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Leadership CORPS Program
Leadership CORPS is a 10-month, immersive, professional development experience for established, senior-level leaders from the business, nonprofit, and government sectors.
Leadership CORPS empowers participants with the knowledge, skills, and relationships they need to advance and deepen their community impact.
Program Content and Benefits
Leadership CORPS Program provides three primary areas for growth.
Increase Civic Engagement
Participants gain a deep understanding of community issues through a combination of:
- In-person Learning Days presented by subject matter experts and influential leaders
- Asynchronous learning opportunities in our online learning community via online discussion
- Curated resources including articles, videos, and other curated content
Each member of Leadership CORPS will participate in a small-group, hands-on project serving a San Mateo County organization.
Build Cross-Sector Relationships
Leadership CORPS elevates and empowers participants by connecting them to one another, and to organizations that provide opportunities for systemic change.
We create opportunities for participants to develop meaningful relationships with their cohort, and to collaborate throughout the program and beyond.
Participants learn from, and gain exposure to, speakers who are influential across SMC, and leave the program as part of a valuable alumni network with ongoing connection opportunities.
Enhance Leadership Skills
Participants work with expert coaches, refining their leadership capabilities by developing practices that strong leaders use to inspire and create change.
They learn about collaborative civic leadership and why it is critical to SMC’s success, and they deepen their understanding of the role and necessity of representative leadership that is needed to solve issues and effect change that impacts a diverse group of people.
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Benefit My Organization
Participants leave the program with valuable connections to the people, organizations, and services across San Mateo County that can collectively resolve issues, address the needs of our communities, and help everyone to thrive. These connections enrich each organization's understanding of stakeholder needs, deepen its impact, and strengthen their relationship with others in San Mateo County.
Participants develop deeper leadership skills that will inspire collaborative problem solving in their organizations, and recognize the role and importance of diversity to their organization’s success.
Who Should Apply?
We welcome and encourage senior leader candidates from diverse backgrounds and organizations who live and/or work in San Mateo County.
Commitment and Class Schedule
- Mandatory two-day Opening Session in September
- Monthly Learning Days are on Fridays through early June 2026
- Learning Days are generally 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; December's Learning Day is 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Pre-work and small-group project time is 3-4 hours per month
Learning Day Schedule (2025-2026) **
Previous Learning Day topics have included: Healthy Communities, Economic Development, Human Services, Intelligent Urbanism, Education, Climate Resilience, Safe Communities, and Civics & Being a Community Citizen
Two-Day Opening Session (Mandatory)
September 11 and 12, 2025
Healthy Communities
October 17, 2025
Economic Development & Opportunity
November 14, 2025
Leadership in Action
December 5, 2025 *
Human Services: Addressing the Needs of All Members of Our Community
January 30, 2026
Intelligent Urbanism
February 27, 2026
Educational Equity & Opportunity
March 27, 2026
Climate Resilience & Adaptation
April 24, 2026
Safe Communities
May 8, 2026
Civics & Being a Community Citizen
May 29, 2026 *
Closing Session and Graduation
June 5, 2026
Joint Session with the Emerging Leaders Program
* Hours for December's Leadership in Action are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
** Dates are firm. The order of topics and curriculum are subject to change.
Application Process
- Applications for CORPS Class of 2026 available March 1, 2025.
- Application deadline is May 1, 2025.
- Applicants will be notified by July 1, 2025.
Those who are not accepted will be placed on a waitlist and, if not accepted off the waitlist, are encouraged to reapply in future years.
Selection Criteria
Candidates are selected through a highly competitive application process. Emerging Leaders applicants must:
- Be an established senior-level leader within their profession (including elected officials and experienced leaders in the community)
- Demonstrate a significant level of leadership in the community
- Have the full support of their employer if applying as part of an organization
Program Costs - Leadership CORPS Class of 2026
- Tuition is $3,900 plus a non-refundable $100 application fee.
- Fees can be paid by the individual or employer.
- Scholarships are available and payment plans can be arranged.
FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS
I appreciate the care Leadership Council SMC takes to create meaningful agendas and recruit a top-level cohort. It feels really good to be considered part of this high-functioning group of leaders. Thank you.
Stefanie Brugemann
Senior Director of Development
Special Olympics
Leadership CORPS has been hugely beneficial in helping me establish the much-needed connections and networks to hold important conversations to help leverage existing resources to help our communities.
Eddie Flores
Councilmember, City of South San Francisco
Leadership CORPS, Class of 2022
Pronouns: he/his/el
Leadership CORPS helped me build collaborative connections to better serve San Mateo County's LGBTQIA+ community. I gained a network of community leaders that also serve San Mateo County’s LGBTQIA+ community. I have gained an opportunity to network with community leaders that also serve in the capacity of ally’s to help bring equity and inclusion to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Dana Johnson
Co-Chair, LGBTQ Commission, San Mateo County
Co-Chair, PRIDE Initiative, San Mateo County
Leadership CORPS Class of 2022
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Leadership Council SMC is a connector of great ideas and of the people critical to getting them implemented. The collaboration and cooperation they encourage is invaluable to solving entrenched county problems.
Amanda Anthony
Program Manager, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
Pronouns: she/her/hers
The Leadership CORPS Program ‘WOWs’ me every month, with each Learning Day taking us to a higher level of understanding. The program should be orientation for every large scale organization doing business in the County of San Mateo and mandatory at the executive level.
Steve Van
Business Owner, Victory Consulting
Pronouns: he/him/his
