Leaders Program
For emerging leaders working in government, civil society, and the private sector who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the common good.
![Five women with a range of light to dark skin tones smile and clap as they look away from the camera.](http://images.ctfassets.net/l7h59hfnlxjx/7Lrk9Y6pb2UU7prh9Bhesj/cb644e40aed01d2e88b67e29cc16941b/52986092293_7b30ed9164_k__1_.jpg?q=75&w=3000&fm=webp)
The application for our 2024-2025 Leaders programs is now closed.
The Obama Foundation’s Leaders program aims to inspire, empower, and connect regional cohorts of changemakers to accelerate positive and lasting change in their communities and throughout their region.
These emerging leaders from around the world, generally 24-45 years old, forge societies and communities rooted in shared values, where all people belong, participate, and thrive.
The Leaders program launched in Africa in 2018, expanded to Asia Pacific in 2019, and inaugurated Europe in 2020. During the Obama Foundation Democracy Forum in New York City, we announced our newest program in the United States.
![A woman with a medium skin tone and black hair smiles at a woman with a dark skin tone whose back is to the camera. She has curly blonde hair.](http://images.ctfassets.net/l7h59hfnlxjx/11Stea71SQCHmbHj0sI9d4/269f4c7eb5d0de418822ab7889d96cc6/52986004350_0ffc4904cd_k__2___1_.jpg?q=75&w=1014&fm=webp)
Obama Foundation Leaders hail from a wide variety of nations and territories, work across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, and address a full range of social impact issues.
The Leaders program offers practical skill building for social change, leadership coaching, discussion of critical issues, and small group support. As participants, Leaders self-define a values-based foundation for sustained leadership, cultivate relationships with others to catalyze more inclusive, lasting change, and prepare to engage with issues at the systems level.
Upon completion of the program, Leaders will have gained a deeper understanding of how values-based leadership advances their ability to enact change. They will be inspired to take further action, propelled by new ideas and skills. Most importantly, Leaders will continue to gain a broader continental and global perspective, joining the Obama Leadership Network, a growing global alumni community of nearly 900 active changemakers.
Leaders programs by region
![Leaders-Africa](http://images.ctfassets.net/l7h59hfnlxjx/T8RS7VpfZIIxM49BXCoWI/21cbbd3ea8c22e7a1af28cec8c67fd46/Leaders-Africa.jpeg)
The Obama Foundation Leaders Africa program seeks to build a growing network of innovative and values-based changemakers who will drive positive change in their communities.
Learn more![Leaders-Asia-Pacific](http://images.ctfassets.net/l7h59hfnlxjx/5u5ZS1eW77cWtDuzQXn0uH/70b6c2b9ea02cb47f95d61f60ce9c698/Leaders-Asia-Pacific.jpeg)
The Obama Foundation Leaders Asia-Pacific program seeks to build a growing network of innovative and values-based changemakers who will drive positive change in their communities.
Learn more![Leaders-Europe](http://images.ctfassets.net/l7h59hfnlxjx/6RCmRIpZmIMOf0gOKfe5e2/e4d73462eb4460f2a9451d511118a205/Leaders-Europe.jpeg)
A six-month, leadership development journey that seeks to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders from across Europe. Each Leaders Europe cohort includes up to 35 participants annually.
Learn more![leaders-usa2](http://images.ctfassets.net/l7h59hfnlxjx/sxrCJyCYREpBwBvQm5mUS/cc6ffe70f4fdd1206beb41e3019e9bbe/OF060918SR_1690.jpg)
The Obama Foundation Leaders USA program is a six-month, non-residential leadership development program that seeks to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders across the country.
Learn more