Where it Began
“The Transformative Leader program was created to be a space for people who have accepted the call to make change and who have sacrificed themselves, and their own wellbeing at times, to improve the lives of others.”
-Leigh Solomon Pugliano, Creator of the Transformative Leader Program
The Transformative Leader program (TLP) was developed to recognize social justice, social impact, and nonprofit leaders from all sectors for their impactful community-centered work. In addition to a financial award, the program supports leaders in building strategies that navigate existing barriers and lead to sustainable change.
The Equity | Impact Center’s mission is to transform leaders, nonprofit organizations, and arts and culture for a more equitable society and improved quality of life. The Transformative Leader Program is intended to fulfill our mission by supporting leaders with powerful ideas and solutions crafted from knowledge, expertise, skills and lived experience, designed to be a space for collective learning, growth, and collaboration.
The Program
An essential element for leadership growth is the presence of a supportive ecosystem. As organizations grow, leaders face new challenges and need varying resources to support them. Cultivating and curating these resources requires knowledge of the various stages of organizational growth and leadership development, an understanding of the barriers leaders face, and a commitment to intersectional leadership development in order to design effective programs and initiatives.
An impactful leadership development program should provide social justice and nonprofit leaders with targeted knowledge, resources, and experiential opportunities to engage with peers around common issues, challenges, and promising practices. This is the mission of TLP.
The curriculum takes leaders through a series of sessions from the tenets of transformative leadership, to reflecting on their work in progress. The sessions are designed for collective learning and individual reflection.
The Cohort
This year’s inaugural cohort is an exceptional group of community leaders making an impact and addressing systemic inequity across sectors and cities including Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C.
Pictured above, TLP Cohort awardees, Equity | Impact Center staff, and guest facilitator janera solomon in session 2 on June 8, 2022.
This inaugural cohort connected in a powerful way at the Transformative Leader launch. Initially through their introductions and recognition of the power and impact each leader brought to the space, then forming a deeper connection through the sessions facilitated by anupama jain, Tameka Cage-Conley, and Felicia Savage Friedman. The affirmation, vulnerability, and joy exhibited in the first session established a beautiful foundation for the inaugural program.
The 2022 Transformative Leader Program Cohort:
Alydia Thomas, Graduate Student Diversity, Engagement & Inclusion Manager at University of Pittsburgh
Bianca Moore, Founder of BMoore Consulting, LLC
Fatima Bunafoor, Director of Talent and Equity at Pittsburgh Equity Arts Coalition
Isaiah Johnson, Founder of Greenmount East Leadership Project
Kelli Shakur, Founder of Frogang Foundation
Martice Sutton, Executive Director of Girls Going Global
Nadyli Nuñez, Executive Director of AscenderPGH
Natalie Sweet, Executive Director at Brew House Association
Riley Jones, IV, Ventures Director at CityBridge Education
Terri Shields, Founder & Executive Director at JADA House International
Tiffany Huff-Strothers, Founder & CEO of When She Thrives
Reflections
“I’m elated to be a part of such an amazing and talented group of individuals who are making an impact on people of color and in their communities…the information and selected presenters were awesome, and very informative…I can’t think of anything to add or change about the program.”
“We need to keep it going, the lessons are there but when we get together and see each other it makes a big difference…I’m honored to be a part of this cohort and hope everyone is able to lean on each other moving forward.”
“Leigh investing in me gives me hope; ‘thank you’ isn’t able to capture how I feel about the experience. The Equity | Impact Center is setting itself above a lot of other leadership programs I’ve participated in.”
“I connected deeply with the time we spent early on getting to understand where people were coming to this work from. I appreciated the range of experiences the cohort had in being thoughtful advocates for social justice, equity, and for inclusion.”
“I’m thankful to Leigh for selecting a group of people that were able to relate to one another.”
“Sometimes you need people to recognize you as a leader. The first session just tore me up because I didn’t think about things with that perspective. I need more, this was great.”
“I tell people about this experience ALL the time. This was literally the best fellowship I have ever been a part of. I’m genuinely sad about this being the last session. Please let’s continue to meet regularly.”
“I cannot begin to thank Leigh and Equity Impact for inviting me to take part in the first Transformative Leader Launch Event. So many of the leader-participants and their faces and stories have remained with me since the presentation. This opportunity created a deeper witness with me that sharing my work in this capacity feels like part of the next leg of my career and journey. Leigh, I have been talking about your dynamism since the event. Leigh is a rare visionary, and I look forward to October 15.”
Transformative Leader Facilitator
Pictured above, Final TLP session with Equity | Impact Center staff and facilitator anupama jain on September 14, 2022.
We invite you to come celebrate these exceptional leaders with us in Pittsburgh, PA on October 15, 2022 at AMPLIFY: Celebrating Transformative Leaders. Tickets range from $50 – $100 and go to supporting Equity | Impact Center programming.
The evening includes complimentary food and drinks, live music, and the opportunity to connect with some of the most impactful leaders within the Pittsburgh community and beyond. Click here for tickets and additional information.
We hope to see you on October 15th!
The Transformative Leader Program is intentionally designed to meet the Equity | Impact Center’s strategic priorities; equity-centered and impact-driven. The program was designed, led and, facilitated by our President and CEO, Leigh Solomon Pugliano, and generously supported by The Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Foundation.
