March 5, 2024

New Leaders Council (“NLC”) is on the cutting edge of shaping democracy and bringing a new kind of leadership to communities all across the country. We train the people who change the world!

2023 marked another year of intentional, strategic growth for NLC. In my fourth year as President and CEO, I am excited to report that we continue to invest in building the infrastructure and professional scaffolding that is allowing us to increase support for our Fellows and alumni networks for increased impact nationwide. The work we do in NLC is needed now more than ever because our community’s challenges are wider and deeper than the current civic leadership pipelines can reach, especially as our rights and freedoms continue to be stripped away. Now is the time for radical collaboration!

In 2023, NLC focused its efforts on continuing to cultivate ecosystems that collaborate for change, and serve as the connective network and infrastructure that spans different types of civic missions and leaders. I am proud to say that 2023 also laid the foundation for a new era in NLC, with the welcoming of a new National Board Chair, Candace Stanciel (NLC ATL ‘13), first alumni, first woman, and first Black woman to hold the position.

New Leaders Council alumni are in every room, across every corner of our country. In state capitals, leading their own organizations, opening doors wide for their communities, and building spaces that haven’t been designed yet. With over 18 years of training and connecting leaders in cross-sector industries, New Leaders Council has built a movement of proximate leaders that center equity and create positive impact in local communities across the country. For this year’s Annual Report, we reflect back on how NLC continues to advocate for change where change is needed.