Catalyst

About the Institute

Founded in 2000, the Leadership Institute is a 501©3 public charity based in Sonoma County and dedicated to ensuring a sustainable future for California’s North Coast. Our mission is to train people to be more effective leaders, and to educate community leaders and the public to understand that the future of our economy and quality of life are dependent on each other. The Institute is active throughout the year, providing education, training, and networking opportunities for community leaders. We have four main program areas:

Sustainability

Sustainability recognizes that the planet’s resources are finite, and that if we want to be responsible stewards of the earth, we have to use those resources wisely, so they last indefinitely. To act responsibly in this regard, we must look beyond our day to day lives. We must examine the impact of our actions in a broader context. We must demonstrate leadership to our friends and neighbors, and embrace ecological sustainability as a continual process of improvement.

A Focus on Policy Makers

Existing laws, regulations, and economic policy make it costly and difficult to live a sustainable lifestyle. There is a growing consensus that government must make it easier to protect our natural environment, foster social equity, and support a prosperous local economy. Most elected and appointed officials want to do the right thing—they need encouragement, education, and support. The political will to change will come from a grassroots movement, not from city hall.

Leadership Training for a Sustainable Future

Our core program educates community leaders to be more effective in shaping public policy. Participants meet for a full day a month, from September through May. Class members work with key political and civic leaders, attend workshops on sustainability, take field trips, and engage in leadership training exercises. The class emphasizes the links between economic viability, ecological sustainability, and social equity. The issues range from global to local, the topics are relevant, and the discussions are lively and informative. Graduates of the program have held elected or appointed office in every community in Sonoma County.

Policy-Maker Outreach

We educate and inform elected and appointed officials with non-partisan analysis, research, and studies that help them make the right decisions for sustainable communities. Graduates of the Leadership Training for a Sustainable Future regularly act in advocacy roles in their communities, influencing public policy and building healthy communities.

Community Education

A key part of our mission is to raise public awareness about the linkages between economics, sustainability, and social justice. We sponsor public workshops and forums, often working cooperatively with other organizations. Our website, www.ecoleader.org, is a powerful tool to link individuals and organizations with resources and information.

Leadership Networking

There are now more than 200 graduates of the Leadership Training for a Sustainable Future. These Fellows of the Institute are a dynamic, highly-motivated group of individuals who want to make a difference in their communities. The Fellows have vastly different economic, social, cultural, and political backgrounds, yet they share an interest in a just and sustainable future. We offer regular networking opportunities for the Fellows, many of whom are also involved in the ongoing work of the Institute.

Learn more: http://ecoleader.org/

Dominican University of California's GreenMBA is an engaged learning community that seeks to promote financial viability, ecological sustainability, and social justice in business and organizations of all types. Students graduate with practical skills and experience, prepared to innovate, communicate, and lead effectively in the face of global challenges.

We provide a culture of collaboration and innovation for those ready to take responsibility in a complex world that needs rethinking.

Dominican’s GreenMBA is an on-site program whose graduates receive a Master of Business Administration degree in Sustainable Enterprise. Students have a choice of two-year full-time and three-year part-time structures to accommodate life/work balance while pursuing the degree.

Skills/Curriculum

The GreenMBA curriculum integrates the stewardship of financial, human, and natural capital – beyond the triple bottom line - into a world-class program. Our collaborative, project-oriented approach integrates the development of entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial skills with critical thinking and leadership capacities. Our emphasis on systemic approaches to understanding complexity equip students to innovate and nurture resilience in organizations of all sizes.

Community

The GreenMBA community is a diverse, multi-generational group with a rich variety of life experience and work backgrounds. We cultivate a sense of place and belonging, and our network extends beyond northern California to global partners and a broad array of organizations and individuals who share our common purpose. Community events for students, alumni, faculty, and guests promote cross-pollination of ideas and the expansion of personal and organizational networks. Small classes, transparent communication, faculty-mentors, and collaborative, project-oriented learning create a supportive, challenging environment.

Transformation

Our guiding principle is: “Transform Yourself. Transform Business. Transform The World.” Program participants begin by exploring their beliefs, purpose, passion, and world view. Students acquire the tools to lead organizations to transcend ‘business as usual’ practices and adapt with a rapidly changing world.

Now accepting applications for Fall 2010.

Follow us on Twitter and the GreenMBA blog.

Sonoma Mountain Village is a 200-acre, mixed- use, solar powered, zero-waste community and is internationally recognized as the first One Planet Community in North America and one of World’s Greenest Neighborhoods. The community will bring an exhilarating and convenient lifestyle to be enjoyed while living within our fair share of the Earth’s natural resources. Today, Codding is leasing space to green companies like DC Power and Aspen Air, and helping national companies like Comcast and AT&T improve their environmental bottom line.