State of the Organization: 2026
Why This Feels Like a State of the State
I’ve been around politics for a long time. It started when I shadowed a state representative in middle school, and it never really left me. I’ve served on local councils, worked alongside a lot of different people, and I still genuinely enjoy it.
Politics is slow. Painfully slow sometimes.
It can be messy and frustrating and not very glamorous at all.
But it’s also one of the clearest ways change actually happens.
One of my favorite things every year is the State of the Union or the State of the State. Not because I agree with everything that’s said, but because of what those moments are meant to do. They look back honestly, name what was hard, and then set direction. They tell the people in the room, “Here’s where we are, and here’s where we’re going.”
Last year, I got to attend the State of the State in person. It was packed. Extra chairs everywhere. You could see the people you normally only see on camera, plus a lot of people you never see at all. Being in that room made me excited about the year ahead.
So this felt like the right way to start 2026.
A pause.
A reset.
And a look forward.
This is the State of Leaders of Today
2024 Was Hard
I want to say that plainly.
2024 was a hard year for Leaders of Today. We went through things that knocked us off balance more than we realized at the time. We felt lost. We were frustrated. We were carrying weight that didn’t always show up on the surface.
That year tested us.
But it also showed us something important.
We didn’t quit.
2025 Was About Rebuilding
2025 was the year we found our footing again.
RISE was the biggest example of that. It wasn’t even on the radar at the beginning of the year. We decided in May to try it and hosted it in August. Somehow, in just a few months, we pulled off the best event we’ve ever done. Not because it was huge, but because it was right. The right people. The right conversations. The right energy.
We also had a comeback conference. The year before left us feeling off. This one helped us find our center again.
And 2025 wasn’t just about programs. It was a big year personally for a lot of people on this team.
Faith graduated grad school.
Madison started her doctorate.
Allie got pregnant.
Jade bought a house.
Faith stepped into the role of president after starting with us as an intern, which is honestly incredible.
I got married.
Those things matter. Leaders of Today has never been about separating life from leadership. We grow as people and as an organization at the same time.
A Moment That Says Everything
After RISE, Garnell told us it was the best event we’ve ever hosted and that he wanted his peers to experience something like that before they graduate.
That stuck with me.
Since then, he’s stepped up in real ways. He’s helping lead the alumni committee. He’s involved in planning, promoting, building the website, and thinking about what comes next. Watching him grow over the last couple of years, first through the summer program and again through RISE, is exactly why this organization exists.
That’s the win.
That’s the point.
2026 Is a Big Year for Our People
This year is exciting, not just because of what Leaders of Today is doing, but because of what’s happening in the lives of the people who make this place what it is.
Allie is having a baby.
Garnell is graduating.
Josh is making a major job change, and it’s a really good one.
Others on this team are stepping into new seasons, new responsibilities, and new challenges.
Life is moving.
And Leaders of Today is moving with it.
That’s part of what makes this year important.
What This Year Will Ask of Us
I want to be clear about this too.
2026 is going to require more from us.
Not in a burnout way.
Not in a panic way.
But in an ownership way.
This is a year where people are going to have to step up. Some a little. Some a lot.
It’s a year where communication matters more. Where follow-through matters. Where we don’t wait to be asked.
We see a gap, and we fill it.
We talk to each other.
We listen.
We plan.
We execute.
We adjust when things don’t work.
I believe in this team deeply. I wouldn’t say any of this if I didn’t.
What We’re Focusing On in 2026
One of the biggest leadership lessons we’ve learned over the last few years is this:
We don’t need to do everything to make an impact.
We need to do the right things, really well.
So for 2026, we made a very intentional decision.
We are focusing on two events:
our Leadership Conference next month
and RISE this summer
That’s it.
We’re not trying to cram the calendar.
We’re not trying to chase every good idea.
We’re not stretching ourselves thin just to say we did more.
We want excellence.
We want depth.
We want experiences that actually change students.
And that means making some hard calls.
One of those calls is that we will not be running the M&M Program this year.
That program matters. It’s part of our foundation. It’s part of our story.
And because it matters so much, we’re not willing to do it halfway.
This year is about focus.
It’s about building strong systems.
It’s about developing leaders inside this organization.
It’s about making sure that when we say “yes” to something, we can fully show up for it.
The conference and RISE are where we believe we can make the biggest impact right now — for students, for our team, and for the future of Leaders of Today.
This isn’t us stepping back.
It’s us setting direction.
What I’m Excited About
There is a lot to look forward to this year.
The Leadership Conference coming up soon.
A multi-day RISE experience this summer.
The continued growth of the alumni committee.
New leaders stepping into real responsibility.
A retreat. Better systems. Better planning. More celebration.
There is momentum here.
And it’s real.
How We Start 2026 Well
Here’s what I’m asking as we step into this year together:
Take ownership of your role
Step in when you see something that needs done
Speak honestly and listen well
Plan ahead and follow through
Underpromise and overdeliver
Celebrate each other often
Remember why this work matters
Leaders of Today has never been about one person.
It’s about people choosing to lead right where they are.
Let’s Go
If you’re reading this, you’re part of this.
Sign up for the conference.
Invite a student.
Volunteer.
Give.
Share what we’re building.
Say yes when you’re needed.
2026 is going to stretch us.
But it’s also going to grow us.
I’m proud of this team.
And I’m excited about what’s ahead.
Let’s get to work.
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!