Leadership wisconsin

Wisconsin Community Leadership Intensive Experience

WELCOME TO LEADERSHIP WISCONSIN

Leadership Wisconsin is pleased to introduce its new advanced statewide leadership development program designed to catapult motivated, high-potential leaders from across the state into solution-based collaboration that significantly impacts issues that matter.

The “Community Leadership 2.0” program (CL2.0) is available exclusively to those individuals across the state who have benefited from one of several esteemed local community development programs. These alumni have the skills, awareness and demonstrated commitment to roll up their sleeves and make a difference. They’re ready for advanced leadership training and opportunities and this program will inspire and prepare them even further to engage.

The 2.0 program provides participants the opportunity to work collectively with a cohort of peers from across the state to engage in deep learning and exploration on a single, critical issue. The issue serves as the “learning lab” through which they will hone their skills and connect their own local communities to a network of better practices, valuable resources and collaborative thinking/doing.

EXCLUSIVE TO LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ALUM

CL2.0 is offered to and comprised exclusively of alum of current local community leadership programs in Wisconsin, including such programs as Leadership Kenosha, Leadership Greater Madison, Leadership Fond du Lac County, Leadership Green Bay and many others across the state. To find a local leadership program near you, or to see if your program qualifies, please contact Lynn Wood at lwood@wcgpr.com.

LEADERSHIP LEARNING LAB FORMAT FOCUSED ON ONE TOPIC

Each year, the cohort will develop advanced leadership skills via an intensive focus on a single issue of importance and impact that is affecting all areas of the state to varying degrees. The Community Leadership 2.0 program’s “leadership learning lab” will utilize subject-matter experts related to the “focus topic,” along with other experts who will deliver content that provides a framework for understanding, collaboration, problem-solving exploration, and action. The 2026 focus topic will be HOUSING.

COLLECTIVE IMPACT WILL BE MADE ON THE FOCUS TOPIC

Together, the cohort will practice the skills in real time as they engage with local partners who are striving to make progress on the focus topic. The leadership learning lab will create a hands-on opportunity for developing, practicing, and applying practical and transferrable leadership skills, while helping to advance the issue in their own community AND collectively at the state level.

“Being part of Community Leadership 2.0 has helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve always seen myself as a listener and educator—but through this experience, I’ve learned how to step into advocacy. Connecting with others in this statewide network, sharing what I know, and seeing progress unfold beyond my own community has been incredibly inspiring. I’ve been invited into conversations and spaces I might never have entered before. The program didn’t ask for huge leaps, just steady, intentional steps that pushed me to keep growing—and when I look back to where I started in February, the growth has been remarkable.”

— Jamie, Local Leadership Program Director, CL 2.0 Pilot Participant

2026 FOCUS TOPIC: HOUSING

The next CL2.0 Class of Leadership Wisconsin will start February 2026. They will meet both in person and virtually over the course of nine months to learn, engage and lead. The focus topic will be HOUSING.

Why Housing?

Access to safe, affordable, and attainable housing is one of Wisconsin’s most pressing and interconnected challenges—impacting workforce growth, community vitality, and family well-being. In its second pilot year, Community Leadership 2.0 will use housing as its statewide “learning lab,” inviting leaders from across sectors to explore the systems, policies, and partnerships that shape housing availability and affordability. Through this lens, participants will strengthen their ability to lead adaptively, collaborate across divides, and design innovative, community-centered solutions for Wisconsin’s future. To learn more about why CL2.0 is focusing on housing, please click here.

Click Here for the Community Leadership 2.0 Application Form

PARTICIPATION DETAILS

WHAT: The curriculum for the Community Leadership 2.0 program will focus heavily on advanced leadership skill development in areas such as collaborative decision making; issue analysis and assessment; advocacy and persuasion, and fostering civil discourse in the context of the focus topic. Experts and practitioners from across the state will provide valuable content, offer insights, and prompt deep thinking, planning and action.

WHEN:  Second Thursday of the month, February 2026 – October 2026. The format for monthly session days will include a combination of in-person gatherings, virtual meetings, small group sessions, and local community research days through the course of the 9-month program. The program will launch with a mandatory 1.5 day, in-person retreat in Madison and other in-person sessions will take place in locations to be announced later this year. See sample schedule below.

  • Feb. 11-12 – in-person opening retreat (Madison)
  • March 12 – virtual
  • April 9 – virtual
  • May 14 – virtual
  • June 10 – 11 – in-person session (location TBD)
  • July 9 – virtual
  • Aug 13 – virtual
  • Sept. 10 – virtual
  • Oct. 7-8 – in person session + graduation (location TBD) 

TIME COMMITMENT: Class time for regular sessions is 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., opening and closing retreat days will have extended hours. The February, June, and October sessions will be held in-person. All remaining sessions will be held virtually using the Zoom platform. Additional work in your local community between sessions will be required as part of the group learning lab/hands-on element of the program. Program participants much commit to not missing more than 1.5 sessions for successful completion of the program.

COST: $1950/person. This special tuition pricing for the Cohort of the Wisconsin Community Leadership Intensive includes accommodations and meals for opening retreat, and meals for in-person sessions,. All other expenses will be covered by participant.

Click here for Community Leadership 2.0 Application Form.