CEN Leaders Institute

The CEN Leaders Institute, held annually, is an eight-month-long (October to May), intensive leadership development opportunity for nonprofit executive directors/chief executive officers. Each year, guided by our deeply held commitment to IDEAL principles, we strive to recruit a diverse group of participants that serve in a variety of organizations and missions. Leaders are then brought together on a monthly basis to share experiences and participate in full-day, high-impact professional development sessions. This established program was built on tested curriculum that can easily be put into practice at any nonprofit organization. Participants graduate with a strong peer support network and a more robust toolkit of techniques and resources to help them sustain an effective organization.

Recruitment for Leaders Institute Class XVII will begin in Summer 2023.
Join our wait list today and you will be contacted when recruitment begins!

join 2023 wait list

​​The Leaders Institute graduation will be held in person! The purpose of this event is to recognize and celebrate nonprofit leadership excellence in Silicon Valley. As part of Leaders Institute Class XVII, we will be celebrating the graduation of outstanding nonprofit leaders on May 17, 2024.

Your support of this special event would be greatly appreciated, and we would be honored to have your sponsorship. For more information please contact ​development@cen.org.

Class XV

On May 20, 2022, we celebrated the graduation of the eleven amazing nonprofit leaders who made up Leaders Institute Class XV! Together, we shared an evening of creativity, laughter, and inspiration in celebration of eight months of growth and collaboration for our Class XV leaders. Thank you to all who joined us for this special evening, and congratulations to Leaders Institute Class XV!

Meet Cohort XV

"Even if you don't think you need this, you need it. After 21 years of nonprofit work, I found this program to be a phenomenal capstone and would rival any program I would engage in at Stanford or Harvard. This is an incredibly special opportunity to invest in yourself and go there. The time I invested in this program has been a worthy and valuable investment and I am grateful for the support, kinship, training, and coaching I received."

-Graduate of Leaders Institute Class 13

Leaders Institute Program Snapshot

Sustainability - The program kicks off with a two day retreat that focuses on how to sustain yourself as a leader so that you can lead your organization for years to come. 
Leadership Development - Participants will take a deep dive into leadership style and will receive a “360 Leadership Practices Inventory” lead by an expert in the Leadership Challenge developed by  Jim Kouzes & Barry Posner.
Peer Networks - Leaders Institute forges strong bonds between the cohorts.  In each session, we practice peer counseling and also strengthen ties through an effective buddy system. This format creates a valuable long term support network.
Amazing Speakers - Participants will hear the leadership journeys from some of Silicon Valley’s most prestigious leaders in a unique and intimate setting.  Some previous speakers: Rick Williams, Carol Larson, Ned Barnholt, Chuck Geschke, Joe Simitian, & more!
Personal Coaching - Each participant is also paired with a personal leadership coach for “1 on 1”  sessions.  The coaches mirror what is taught through the institute to further support the participants leadership development.

Next Class Begins October 2024
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Tuition: $7,500
Significant scholarships are available for all leaders, with a focus on supporting BIPOC leaders and organizations serving BIPOC communities. Thank you to our sponsors for making this possible!

Tuition includes: monthly facilitation, leadership assessment, & coaching sessions. 

Video Testimonials

Thandiwe Lyons
Executive Director
Onyxx Village Connection

Vinney Arora
Executive Director
My Digital TAT2

"​This entire class has been one of the most important, uplifting, and special experiences of my professional life and I am without words to thank you, my teachers, for all you have done through this institute for me personally and for our nonprofit community ... what you are doing through this work and the way you all lead in the sector is so important and so necessary.''

-Leaders Institute 13 Graduate