Newsroom
"Like an instant family": Technology brings together Class 13 of the American Express Leadership Academy during pandemic
by Alexandra Conforti, ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation
November 18, 2020
The American Express Leadership Academy at the ASU Lodestar Center has adapted its interactive in-person program into a virtual platform experience due to COVID-19, but the challenge has not stopped the members of Class 13 from working toward their nonprofit leadership-development goals and building strong-bonded connections.
The American Express Leadership Academy features a unique experience for Arizona nonprofit professionals to continue finding their leadership style, developing networks, and growing their careers. This nine-month program selects a cohort of Arizona's top emerging nonprofit leaders to expand on the knowledge and tools needed to excel in the nonprofit sector. The program includes executive coaching, access to exclusive alumni networks, assessments and team collaboration projects, awareness and understanding of issues affecting the sector’s prosperity, such as fundraising and diversity, and more.
Cassidy Campana, program manager for the Academy, said that she and the ASU Lodestar Center staff had to “reimagine” the program delivery model and curriculum for Class 13 due to the pandemic, and have tapped into ASU resources such as Canvas and Zoom to interact remotely. The Academy also had to move from monthly in-person meetings to biweekly remote half-days. These new systems have provided “solutions for the class to make sure that everybody felt really included in the way they could participate, in the way they could learn,” Campana said.
This year’s class includes 35 participants from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and nonprofit organizations who were selected through a competitive application process, with a record number of applicants despite the pandemic disruption this year. The program thus far has been responsive to what is happening in the world and throughout nonprofit organizations.
“Part of what the American Express Leadership Academy does is keep the class on the leading edge of what’s happening in the marketplace and nonprofit sector. So we’re looking at a pretty significant change to the topics that we’ll deliver,” Campana said. The coaching sessions within the program have also switched to a virtual platform, allowing for more flexibility and engagement for participants.
The program has been very intentional in maintaining the close-knit dynamic between members that grows stronger over the years. Campana said that with virtual work platforms becoming normalized, Class 13 began by sharing each of their own personal narratives with an initial class project, so that they could quickly and creatively get to know each other, what’s shaped them, and where they’re heading in the future.
“It’s a really important foundation to the program because part of what we’re trying to do, in addition to building their skills, is to build a network and series of relationships within the class,” Campana said. “These are people you’re probably going to know the rest of your professional life … you will get close to these people in a way that will be totally unexpected to you.”
She also said the program is like a “year-long job interview” and a key way to build a professional network that can be tapped into in the future. The program welcomes nonprofit professionals with backgrounds in various sectors; social service, animal welfare, environmental and government groups, housing organizations, and more.
Daniel Davis, a graduate from Class 12 last May and the director of housing at UMOM New Day Centers, said he joined the program because he wanted to fill the gap between his post-secondary education and leadership development. “A few of my college friends have gone through this leadership academy and they are all leaders that I very much respect, not only in their vision and how they address problems, but in the way they treat people and the values they exhibit,” Davis said.
The Academy’s program adaptation began during the final few month’s of Class 12’s year, and Davis said that as with any organization during the pandemic, there was a bridge to overcome in going virtual. However, having the strong backing of ASU helped the program to get through the difficult times.
“I think we struggled a little bit because we’re used to a very interactive programming experience … We all had to learn how to make the best of a bad situation,” Davis said. “It was still engaging, and I actually thought the emphasis changed a little bit from peer learning to more of the teachers getting to do presentations that could take on a much deeper look into some of these topics based on their experience and their expertise.”
Davis said one of the big strengths of the program is the relationships that are built, and “although difficult to feel that personal connection virtually,” it was not lost. “We jumped into this really deep story sharing exercise and developed how our story connects to us as leaders and what we want out of the class, and that just really opened up the floodgates and quickly deepened our relationships,” Davis said.
The Academy is continuing the pandemic adaptation process this year, moving forward with executive coaching, skill-building, networking, group projects, assessments and evaluations, and a modified but strong leadership curriculum.
Ray Young, a Class 13 member and the integrated care site director at Terros Health, a nonprofit organization that provides medical and behavioral health, joined the program because it seemed like a great way to collaborate with other agencies that are providing similar services and work.
The change of pace of going remote for the Academy, according to Young, has not altered the message or focus of the class that was being taught before the pandemic.
“For me being in healthcare, it’s given me an even broader window into how our patients are being affected,” Young said. “It’s definitely different but it hasn’t changed the impact of what the organization is doing or how it’s bringing people together.”
Young also said that between in-person socially distant meetings and virtual opportunities, the program has done a great job with inclusion and COVID-19 safety precautions to make all members feel comfortable; “It’s been like an instant family.”
“It’s been extremely warm and welcoming and what I like about it is that it’s about bringing everybody together for the forward movement of nonprofits,” Young said. “There’s no ego involved, everybody is in because it’s a passion and I think that’s what truly makes it click … Everybody’s only trying to help one another in moving forward in what we do for our nonprofits. It’s beautiful to see.”