Louisiana Effective Leadership Program

About this grant

This grant will provide support to the United States-Southern Africa Center for Leadership and Public Values at Duke University for the Louisiana Effective Leadership Program. The program was created as a training vehicle to address glaring, longstanding leadership deficits in Louisiana laid bare by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In particular, those disasters revealed the lack of a sustained commitment to developing and advancing effective leaders, those who consistently base their decisions on universally valid moral values. From 2008 to 2010, 44 fellows completed the program. Members of each class participate in retreats; work with personal executive coaches throughout the year; complete required readings and online leadership self-assessments; define and advance planning for three (small group) public policy advocacy projects (each focused on social equity for low-income people and their children); complete their fellowship year at a closing retreat in Cape Town, South Africa; and assess their fellowship experience. During the grant period, the third and fourth classes of fellows will go through the program.