Rodel Leadership Institute

The Rodel Leadership Institute works to enhance American democracy by convening the nation's most promising young public leaders in a casual, nonpartisan setting to explore the underlying values and principles of western democracy, the relationship between individuals and their community, and the responsibilities of public leadership.

More specifically, our purpose is:

•     to create an open environment in which people of differing political viewpoints can establish friendly and trusting personal relationships that will, over time, reduce the high degree of ideological acrimony that has been so damaging to the ability of our public servants to work together in the public interest, and

•     to refocus attention on those common values that unite us and thus enhance the ability of public leaders to find areas of agreement in considering the myriad problems that continually confront a diverse and growing society.

The Rodel Leadership Institute seeks to strengthen democracy and improve the quality of public leadership in the United States. A nonpartisan center for leadership learning and intellectual development, we help America’s most promising leaders reach their full potential as public servants, deepen their commitment to democracy and the rule of law, and work together to address some our nation’s most important domestic and international challenges. The institute’s programs convene diverse leaders from across the political, legal and policy spectrum in an effort to find common ground, build relationships, and encourage the understanding and cooperation needed to move our nation forward.

RLI is not an Aspen Institute program. It's offices are co-located within the Aspen Institute.