Now Accepting Nominations for CALI VII.

Thank you for helping us identify outstanding individuals for our CALI classes.

Each class of Fellows will participate in an 18-month program comprising four seminars and leadership development activities under the guidance of skilled moderators trained and certified by The Aspen Institute. The program requires a commitment by each Fellow of 24 days for seminar meetings plus the time allocated for individual leadership projects and periodic informal gatherings.

The nomination period for CALI VII is now closed

PURPOSE

The Central America Leadership Initiative -- a joint venture between The Aspen Institute, FUNDEMAS (El Salvador), INCAE and TechnoServe -- seeks to develop a new generation of community-spirited leaders in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Using the time-tested Aspen method of text-based dialogue, the program aims to provide the tools and perspectives necessary for effective, enlightened leadership in business, government and the nonprofit sector -- and in Central American society at large.

CRITERIA

Individuals recommended as candidates for the Central America Leadership Initiative should be:

• Young executives and professionals (between the ages of 30 and 45) who have achieved success in creating and leading dynamic organizations;
• Men and women who have demonstrated their potential for leadership at the highest levels of business, government and civic responsibility;
• Possessed of a breadth of experience and level of maturity that will enable them to contribute effectively to the seminar experience;
• From diverse backgrounds in terms of ethnicity, race and gender;
• At an inflection point in their lives; and
• Fluent in English – both spoken and on the page.

THE PROGRAM

Each class of the Central America Leadership Initiative Fellows will consist of twenty-four young men and women who will undertake a program of advanced leadership seminars and individual leadership projects under the direction of experienced Aspen Institute-certified moderators and senior local mentors. The 18-month curriculum has been designed specifically for the Central America Leadership Initiative and comprises four seminars and leadership development activities. The program will require a commitment by each Fellow of 24 days for seminar meetings plus the time allocated for individual leadership projects and periodic informal gatherings. Their participation will be without cost to themselves or their organizations, exclusive of the costs associated with travel to and from the seminars and incidental expenses incurred.

NOMINATION PROCEDURES

Individuals may not apply to the Central America Leadership Initiative on their own; they must be nominated by recognized business and community leaders in their region. Nominators are asked to submit:

• A letter stating their reasons for recommending the candidate;
• Completing the nomination form;
• A résumé or CV indicating the candidate's age, physical address, email address and phone number, educational background, career path, current position, voluntary community activities;
• Candidate's photo;
• And any additional information that will help us evaluate their qualifications for the program.