Case Study: Obama Leaders USA

1. Introduction and Context

The Obama Leaders USA Program is a flagship leadership initiative of the Obama Foundation, designed to empower emerging changemakers from across the United States, U.S. territories, and Indian Country. This six-month hybrid program aims to equip participants with the skills, networks, and strategies needed to drive systemic change in their communities, organizations, and fields.

At its core, the program fosters values-based leadership, focusing on principles of pluralism, democratic culture, and strategic action. Participants represent a diverse cohort of leaders, including business owners, community advocates, educators, doctors, police, and more, united by their commitment to creating a more democratic and inclusive society.

During my tenure, the inaugural cohort exemplified a rich diversity of backgrounds and perspectives:

• 80% BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)

• 15% LGBTQ+

• 56% Women

• 20% rural-based

• Representation from 37 states, 2 U.S. territories, Washington D.C., and 9 tribal nations

This diverse representation ensured a dynamic learning environment where participants could exchange insights, collaborate across differences, and co-create solutions tailored to their unique contexts.

Role

As the Instructional Designer, Lead Facilitator, and Program Director, I was responsible for end-to-end program design and delivery, including:

• Curriculum Design: Developing an intentional, research-informed learning journey rooted in experiential learning, storytelling, and structured reflection to align with program objectives.

• Program Application and Cohort Selection: Designing and running a highly-competitive, national application process that received nearly 3,000 applications with the responsibility of crafting the cohort for President Obama’s approval.

• Program Management: End-to-end program management, including seamless delivery of virtual and in-person sessions, implementing new learning technologies and management systems, being responsive to participant needs, managing contracted facilitators, ensuring alignment across program components, and comprehensive program evaluation.

• Facilitation: Leading dynamic, interactive workshops that prioritized co-created learning experiences, building a democratic culture, and systems thinking.

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Working alongside subject matter experts, including President Barack Obama himself and a MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, to ensure content depth and relevance.

This role required balancing theoretical leadership principles with practical applications, fostering a safe, inclusive learning environment where participants could deeply engage, reflect, and grow as changemakers.

This case study explores the design, implementation, and outcomes of the Obama Leaders USA Program, highlighting the transformative impact of a hybrid leadership development model tailored for emerging leaders navigating complex social, political, and economic landscapes.

2. Challenge/Need

The Obama Leaders USA Program was created to address critical gaps in leadership development opportunities for emerging changemakers across the United States, U.S. territories, and Indian Country. Despite the immense talent, vision, and passion within these communities, many aspiring leaders face systemic barriers that hinder their ability to fully realize their potential and create sustained impact.

Discovery Phase

In preparation for designing and implementing the program, I embarked on an extensive pre-program discovery process to deeply understand the realities, challenges, and aspirations of changemakers working in diverse and often underserved communities.

• National Roadtrip: I roadtripped through the Deep South, Mississippi Delta, Rust Belt, and Appalachia, meeting with unsung local leaders in their communities. These changemakers, often overlooked by traditional leadership programs, shared their stories, challenges, and hopes for leadership development opportunities that could meaningfully transform their work and lives.

• Virtual Engagement: I complemented these in-person meetings with virtual interviews and focus groups to connect with leaders from other marginalized groups and underrepresented geographies in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions, including leaders with disabilities, LGBTQ+ advocates, and rural organizers.

Over the course of this discovery phase, I conducted over 125 1:1 interviews and focus groups with leaders from a wide range of sectors, geographic regions, and lived experiences.

Key Findings

1. Isolation and Limited Networks: Many changemakers reported feeling isolated in their leadership journeys, with few opportunities to connect with peers facing similar challenges. There was also a significant lack of professional networks beyond their immediate geographic regions.

2. Lack of Contextually Relevant Leadership Development: Existing leadership development opportunities often felt disconnected from the realities of these leaders’ day-to-day challenges and cultural contexts. These programs were not adequately addressing place-based leadership dynamics unique to rural, economically marginalized, or historically excluded communities.

3. Resource and Capacity Gaps: Leaders expressed a need for capacity-building tools, including strategic planning resources, organizational leadership skills, and organizing frameworks, tailored to their organizational and community-specific realities.

4. Desire for Sustainable Leadership Practices: Many participants highlighted the emotional toll of their work and the lack of support for self-care, resilience, and leadership sustainability.

Translating Key Findings into Program Design

The insights from this discovery phase directly shaped the design and delivery of the Obama Leaders USA Program, ensuring that:

• The curriculum was rooted in the lived experiences of participants.

• Emphasis was placed on peer connection, network building, and shared learning experiences across diverse leadership contexts.

• Modules included strategies for place-based leadership, emotional resilience, and systems thinking.

• Virtual components increased accessibility and inclusivity, especially for leaders balancing multiple responsibilities.

This pre-program work not only grounded the program in authentic understanding and empathy but also ensured that every component of the Obama Leaders USA Program was contextually relevant, culturally responsive, and deeply impactful.

3. Solution

The Obama Leaders USA Program was intentionally designed to address the insights and needs uncovered during the pre-program discovery phase. The program combined research-driven curriculum design, dynamic facilitation methodologies, and strategic collaboration with subject matter experts to create an immersive and transformative leadership development experience.

Program Design Overview

The program was built around a hybrid learning model to maximize accessibility, engagement, and impact for participants across diverse geographies and lived experiences. It featured a carefully sequenced structure that included virtual learning modules, in-person convenings, individualized coaching, and peer learning opportunities.

Key Design Elements

1. Values-Based Leadership Framework: The curriculum, based on President and Mrs. Obama’s values-based leadership, emphasized self-leadership, strategic thinking, pluralism, and systems change, enabling participants to ground their leadership practices in core values while strengthening democracy more broadly. Activities explored how leaders’ personal experiences intersect with their leadership approaches, fostering authenticity and purpose-driven leadership.

2. Contextually Relevant Curriculum: Modules were tailored to address real-world leadership challenges that participants faced in their communities and professional roles. Themes included strategic planning, operationalizing equity, cross-sector collaboration, and leadership sustainability.

3. Experiential and Reflective Learning: Participants engaged in role-playing scenarios, case studies, storytelling exercises, and praxis-focused activities to apply theoretical concepts to real-world situations. Structured reflection exercises encouraged self-awareness and intentional application of leadership insights.

4. Peer Connection and Network Building: Cohort-based learning fostered deep connections among participants, breaking down the isolation many changemakers reported. Structured peer coaching circles enabled participants to collaboratively problem-solve and share resources.

5. Focus on Leadership Sustainability: The program incorporated well-being practices, self-care strategies, and resilience-building exercises based on Mrs. Obama’s writings and the latest research on the topics to address emotional fatigue and burnout. Participants explored how to maintain long-term sustainability in their leadership practices.

Facilitation Approach

As the Lead Facilitator, I employed an inclusive, co-creative facilitation style designed to honor the diverse lived experiences of participants while centering shared learning and growth.

Facilitation Highlights

• Adaptive Learning Spaces: Sessions were designed to be responsive to participant feedback and emergent group dynamics.

• Cultural Intelligence: Emphasis was placed on balancing power dynamics, fostering inclusive participation, and honoring diverse perspectives.

• Interactive Activities: Sessions incorporated storytelling, small group reflections, peer coaching exercises, and scenario-based activities to ensure active engagement and application to real-life leadership needs.

• Continuous Feedback Loops: Participants provided regular feedback, which informed real-time adjustments to maximize impact.

Collaboration with Experts and Thought Leaders

The program’s success was amplified by collaboration with renowned thought leaders and subject matter experts, including:

• President Barack Obama and Valerie Jarrett, who provided leadership insights and reflections on values-based leadership.

• Shonda Rhimes and Stephen Spielberg, who provided feedback on storytelling our storytelling module and insights on leadership in practice.

• A MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and other democracy subject matter experts who contributed to module design and workshop delivery.

These collaborations added credibility, inspiration, and unique perspectives to the participant experience, connecting them with global leadership insights.

Key Program Components

1. Digital Learning Platform: Provided access to self-paced content across several digital learning asset types, discussion forums, and supplementary resources, allowing participants to engage asynchronously.

2. Weekly Synchronous Virtual Sessions: Provided real-time engagement opportunities, fostering deeper discussions, shared reflections, and live problem-solving.

3. Peer Learning Circles: Small, consistent groups of participants met regularly for collaborative reflection, resource-sharing, and mutual accountability.

4. In-Person Convening: Brought participants together for immersive, community-building sessions focused on reflection, connection, and experiential learning at the annual Obama Foundation Democracy Forum.

5. Leadership Coaching: Weekly/bi-weekly individualized coaching sessions with certified executive coaches supported participants in addressing personal and professional growth areas.

This multi-layered approach ensured the program was not only informative and engaging but also deeply transformative, leaving participants with the tools, confidence, and networks to drive systemic change.

4. Implementation

The Obama Leaders USA Program unfolded through a carefully sequenced implementation plan that balanced structure and flexibility to meet participants' diverse needs. The hybrid model integrated virtual learning modules, in-person convenings, coaching sessions, and peer learning circles, ensuring participants had consistent opportunities for engagement, reflection, and growth.

Onboarding and Orientation

• Objective: Establish trust, set expectations, and introduce participants to the program’s goals, methodologies, and platforms.

• Activities:

  • Virtual onboarding sessions

  • Introduction to program goals and learning methodologies

  • Community-building exercises to foster early connections

Outcome: Participants felt prepared, informed, and connected to the broader cohort.

Blended Learning Experiences

• Objective: Provide participants with a foundation in values-based leadership, systems thinking, and strategic planning through self-paced modules and weekly synchronous sessions.

• Activities:

  • Weekly live virtual workshops with subject matter experts

  • Self-paced digital learning content

  • Reflection exercises and discussion forums

  • Developed a living leadership action plan to apply learnings in real-time

Outcome: Participants gained foundational knowledge while developing skills in real-time through interactive virtual engagement.

Peer Learning Circles

• Objective: Create a supportive and collaborative space for participants to share challenges, exchange resources, and hold one another accountable.

• Activities:

  • Regular virtual peer circle meetings

  • Guided reflection prompts

  • Problem-solving discussions

Outcome: Participants developed deeper relationships and shared practical strategies to address real-time leadership challenges.

Leadership Coaching

• Objective: Provide personalized, structured executive coaching to participants to address individual leadership challenges, refine their leadership approaches, and develop actionable strategies for advancing their goals.

• Activities:

  • One-on-one coaching sessions every week or every other week

  • Goal-setting exercises

  • Reflective practices

  • Accountability check-ins

Outcomes: Participants’ coaching experience outcomes ranged from helping them become more skillful leaders with clear action plans based on their specific circumstances to building confidence in navigating complex leadership challenges and integrating sustainable self-care and resilience practices into their routines.

In-Person Convening

• Objective: Deepen connections, facilitate immersive learning experiences, and solidify leadership insights in a collaborative setting.

• Activities:

  • Intensive leadership workshops

  • Collaborative group exercises

  • Networking events and guest speaker sessions

Outcome: Participants built meaningful connections, reinforced leadership competencies, and gained renewed inspiration.

Reflection and Program Closure

• Objective: Create space for reflection, celebrate accomplishments, and outline next steps for continued leadership growth.

• Activities:

  • Final virtual reflection circle

  • Showcase of capstone projects

  • Alumni engagement roadmap

Outcome: Participants felt equipped to continue their leadership journeys with a strong foundation, expanded networks, and clear action plans.

Program Evaluation and Impact Assessment

• Objective: Measure the effectiveness, quality, and participant outcomes of the Obama Leaders USA program through a structured evaluation process.

• Activities:

  • Baseline, midline, and end-line surveys

  • Formative assessments throughout program

  • Twice monthly participant focus groups

  • Partner and stakeholder debriefs

Outcome: Quantitative data and qualitative insights demonstrating significant increases in leadership confidence, strategic clarity, and cross-sector collaboration among participants. Alumni reported applying their new skills successfully in their work, building stronger professional networks, and sustaining resilience practices introduced during the program. Findings also informed program refinements, ensuring future cohorts benefit from an even more impactful experience.

Adaptability and Real-Time Adjustments

• Participant Feedback Integration: Feedback loops were built into each phase, allowing for continuous refinement of content and facilitation approaches.

• Responsive Design: Virtual and in-person sessions were adapted to address emergent challenges or participant needs.

• Inclusivity Measures: Special attention was given to ensuring accessibility, cultural responsiveness, and participant safety across all activities.

Key Implementation Highlights

• Over 90% Attendance Rate: Weekly synchronous virtual sessions maintained high levels of engagement.

• Peer Learning Circles Flourished: Participants reported peer circles as one of the most impactful components of the program.

• Actionable Capstone Projects: 100% of participants completed capstone leadership plans with measurable goals and clear implementation strategies.

The Obama Leaders USA Program’s implementation was a testament to thoughtful design, responsive facilitation, and participant-centered learning practices.

6. Lessons Learned

The Obama Leaders USA Program provided invaluable insights into designing and delivering transformative learning and leadership development experiences for emerging changemakers across diverse geographies and lived experiences. These lessons serve as guiding principles for future leadership initiatives and reinforce the importance of intentionality, adaptability, and participant-centered design.

1. Context Matters: Leadership Development Must Be Contextually Relevant

One of the most significant insights from this program was the importance of contextual relevance in leadership development. Leadership frameworks, tools, and strategies are most effective when they are tailored to participants' lived realities, cultural contexts, and community challenges. Programs must move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches and instead center place-based leadership dynamics to ensure sustained impact.

2. Hybrid Learning Models Require Thoughtful Integration

The hybrid structure of virtual and in-person sessions proved to be both effective and challenging. While virtual sessions allowed for wider accessibility and consistent engagement, the in-person convening fostered deep connections and transformative experiences. Balancing these modalities requires intentional design, clear communication, and a focus on participant well-being to prevent burnout and virtual fatigue.

3. Peer Networks Are Catalysts for Growth and Collaboration

The peer learning circles emerged as one of the most impactful elements of the program. Creating structured, intentional spaces for peer exchange allowed participants to share resources, troubleshoot challenges, and build supportive relationships. Future programs should continue prioritizing peer learning as a core design element rather than an add-on feature.

4. Leadership Sustainability Is a Critical Focus Area

Leadership burnout remains a persistent challenge, particularly among changemakers navigating systemic barriers and resource constraints. Integrating self-care, resilience-building practices, and emotional well-being strategies into leadership development isn’t optional—it’s essential. Programs must normalize conversations around leadership sustainability and provide actionable tools for maintaining balance and longevity.

5. Adaptive Facilitation Is Key to Participant-Centered Learning

Effective facilitation goes beyond delivering content—it’s about creating space for dialogue, feedback, and real-time adjustments. Adaptive facilitation requires emotional intelligence, cultural responsiveness, and humility, ensuring participants feel seen, valued, and empowered to engage fully in the learning experience.

6. Lasting Impact Requires Long-Term Engagement

While the immediate outcomes of the program were clear, sustained impact relies on ongoing connection and support. Alumni engagement strategies, annual follow-ups, and continued access to peer networks are essential to ensuring the ripple effects of the program extend far beyond its formal conclusion.

Final Reflection

The Obama Leaders USA Program underscored a profound truth: Leadership isn’t about titles or positions—it’s about the ability to inspire, mobilize, and create meaningful change. Programs like this have the power to not only equip leaders with tools and strategies but also to affirm their identities, build their confidence, and expand their capacity for systemic impact.

Through this experience, I was reminded that learning and leadership development aren’t just about what we teach—it’s about how we hold space, honor stories, and cultivate belonging.