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Leadership Louisville Center
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deepen your connectionS & make a difference in your community

Generate meaningful social impact and contribute to the region’s success with a diverse cohort of established influential leaders. The Leadership Louisville flagship program has provided an unmatched experience for over 45 years.

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For Influential Leaders and Executives

Aspire to work with and through others to make Louisville a world-class community.

10 Month Program

Including an overnight retreat and monthly program days that are filled with powerful experiences that will change how you see yourself and your role as a leader.

Contribute to the Regions Growth and Success

An eye-opening experience that will deepen your connection to the city and inspire you to make it a better place.

Behind-the-Scenes Experience

Participants obtain access to our community’s top leaders in government, healthcare, education, economic development, nonprofits, and much more.

Forge Deep Relationships

Connect with some of the region’s top decision-makers through engaging and challenging conversations.

Tuition

Tuition for the Leadership Louisville is $6,200 and includes overnight retreat lodging, meals, and materials. Tuition support can be requested if cost is a barrier.

TESTIMONIALS

“Leadership Louisville was a transformative experience for me personally and professionally. My sense of connection to the city and to its history has been deepened and enriched, and my awareness of the specific contribution that I can make has been sharpened. I've gained a bond with my classmates that I believe will far outlast the experience of this past year, and I am excited about the prospects that we will have in the future to do good work together.”

Teresa Reed
Ph.D., Dean, School of Music University of Louisville

“My Leadership Louisville experience was a great introduction to many facets of the city and was an amazing networking opportunity. While I went in thinking of the professional benefits, I came out with what I think are lasting friendships, personal development, mutual admiration and allies in the community. I appreciate and respect the LL Team and the level of EXCELLENCE with which they execute the program. The rate of return for this investment is immeasurable both on a professional and personal level.”

Evon Smith
President & CEO OneWest

Leadership Louisville Classes

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Frequently asked questions

Ideal Leadership Louisville candidates are:

  • Established leaders who are ready to generate meaningful social impact and contribute to the region’s growth and success.
  • Individuals who may have a senior title in their organization or hold a senior position in their community and demonstrate leadership through their work and service.
  • Committed to put in the necessary time and energy to complete this program and its entirety.

The Leadership Louisville program runs for 10 months. The experience includes a mandatory overnight opening retreat, and one full program day per month. Please check the program calendar to ensure the dates work for your schedule prior to submitting an application.

The Leadership Louisville Center programs have attendance policies designed to give everyone the best possible experience. Exceeding the allowed absences for your program will result in a review of your continued participation by the Leadership Louisville Center Board of Directors. At that point, you must petition the Board to review your status via a letter outlining the reasons for exceeding the allowed absences. The board chair will rule on these matters. Failure to petition the board will result in dismissal.

  • Full and partial days are counted. Any hours away from the program day will be tracked and 8 hours will add up to an absence.
  • Failure to attend the mandatory sessions in their entirety will result in automatic dismissal from the program and forfeiting of tuition.
  • When using an excused absence, please notify the program manager as far in advance as possible. In cases where you cannot provide advanced notice, day-of notification is helpful so staff will know who to expect.
  • Consult program calendars for dates of all mandatory events.

LEADERSHIP LOUISVILLE ATTENDANCE POLICY

  • The opening retreat in August is mandatory in its entirety.
  • Two excused absences, or equivalent hours, are allowed. A third absence will result in a review of your continued participation by the Leadership Louisville Center Board of Directors.
  • If approved to continue after a third absence, a fourth absence would result in automatic dismissal.
  • Three consecutive absences will result in automatic dismissal.

Tuition for Leadership Louisville is $6,200. This includes overnight lodging, meals, and materials. Tuition support can be requested if cost is a barrier.

Leadership Louisville focuses on accelerating personal and professional growth. Participants forge deep relationships with top leaders across all sectors of the community. Gain an outside perspective from other industries to innovate the way you do business and develop a comprehensive understanding of the assets and issues of our community. Participate in an eye-opening experience that will deepen your connection to the city and inspire you to make it a better place.

Leadership Louisville classes have approximately 60 participants.

Our selection committee considers experience, community service, responses to essay questions, and approval from your employer/supervisor. The application consists of two parts:

Applications are considered complete once all components of the application have been received by the Leadership Louisville Center.  A selection committee determines which applicants will be invited to participate in the Leadership Louisville Program.