Dear Friends of the Central America Leadership Initiative,

The Central America Leadership Initiative (CALI) offers successful leaders from across the region a rare opportunity to step away from the day-to-day fray of running their businesses and institutions in order to reflect on their role in building a better Central America.

Convened in classes of 24 four times over a two year period, CALI “Fellows” have already proven they know how to manage people and organizations, and how to earn profits. We ask them the somewhat rude question: “So what?” Central America – like many parts of the world – faces immense challenges. What it needs are the visionary, values-centered leaders willing to step out of their comfort zones to tackle these challenges head-on.

To succeed, leaders anywhere need to understand how to identify and balance the tensions inherent in any democracy – tensions between individuals with strong beliefs and values that are sometimes at odds. And to do this, they need to be clear about their own values and their own vision of what constitutes ‘a good society.” CALI provides the framework within which to develop this clarity and offers the Fellows access to a diverse, global network of others committed to the same goal.

CALI Fellows cannot apply to be part of the initiative. They must be nominated by others who offer a frank assessment of their strengths and shortcomings; of what they will bring to their class as well as what they stand to take away; and of their potential “to make a dent in the universe.” Above all else, nominees must be exemplars of authentic, ethical, enlightened leadership with the track record to back that up.

Read more about CALI in the pages that follow. And join us in our quest to cultivate a new generation of leaders bold enough to think differently and to act on those beliefs -- that is, to move from success to significance…and from thought to action.

Peter A. Reiling
Chairman Executive Vice President for Leadership and Policy Programs for the Aspen Institute