NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

American Express (NYSE: AXP) will host its third annual Leadership Academy Global Alumni Summit in New York on April 3 and 4, celebrating ten years of a transformative program that has developed nearly 3,000 nonprofit and social purpose leaders. Fifty-one distinguished program alumni, from around the world, will collaborate with representatives from eleven top leadership development and entrepreneurship organizations, including The Aspen Institute, Ashoka Changemakers, Common Purpose, and Independent Sector, to discuss best practices for advancing the sector’s impact on society.

Nearly all of the Summit attendees cite leadership development programs as the number one factor in both their own success and the sector’s progression. The Summit continues American Express’ commitment to addressing this need, while tackling the deficit of leadership development programs in the nonprofit space.

“For the past decade, American Express has promoted the professional development of emerging nonprofit and social purpose leaders globally,” said Timothy J. McClimon, president, American Express Foundation. “The Summit recognizes the many achievements of our Leadership Academy alumni, and serves as an important opportunity to further develop the next generation of changemakers – ensuring passionate and impactful leaders flourish in the sector.”

Produced in partnership with Atlas Corps, the Summit will feature a variety of workshops and panel discussions designed to grow participants’ networks and enhance their leadership skills. One such session, Intrapreneurship During Times of Transformation, featuring Cheryl L. Dorsey, president, Echoing Green, moderated by Cody Switzer, assistant managing editor, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, on Monday, April 3 at 3:15 p.m. (ET), will be streamed live via Leaderstories.org.

As a pioneer in the social entrepreneurship movement, Dorsey will share her personal experiences from a leadership journey that spans decades, sectors and social issues. Members of the public will have the opportunity to ask Dorsey questions in real-time via Twitter, using #AmexLeads. In addition, for the first time, Switzer will host an exclusive live preview of the conversation on The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Facebook page at 2:30 p.m. (ET) that same day.

The Summit attendees include world-class leaders tackling some of society’s most complex issues, influencing sectors ranging from education, the arts, social services, health, the environment and more. Notably, during the above-mentioned livestream, the recipient of the 2017 American Express Leadership Academy Alumni Award will be announced. This Award, which recognizes an Academy alumnus who consistently demonstrates strong leadership while significantly impacting their community, includes a $25,000 grant to the recipient’s organization.

The five nominees for the Award include:

• Blair Glencorse, executive director, Accountability Lab;
• Erica Hamilton, executive director, City Year New York;
• Emily May, executive director, Hollaback;
• Jessica Santana, executive director, New York On Tech; and
• Victoria Otero, human rights advocate.

More information about the nominees, as well as the biographies of all 51 participating alumni, can be found here.

Launched in 2008, in partnership with The Center for Creative Leadership, the American Express Leadership Academy develops the personal, business and leadership skills of emerging nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs. Academies are tailored to fit cultural nuances and serve different nonprofit needs, such as social entrepreneurship and international nonprofit organizations. In 2017, nearly 700 nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs will participate in these global Leadership Academy programs.

To date, American Express has hosted more than 90 Leadership Academy sessions, with 11 partners in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Mexico, Canada, China, Senegal and Kenya.

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About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com, and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, foursquare.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

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About American Express: Developing New Leaders for Tomorrow

One of American Express' three philanthropic platforms is Developing New Leaders for Tomorrow. Under this giving initiative, which recognizes the significance of strong leadership in the nonprofit and social purpose sectors, American Express makes grants focused on training high potential emerging leaders to tackle important issues in the 21st century. More than 30,000 emerging nonprofit and social sector leaders worldwide have benefitted from American Express leadership programs, including the American Express Leadership Academy among others. Launched in 2008, the American Express Leadership Academy addresses the growing deficit of leadership talent in the nonprofit sector by bringing together emerging leaders from a diverse set of nonprofit, social sector and non-governmental organizations. For leadership journey stories and additional resources, visit Leaderstories.org.

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