHO we are
Leadership MetroWest is a respected community leadership development organization serving the region for 35 years. Our goal is to encourage and empower the participants and alumni of our signature program, the MetroWest Leadership Academy, to be more informed, effective and engaged community and business leaders.
Over the past three decades, more than 800 leaders have graduated from the Leadership Academy. Our alumni are leading the way in every sector, creating a region driven by informed, innovative, engaged and effective decision-makers.
The Leadership Academy was founded in 1986 as a program of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce and graduated its first class in 1987. The program was incorporated in 1994 as a 501(c)(3) independent nonprofit, Leadership MetroWest.
The organization is led by a Board of Directors and staffed by a full-time Executive Director.
Leadership MetroWest serves the public, private and nonprofit sectors in Framingham, Natick, Ashland, Hopkinton, Holliston, Marlborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, and Wayland.
BECOME A LEADERSHIP ACADEMY FELLOW
We are accepting applications now for the Leadership Academy Class of 2023.
(Program begins in Sept. 2023)
Apply or nominate a candidate
For more information call 774-244-3172 or email
info@leadershipmetrowest.org