LeaderSpring Center Timeline
1991
Deborah Szekely founded Eureka Communities, a Washington, D.C. based organization that provided two-year fellowships to communities of nonprofit leaders. Eureka President Steve Vetter opens satellite programs in San Diego, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Boston.
1997
Eureka Bay Area is launched with our first cohort of San Francisco leaders; Henry Izumizaki is named as the Executive Director
2000
Eureka Bay Area welcomes a new Executive Director, Cythia Chavez, and a new home in Oakland’s Preservation Park.
2005
Eureka Bay Area re-launches as “LeaderSpring,” a project of the Tides Center. The Fellowship is developed as a competitively awarded, on-the-job program integrating leadership development, management skills training, executive coaching, mentoring, peer learning, and networking.
2008
Dr. Renato Almanzor joins LeaderSpring as the first Director of Programs.
2011
The California Endowment commissions LeaderSpring to strengthen leaders in 14 sites across California in the Building Healthy Communities Initiative, extending our reach state-wide.
2016
LeaderSpring launches the Contra Costa Leadership Institute, a team-based leadership development program in partnership with the Thomas J. Long Foundation, the Y&H Soda Foundation, and the San Francisco Foundation.
2017
LeaderSpring welcomes new leadership, both alumna: Dr. Sonia BasSheva Manjon, Executive Director, Class of 2006; and Safi Jiroh, Director of Programs, Class of 2008. LeaderSpring became an alumni-led organization.
2019
The inaugural Women of Color LeadStrong Fellowship is launched with a cohort of 18 Bay Area leaders centering love, liberation, racial and gender justice, systemic change, and healing as essential elements in the LeadStrong fellowship curriculum.
2020
LSC launches the STRONG Emerging Leaders of Color of East Contra Costa County Fellowship.
2022
LeaderSpring celebrated its 25th Anniversary and announced its co-Executive director leadership of Dr. Sonia BasSheva Manjon and Safi Jiroh. LSC also launched a partnership with The San Francisco Foundation’s - Womxn of Color, Womxn of Power program. Katherin Canton, Class of 2020/1 became the Director of Learning Communities.
2023
LeaderSpring launched its very first identity-specific cohorts: The African American Women and the Native American and Alaskan Native Women Cohorts.
2024
LeaderSpring’s Advisory Council becomes an alumni majority. Dr. Sonia BasSheva Manjon moved on from her time as Co-Executive Director. Safi Jiroh becomes the Executive Director of LeaderSpring Center. Rachel Farahbakhsh celebrates her 10-year tenure in the organization, marking her the longest-standing staff member on the team
