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“Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic selfhood. As we do so, we will find our path of authentic service in the world.”
-Parker J. Palmer

INVESTING IN PEOPLE WHO DRIVE & CREATE CHANGE

Our communities need inspired, capable, and connected leaders. But the system in which our leaders operate is too often characterized by dysfunction, division, and a lack of investment. Leading From Within equips community changemakers to grow in their ability to lead, collaborate, and drive solutions. We bring social sector leaders together to:

  • grow as individuals and improve their effectiveness as leaders,
  • sustain each other as peers to keep leading and learning, and
  • increase their capacity to be collaborators for the common good.

IN THE NEWS

Mario Mendez

Mario Mendez, Community Awareness Accountability & Action Manager/ Senior Field Staff Wilderness Youth Project, Emerging…

Sarah York Rubin

Sarah York Rubin, Executive Director Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture Courage to…

Come Join Us for a Guided Nature Experience

Thanks to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, this month, there are two opportunities for LFW…

Emerging Leaders | Info Sessions

If you are interested in learning more about our Emerging Leaders 2025 program, we encourage…

Chelseá Jensen

Chelseá Jensen, Director of Mental Health, Good Samaritan Shelter Leading for Community Impact It was…

Cynder Sinclair: Leading From Within Aims to Transform All Community Sectors

Published by: CYNDER SINCLAIR, NOOZHAWK COLUMNIST Noozhawk article Many people dream of transforming their community.…

Lucille Boss

Lucille Boss, Emerging Leaders Program Housing Programs Manager, County of Santa Barbara Even from a…

Eder Gaona-Macedo Joins Board at Leading From Within

Published by: ANN PIERAMICI, NOOZHAWK CONTRIBUTING WRITER Noozhawk article Leading From Within (LFW) has announced…

Let’s Talk Finance with Hilda Zacarias and Michael Williams – Santa Maria

Start Within: Organizational Financial Communications Talk turkey with your team. Set informed budgets to make…

Ed France

Ed departs for new adventures in public service with the City of Santa Barbara, and…

Katya Armistead

Katherine Harvey Fellows Cohort 4, 2006-07 LFW Board Member, Emerging Leaders Facilitator It was due…

Let’s Talk Finance with Hilda Zacarias and Michael Williams

Start Within: Organizational Financial Communications Talk turkey with your team. Set informed budgets to make…

Oscar Gutierrez

Santa Barbara City Council Member Emerging Leaders Cohort 9 Santa Barbara City Council member Oscar…

Mentors and Allies: An Exploration with the Katherine Harvey Fellows

Reflections from Ed France People hate politics. Yet for any of us interested to advance…

Leading for Community Impact Culmination

RSVP below to join us! The 5th Cohort of our Leading for Community Impact program…

Resource Share

What is your favorite resource to use in the workplace or at home that makes…

Michael Velasquez

Shop Manager Bici Centro Emerging Leaders Cohort 9 Michael Velasquez remembers first discovering the joy…

Leadership Programs

We train, develop, connect, and support all social sector leaders in a shared leadership practice, culture, and experience.

As a result, leaders amplify their ability to address issues important to our community. 

Alumni Communities

We cultivate ongoing learning and access to resources and opportunities for collaboration between Leading From Within alumni.

Mario Mendez

Mario Mendez, Community Awareness Accountability & Action Manager/ Senior Field Staff Wilderness Youth Project, Emerging…

Sarah York Rubin

Sarah York Rubin, Executive Director Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture Courage to…

Chelseá Jensen

Chelseá Jensen, Director of Mental Health, Good Samaritan Shelter Leading for Community Impact It was…

Lucille Boss

Lucille Boss, Emerging Leaders Program Housing Programs Manager, County of Santa Barbara Even from a…

Katya Armistead

Katherine Harvey Fellows Cohort 4, 2006-07 LFW Board Member, Emerging Leaders Facilitator It was due…

Oscar Gutierrez

Santa Barbara City Council Member Emerging Leaders Cohort 9 Santa Barbara City Council member Oscar…

Michael Velasquez

Shop Manager Bici Centro Emerging Leaders Cohort 9 Michael Velasquez remembers first discovering the joy…

Dr. Patricia Madrigal

Founder, PEAC Foundation Director of Evaluation & Programs, James S. Bower Foundation The Katherine Harvey…

Ann McCarty, Rape Crisis
Ann McCarty

Executive Director, North County Rape Crisis & Child Protection Center Leading For Community Impact, 2016-17…

Monique Limon Headshot
Senator Monique Limón

Katherine Harvey Fellows 2008-09 Former Leading From Within Board Member Senator Monique Limón discovered a…

Jordan Killebrew
Jordan Killebrew

Executive Director, Public Affairs and Communications at SBCC Emerging Leaders, 2017 Growing up, Jordan moved…

Abe Powell

Co-founder and CEO of Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade Courage to Lead, 2019- 2022 Decades before…

Sylvia Barnard

Executive Director, Good Samaritan Shelter Leading For Community Impact Sylvia Barnard was a single mom…

Teresa Alvarez

Executive Director, Carpinteria Children’s Project Emerging Leaders, 2016 Teresa Alvarez knows firsthand how critical the services…

Gloria Soto

Executive Director, Future Leaders of America Council Member, City of Santa Maria  Emerging Leaders, 2017…

Karin Powers

Finance and Human Resource Director | North County Rape Crisis & Child Protection Center Emerging…

Impact Network

Investing in our leaders creates positive, exponential impacts – to the individual, the organization, the sector, and the community.

We design and create community impact vehicles that seek to facilitate the fertile ground for social innovation and collaboration among the network.

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