LeadBoston
Boston’s premiere program for equity-centered leadership
LeadBoston is our premier leadership development program that focuses on empowering mid- to senior-level professionals with the knowledge, skills, and network to propel their leadership and their organization’s success. During this unique, 11-month experiential program, participants explore barriers to inclusion through facilitated dialogue, expert speakers, communication modules, and peer learning, equipping participants with direct insight into key institutions and levers for change, strengthening their skills as leaders committed to advancing equity.
Join the next cohort!
Since 1991, LeadBoston has competitively selected over 1,250 individuals as LeadBoston participants. LeadBostonians typically have 15 to 30 years or more of experience in their field and represent the gamut of Boston’s professional diversity, from finance to law, civil service to nonprofit, and more. Participants are sponsored and financially supported by their employers. LeadBoston is not an introductory workforce training program, and participants are required to have professional experience prior to participation. The deadline to apply for LeadBoston’s 2026 cohort is October 6, 2025.
LeadBoston at-a-glance
What we do during LeadBoston
Listen & learn
Our cohorts meet with policymakers, corporate leaders, and academics.
Experience Boston
We visit Boston’s civic institutions, schools, health centers, corporations, correctional facilities, and neighborhoods.
Build skills
Leaders will learn about inclusive communication skills and how to bring LeadBoston topics and discussions back to their organization.
Drive change
Each leader finishes the program by developing a project to drive equitable change within the participants’ organizations and communities.
How to apply
Step 1: Attend an info session
Before you apply, we strongly recommend attending one of our virtual LeadBoston information sessions, where you’ll learn about the logistics, objectives, and outcomes for LeadBoston 2026. Check our events calendar for upcoming sessions.
Step 2: Fill out the online application.
To apply for LeadBoston, complete the online application form by October 6, 2025. The form consists of personal and demographic questions, and will ask you about your leadership philosophy and reasons for applying to LeadBoston. Selection decisions are communicated on a rolling basis through early December 2025.
Step 3: Interview
Invitations are extended to candidates on a rolling basis. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview with a LeadBoston alumni. The interview is a great way for us to get to know applicants and for them to learn more about the program.
Step 4: Employer commitment
Your employer must submit a completed employer commitment form within five business days after your interview. To be eligible for acceptance, you must submit an employer commitment form. You will receive a copy of this form after completing the online application. The form states that your employer will support your participation in LeadBoston and finance your tuition.
Step 5: Enrollment confirmation
Accepted applicants will be given a deadline to respond to their email offer and confirm their seat in the class.
Nominate someone else here.
What our participants gain
Join Our Robust Alumni Network
LeadBoston doesn’t end on the last day of the training. Instead, our alums are invited to stay connected through events, networking, further learning opportunities, and our online community, YWBoston Connect. Here’s how you can remain connected with your class and other alumni:
Looking for more detailed information about LeadBoston?
Download our printable info packet for even more details about LeadBoston, including tuition and program dates.
Conversations during our program days have been thought-provoking and have also opened an incredible network of people that I am confident will come together with me to make Boston an even better home for many more amazing people.
Jae Williams
LeadBoston Class of 2019
Faculty, Emerson College
LeadBoston has been an incredible opportunity to build what I hope to be lasting connections across what so often divides us — sectors, race and ethnicity, issues — among folks who share a fervent desire to make our communities better.
Lisa Godlblatt Grace
LeadBoston Class of 2019
Co-Founder & Executive Director, My Life My Choice
Graduating from LeadBoston was such a refreshing experience, not only because the program exemplifies what true inclusive leadership is all about, but it also challenges our core beliefs around social justice — whether in our communities or workplace. I’m grateful for its lasting impact on my growth as a leader and consensus builder.
Sundip Arora
LeadBoston Class of 2011
Director, North American Storage and Data Solutions, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
I am grateful and humbled to be part of the LeadBoston experience and the alliances that will enable us to continue to make an impact.
Johana Muriel Grajales
LeadBoston Class of 2019
Director, National Strategy, Latinos for Education
LeadBoston is the ideal opportunity for development and connection with the Boston community that most professionals aren’t able to receive. It is a networking opportunity where one is able to connect with other professionals who are like-minded and want to give back to the community. It is a great opportunity for grounding professionals in Boston.
Gary Morton
LeadBoston Class of 2010
Director, Give with Liberty Program, Liberty Mutual Insurance
In a culture that normally does whatever it can to avoid looking at racial inequality, LeadBoston is an essential corrective. Of the many insights I gained in LeadBoston, the most essential one may be this: that significant change will only come when leaders break across the artificial boundaries of “sector” and “field” and instead name the entrenched boundaries of race and class that affect people’s lives every day.
Colin Stokes
LeadBoston Class of 2018
Director of Communications, Outreach, and Engagement, METCO
I went through LeadBoston when I was a Sales Representative at National Grid. I grew up in Boston and thought I knew the city pretty well, but my LeadBoston experience showed me so much more about our neighborhoods. It gave me a better perspective as I went back to work in various parts of the city.
Reggie Smalls
LeadBoston Class of 2013
Security Consultant, Safeguard Security & Surveillance
LeadBoston opens your mind to issues and points of view to which you otherwise would not have been exposed, opens doors to places you otherwise would never go, and opens your heart to people and communities you otherwise would not know.
Susan Stenger
LeadBoston Class of 2009
Partner, Burns & Levinson
LeadBoston helped me to understand Boston, its neighborhoods, and its people in an entirely new way. That knowledge provides a strong foundation for me as a civic and political leader.
Martha M. Walz
LeadBoston Class of 2002
Principal, Marty Walz and Associates
I was skeptical of participating in LeadBoston because I’ve done this work for over 20 years. Turns out, I did have a lot to learn. I learned about myself and how I can more effectively impact areas I care about — health, housing, social justice, to name a few. It’s the best self-development and network building I’ve done in the past 10 years.
Thaddeus Miles
LeadBoston Class of 2019
Director of Community Services, MassHousing
LeadBoston is an eye-opening opportunity for a person to not only learn about Boston, but about themselves. What are the challenges that Boston and its residents face and what role do you, as a leader and community member, play in perpetuating or resolving these problems?
Allison Picott
LeadBoston Class of 2019
Director of Development, Social Innovation Forum
LeadBoston has been perhaps the most meaningful experience of my professional life to date. To be able to take my personal passion and insights around DEI and be enriched by and alongside a cohort of like-minded leaders has expanded both my understanding and my ability to drive change across my spheres of influence.
Austyn Ellese Mayfield
LeadBoston Class of 2022
Not only did LeadBoston open my eyes to the seemingly insurmountable racial issues in our city, but LeadBoston also gave me the knowledge and insight to take steps to help make Boston a more inclusive place for all.
Tracy Burns
LeadBoston Class of 2022
