This June, 26 leaders from the Thrive Leaders Network gathered in Portland, Oregon, for three days of connection, reflection and renewal. Thrive Leaders Network combines an unrestricted award with programming for a network of national leaders from college access, success and pathways-focused organizations to support personal learning and leadership development. Participants are proximate to the populations Kresge serves, including Black and Latino/a and youth experiencing poverty.

The purpose of the summit was simple yet profound: to create an experience where participants could discuss strategies for effective leadership while building and deepening relationships. For many, it was also one of the rare gatherings where leaders could truly find community, share honestly and dream together about creating a more just and inclusive country.

“It’s a real peer community that most of these leaders do not have anywhere else,” said Aditi Goel, Thrive Leaders’ facilitator. “It was a reminder of the very real importance of communities and networks like this, where leaders doing similar kinds of work can come together and lean on one another.”

Goel designed the gathering with intention, striking a balance between time for deep conversations and moments of joy and connection. The leaders — many of whom have supported one another through the ups and downs of the past three years — shared challenges, offered resources and strategized for the road ahead. As Alex Bernadotte, founder and CEO of Beyond 12, put it, Thrive is more than an event: “It’s a practice in building trust, a lesson in replenishment, and a space where leaders can be both challenged and nurtured.”

The program included a full-day session at Nike Headquarters with Howard White, vice president of the Jordan Brand and Nike’s longest-serving Black executive. Leaders also joined a panel on the future of education, featuring Portland Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong, the first Black woman to hold that role, and Toya Fick, CEO of the Meyer Foundation, another trailblazing leader. John Branam, the CEO of GetSchooled, led the local planning efforts and created an impressive array of place-based learning opportunities that introduced the Thrive Leaders to Portland leaders in the corporate, educational and philanthropic sectors.

Throughout the summit, leaders candidly discussed the pressing realities of their work—including federal and philanthropic funding cuts, program sustainability and the exploration of mergers and acquisitions. Alongside those difficult conversations were moments of laughter, storytelling and affirmation.

“From the moment I arrived, I felt embraced by a community that is not only brilliant and bold but also deeply grounded in joy and purpose,” said Bernadotte. “At a time when our sector is navigating so much uncertainty, having a circle like this to lean on and learn from is a rare and powerful gift.”

Ultimately, the Thrive Leaders Summit underscored a truth that has always guided the network: community matters.

“It’s an honor for Kresge to be able to support such a talented and dedicated group of CEOs, and we’re delighted that the Gates Foundation is a partner in this work,” said Caroline Altman Smith, deputy director of Kresge’s education program. “Thanks to the Thrive Leaders’ candor and collegiality, we’re able to better understand the challenges and opportunities our grantee partners face, and be more thoughtful about how we can support them and the field as a whole.”

Riddhimma Kodali was a Summer 2025 intern on the External Affairs & Communications team at The Kresge Foundation. She is a junior at Northwestern University.