Rising Leaders | Leadership Greater Washington

Overview

LGW's Rising Leaders Program is an investment in the region's future leaders. The five-month program provides young professionals with the tools they need to succeed as leaders and managers. Through engaging activities and discussion, participants learn skills essential to lead themselves and others. Participants gain insight and experience they can apply in any professional environment. Additionally, they have the chance to meet and learn from a diverse pool of regional leaders during the program and beyond.

Participants who get the most out of the Rising Leaders Program are typically between 26 and 35 years of age. They are in positions as emerging managers, professional associates, or significant individual contributors. They may represent corporate, public, or nonprofit organizations –– or be self-employed as entrepreneurs or small business owners. Participants exhibit high levels of enthusiasm and curiosity, interest in self-reflection, dedication to community, and a desire for personal growth.

Tools and Techniques for Tomorrow's Leaders

During the program, participants will focus on:

Leadership and Self-Awareness
Networking and Relationship Building
Effective Feedback and Communication
Presentation Skills
Managing Up

Each full-day session is led by a trained member of the Careerstone Group, LLC, a full-service organizational and leadership development firm. Careerstone Group brings robust experience in delivering award-winning early-career professional development programs to a diverse client roster.

Additional Information

Program Dates

March 5, 2026
April 2, 2026
May 7, 2026
June 4, 2026
July 9, 2026

Registration: Registration for the Spring 2026 Rising Leaders Cohort will open on December 1, 2025.

Info Session: The Virtual Info Session for the Rising Leaders Spring 2026 Cohort will be held Wednesday, January 21 at 9:30am

Scholarship Information & Application: We’re committed to making the Rising Leader Program accessible to leaders who are making meaningful change in the nonprofit sector. To support participation, we offer a limited number of need-based scholarships of up to $2,500. Our goal is to ensure every emerging leader has the opportunity to grow, connect, and lead regardless of financial constraints.

Return on Investment for Employers

More confidence as a leader & team member
Better relationship building & collaboration skills
Stronger managerial & leadership talents resulting in more effectiveness & efficiency

Ideal Participant

Early to mid-level career professionals
Managers seeking more leadership development
Corporate, nonprofit, government and all sectors/industries

Program Information

Program Partner

Rising Leaders Testimonials

After doing the Rising Leaders program, and engaging with my peers in that program and with folks who graduated the Signature Program, I started to look a lot wider than that narrow lane I was in. At that time I was a Program Manager, but then I began looking at other opportunities to really execute all of these leadership theories. I don't think I would have looked outside of my lane were it not for Rising Leaders.

Rasheem Rooke (RL '19)
For me, the Rising Leaders Program was instrumental. I learned how important it is for leaders to understand their leadership style and the effect that it has across the organizations they lead, whether it is identifying more effective strategies to communicate or developing alternative approaches to manage the fallout from difficult conversations. I graduated from the Rising Leaders program with stronger self-understanding and a great network of leaders who have an impact in the Boardroom and the community.

Ryan Colley (RL '21)
The program came to me at a pivotal time in my career. I had been with Girls on the Run for around five years. I started off at the entry-level and worked my way up to Program Manager. I was training volunteers, working on the ground, and living the mission. But I was at a place in my career where I was ready to take on more. The Rising Leaders program came in at the perfect time because I was able to develop the skills needed for true leadership and get ready to take that next step. The skills I learned were directly applicable.

Amalia Lopez (RL '18)

After doing the Rising Leaders program, and engaging with my peers in that program and with folks who graduated the Signature Program, I started to look a lot wider than that narrow lane I was in. At that time I was a Program Manager, but then I began looking at other opportunities to really execute all of these leadership theories. I don't think I would have looked outside of my lane were it not for Rising Leaders.

Rasheem Rooke (RL '19)
For me, the Rising Leaders Program was instrumental. I learned how important it is for leaders to understand their leadership style and the effect that it has across the organizations they lead, whether it is identifying more effective strategies to communicate or developing alternative approaches to manage the fallout from difficult conversations. I graduated from the Rising Leaders program with stronger self-understanding and a great network of leaders who have an impact in the Boardroom and the community.

Ryan Colley (RL '21)
The program came to me at a pivotal time in my career. I had been with Girls on the Run for around five years. I started off at the entry-level and worked my way up to Program Manager. I was training volunteers, working on the ground, and living the mission. But I was at a place in my career where I was ready to take on more. The Rising Leaders program came in at the perfect time because I was able to develop the skills needed for true leadership and get ready to take that next step. The skills I learned were directly applicable.

Amalia Lopez (RL '18)