Leadership Springfield

As we kick off a new program year for Signature Classes 51 & 52, it’s the perfect time to reconnect with someone from your Signature Class!

Take a moment to browse the LeadSGF Alumni Directory, find a familiar name, and reach out to a classmate you haven’t connected with in a while. Whether it’s been a few weeks or a few decades, there’s always a reason to reconnect with the people who shared the Leadership Springfield experience with you.

Visit our website to find a classmate in the Alumni Directory!

Get Connected. Get Involved. Get Access.

The Access Class is your inside scoop on the Springfield community! Participants spend two full days going behind the scenes of Springfield, engaging directly with community leaders and exploring the organizations, industries, and initiatives shaping our region. Sessions include presentations, panel discussions, exclusive tours, and built-in networking, and you'll leave with the relationships (and contact info!) to keep the conversations going long after the program ends.

Learn more about the October 2026 Access Class!

Join us as we build and bridge social capital across borders on an alumni trip to Tlaquepaque, Mexico! Check out the draft itinerary for this seven-day trip. Travelers will immerse themselves in the local culture, make person-to-person connections with local artists, business owners, and citizens, and experience the hospitality in one of Springfield’s Sister Cities!

We are so excited to be offering this trip in partnership with the Springfield Sister Cities Association, in honor of both of our organizations’ 40th anniversaries!

Learn more and reserve your spot today: https://leadershipspringfield.org/forms/ssca-alumni-trip/

Signature Class 51 kicked off their nine-month Leadership Springfield journey this week with a Launch Retreat focused on connection, curiosity, and discovery. From asking thoughtful questions to learning more about themselves, one another, and the community they’re preparing to lead, this group is already building the relationships that make Leadership Springfield so special. We’re excited to watch Signature Class 51 learn, grow, challenge one another, and discover new ways to make a difference in Springfield!

A huge thank you to our retreat facilitators Carrie Richardson and Dr. Spencer Harris, Strengths facilitator Dr. Nichole Lemmon, Dr. Nicole Holt, Traci Nash, board members, and advisors, who made this retreat a success!

We’re grateful for the generous support of our Signature Series Presenting Sponsor, CoxHealth; Signature Class 51 Launch Retreat Sponsor, Forvis Mazars US; Strengths Sponsor, SpringNet; and Launch Retreat Meal Sponsors, Showmechuy and Mother's Brewing Company. Your investment in the Signature Class program helps shape and strengthen the future of community leadership.

Make the most of your alumni status by joining the Alumni Bulletin Board on Facebook! This private group, just for LeadSGF grads, is available to help you connect beyond programs and events. Think of it as your community bulletin board to share job openings, board opportunities, volunteer needs, invitations to community events, and more. Continue the connection with alumni from the past 40 years!

Join the LeadSGF Alumni Bulletin Board: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LeadSGFAlumniMembers

Leadership Springfield is accepting resumes for a Development & Community Outreach position. This role is about relationships—connecting people to our mission and creating meaningful opportunities for them to engage, invest, and partner with Leadership Springfield. This position will build and steward relationships with individual donors, alumni, corporate partners, employers, and community supporters. We're open to a range of backgrounds and experience levels and want to find the right person for our team. If you're a relationship-builder who loves connecting people, organizations, and ideas to meaningful work in our community, we'd love to hear from you.

Interested in learning more? Send your resume to [email protected].

We officially kicked off the Academy Class program year earlier this month with Academy Class 37’s Orientation! We welcomed students and their parents to learn what to expect in the coming year as they begin their 6-month leadership development program focused on making an impact in their local communities. Classmates made connections, met a few alumni advisors, and took their first step into their program year experience. We will see you in October for your Launch Retreat, Academy Class 37!

Thank you to Mid-Missouri Bank for sponsoring the Academy Orientation, Launch Virtual Learning for hosting us, and to our Academy Class Presenting Sponsor, Mercy Hospital Springfield, for helping to make this program possible at no cost to students, families, or schools!

Last month we kicked off our annual giving campaign, and the response has been affirming—thank you to everyone who has already given!

The momentum already created this program year is amazing. If a letter from us reached your mailbox recently, consider this your friendly nudge: your gift puts the next leader in the room, whether it's a one-time contribution or joining our $40 for 40 Years monthly giving community. You're not just supporting one leader. You're starting a ripple that will impact leaders for years to come.

Give today: https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/leadership-springfield/leadsgf-recurring-one-time-2025

It takes an incredible team of volunteers to bring Celebrate Springfield to life, and we'd love for you to join us this year!

We're excited to welcome the community to the 5th Annual Celebrate Springfield on Sunday, October 4, at the Route 66 Stadium Front Plaza. From greeting guests and assisting with activities to supporting exhibitors and helping behind the scenes, there are a variety of volunteer opportunities available.

Ready to join the team? Sign up here: https://signup.com/go/HkWGrdS

Thank you for helping Springfieldians love where they live. Your time and support help create a fun, welcoming experience that connects our community and celebrates everything that makes Springfield special.

Please contact [email protected] with questions.

What does it take to go from working in Springfield to truly being connected to the community?

The Network recently spotlighted our Access Class and the opportunity it provides to get behind the scenes, meet community leaders, and better understand how Springfield works.

Thanks to The Network for helping us share what makes Access Class such a valuable experience! 💙

Interested in Access Class? Learn more and apply: https://leadershipspringfield.org/forms/october-2026-access-class/