For more than four decades, Leadership Austin has prepared people to lead Central Texas across differences. In 2026, the Austin Dialogue Institute honored Leadership Austin with its “America 250” Award for outstanding leadership, commitment to strengthening communities, and advancing the common good.
This recognition belongs to the generations of staff, board members, alumni, funders, and believers who have built the Leadership Austin community and championed courageous leadership.
“Leadership Austin has always believed our community is strongest when people who see the world differently choose to work together,” said Sujata Ajmera, chair of the Leadership Austin Board of Directors. “This award honors decades of leaders who have done exactly that and renews our commitment to preparing the next generation.”
America is a great experiment, not a finished product. Our nation’s 250th anniversary invites us to reflect not only on what we’ve built, but on what we hope to build next. Its promise depends on our willingness to keep building it together: choosing dignity over contempt, curiosity over assumption, and dialogue over division.
That spirit runs through our programs. Through initiatives like our role in a 14-city national pilot focused on collaborative problem-solving, we equip leaders to navigate differences, build trust, and tackle complex challenges together. Build these skills with us through our open courses, including Difficult Talks: Foundation for Courageous Communication, and learn to turn disagreement into understanding and progress. Learn more about Lead Across Differences.
We’re deeply grateful to the Austin Dialogue Institute for this honor and for its work bringing people of diverse faiths and cultures together through meaningful dialogue and shared experiences. Its vision of communities where every person is treated with dignity is one we share.