The National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) has announced that through its partnership with the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute at The George Washington University (GW) and support from Capital One, it will be hosting a new executive leadership development program to improve upon the skills of Latino business leaders.

The new program — Latino Executive Advancement & Development (LEAD) Fellowship — is a first-of-its kind program that will provide training for CEOs, Presidents, and Directors of economic asset-building non-profits that primarily serve Latino communities across the country.

“As the leading collective voice for Latino economic mobility and asset-building in the US, NALCAB saw the need for executive level professional development for Latino nonprofits that are guiding the future prosperity of Latino communities across the nation,” said Marla Bilonick, President & CEO of NALCAB, in a press release. 

“We are thrilled to partner with the prestigious Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute at GW to offer this vanguard training program that brings together top experts in executive coaching, policy advocacy and investment in Latino-focused economic community development,” she continued.

With an emphasis on community development, the LEAD Fellowship encourages collaboration between its participants as they handle challenging situations.

Over the course of 13 months, the curriculum of the program will include focuses on effective communication, critical thinking, leadership theory, organizational culture, and cultural intelligence.

For LEAD Fellows to best be prepared to combat systemic racism and follow through on the leadership principles their work emulates, they will explore and understand relevant subjects such as racial and ethnic equity, inclusion, and its history.

“Capital One is committed to investing in organizations that break down the structural barriers to racial equity with attention to supporting the excellence enrichment and leadership advancement of community partners that strengthen their critical position in communities,” said Aarón Almada, Senior Manager, Community Impact & Investment at Capital One, in a press release.

“We are proud to support NALCAB’s new leadership program, LEAD, to advance economic and social opportunities in Latino and Hispanic communities, and help close the racial wealth gap,” he continued.

The LEAD Fellowship is open for enrollment to Latino-serving nonprofit CEOs or Executive Directors that are in the NALCAB member network. 

Applicants must self-identify as Latino and participants in the inaugural class will be chosen through a competitive application process that is limited to 15 members.

Application information can be found here in a PDF provided by NALCAB. A Zoom webinar with more information will be held on Jan. 19, 2023 at 2 p.m., with registration available here.

An announcement for the first cohort will be made in late February 2023.