or

Elevate Leadership Academy

A collaborative learning experience for mid to upper-level leaders

Elevate Leadership Academy is an 8-month collaborative learning experience designed to equip mid to upper-level leaders for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Our timely and relevant content focuses on individual leadership development while mastering the art of leading others.

Elevate Leadership Academy graduates will level-up their self-awareness, expand their leadership effectiveness and make a significant impact in their organization and the Cedar Valley.

What You’ll Learn

It's important that your investment of time yields a big return! Graduates of Elevate Leadership Academy will walk away with enhanced knowledge and skills to lead more effectively.

Elevate Leadership Academy includes two strands of learning and development: Leading You and Leading Others. We will cover elements from both strands in each of our eight sessions.

Click here for more details on the course content you'll experience!

Leading You To tap into the greatness of others, you must first tap into your own. Elevate Leadership Academy will enhance your emotional intelligence, empower you with a growth mindset, increase personal accountability and emphasize your wellness as a leader.

Leading Others To mobilize your team to greatness, you must first develop the skills to lead them. Elevate Leadership Academy will strengthen your capacity to develop individuals and teams, improve your communication and foster well-being among your team.

What's Expected of You

Your Eligibility
Elevate Leadership Academy is for current Cedar Valley leaders within private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Ideal Elevate candidates have demonstrated leadership experience and are committed to leveling up their leadership and making an increased impact in their current and future professional and community roles.

Your Elevate Participation Commitments

Attend 8 full-day sessions one time a month (October-May, 3rdTuesday of Month- see below). Make every effort to attend allsessions. If you must miss one, advance notice is encouraged. Elevate participants will be allowed two absences for the duration of the Academy.
Attend 1 full-day Leadership Accelerator of your choice (between August 2026-June 2027).
Attend kick off dinner the evening before session 1 (October 19, 2026)
Attend graduation ceremony (May 20, 2027)
Identify a mentor/manager who will be a thought partner with you.
Complete pre-work between sessions. This may include light assigned reading, leadership assessments, individual work, connecting with your mentor/manager, or connecting with your Elevate Triad).
Be present and engaged in Elevate sessions.

Session Dates

Frequency

Elevate meets the 3rdTuesday of the month between October 2026 and May 2027, with theexception of March 2027due to spring break. Eachs ession will be 7:45 a.m. to4:30 p.m. The ElevateKickoff Dinner, Session 1, and Graduation are mandatory sessions.

October 19, 2026
Elevate Kickoff Dinner
(5:00p.m. - 8:00p.m.)
October 20, 2026
Session 1
November 17, 2026
Session 2
December 15, 2026
Session 3
January 19, 2027
Session 4

February 16, 2027
Session 5
March 9, 2027*
Session 6
April 20, 2027
Session 7
May 18, 2027
Session 8
May 20, 2027
Elevate Graduation
(5:00p.m. - 7:00p.m.)

Session Location

All sessions will be held at our Venue Sponsor location:
Diamond Event Center in Cedar Falls. Directions

Registration and Payment

Elevate Program Tuition

Tuition is $3,195, paid prior to the first session, and is non-refundable. Tuition covers all program materials, LeadershipAccelerator course, online assessments, meals and snacks, and other expenses associated with Elevate

Elevate Scholarships

Tuition cost should not prohibit an individual from benefiting fromElevate. There are limited scholarships available that will offset the cost of participation. Participants eligible for the scholarship include those representing non-profits, small business, entrepreneurs, underrepresented or marginalized communities, or K-12educators. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please complete the optional essay question below.

Registration and Notification

May 1, 2026-Registration Opens
July 17, 2026-Registration Closes
August 14, 2026-Participants will be notified of their acceptance into the Elevate cohort
Early registration is recommended as class size is limited Participant selection will be based on order of application received.