Overview
Future of Conservation Leadership is an 8-week, 15-hour cohort experience that equips conservation professionals with the frameworks, tools, and practice needed to influence institutions, shape policy, and mobilize cross-sector action.
Through a blend of asynchronous learning and live interactive sessions, participants will:
- Map complex conservation systems to identify leverage points and adaptive leadership strategies.
- Design a Theory of Change and OKRs that link initiatives to measurable conservation outcomes.
- Develop strategies for driving organizational change, navigating internal politics, and communicating vision with clarity and credibility.
- Integrate environmental justice principles into conservation leadership, defining safeguards and equity-centered outcomes.
- Build coalitions and cross-sector partnerships, mapping stakeholders and aligning incentives to move from vision to action.
- Strengthen authentic leadership practice with resilience strategies, growth planning, and peer feedback.
Live Session Schedules
This program includes six live virtual sessions on Tuesdays from 10:00 - 11:00 am (AZ MST) on the following dates:
- Oct 20, Oct 27, Nov 3, Nov 17, Dec 1, Dec 8
This program was developed with subject matter expertise from:
- Brittany Ajroud, Director, School of Conservation Futures Partnership, Conservation International
- Percy Summers, Senior Director of SCF Partnership, Conservation International
- Michael Schoon, Professor in the School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures
Course Modules
Meet your instructors, explore the course structure, and choose a real-world conservation challenge to focus on throughout the program. Begin framing your leadership vision and connect it to a scenario or issue you’re ready to influence.
Certificate programs
This course is a part of the following certificate programs:
Who this course is designed for
- Conservation Program Directors & Senior Managers – Practitioners who already oversee teams and projects but want to expand their strategic influence, shape organizational priorities, and secure support from boards and funders.
- Policy Advisors & Government Liaisons – Professionals navigating complex ecological, political, and institutional landscapes.
- NGO & Nonprofit Leaders – Leaders charged with building coalitions, aligning diverse stakeholders, and sustaining momentum for conservation initiatives in complex institutional environments.
- Sustainability & ESG Executives – Corporate leaders integrating conservation goals into core business strategies.
- Philanthropy & Impact Investment Professionals – Funders and program officers seeking tools to identify leverage points, assess equity impacts and support systems-level conservation solutions.
- Mid-Career Conservation Practitioners – Experienced professionals moving into higher-impact roles, where success depends on their ability to influence strategy, mobilize resources, and lead through uncertainty.
Outcomes
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Lead adaptively and strategically in complex ecological, political, and organizational systems.
- Design and implement equity-centered conservation strategies using systems thinking, futures analysis, and institutional realities.
- Build and sustain multi-stakeholder coalitions through inclusive engagement, power analysis, and trust-building techniques.
- Create systems maps and strategic frameworks (theory of change, OKRs, scenario planning) to identify leverage points and pathways to impact.
- Align your leadership identity and values with organizational strategy for long-term influence.
- Communicate a compelling vision that mobilizes diverse audiences toward conservation goals.
- Produce an actionable Leadership Survival Toolkit to advance a real-world initiative in your organization or region.
Practical skills you will develop
This program equips learners with vital skills to thrive in today's complex workforce. Key skills include:
Change management
Systems thinking
Strategic planning
Stakeholder management
Strategic communications
Inclusive leadership
Program support
Have additional questions?
Please reach out to the program administrators ConservationFuturesAcademy@exchange.asu.edu for assistance with your course content related questions.
Connect with our team
Complete a brief form to get program recommendations and answers to your questions.