LEADERSHIP DELI
Lead with VISION
Christiana Allen-Pipkin, Leadership Deli ’22
The Moment is Now. Are You Ready?
Since 2014, we’ve supported 350+ leaders and 100+ organizations with the tools, community, and vision to transform their communities and institutions. This is a space where you slow down long enough to think 5, 10, even 100 years into the future, and leave with the clarity and confidence to lead from that place.
If you feel the weight of this moment and know you’re called to step up, don’t do it alone. Join a community of mission-driven leaders who are holding hope, building vision, and doing hard things together.
Don’t wait. The future is shaped by those who show up.
Registration for Leadership Deli 2027 is now open.
Click below to register!
Why Leadership DELI and why NEW?
Leadership doesn’t belong only to those with the right title. It lives in anyone who carries a vision for something better and has the courage to act on it.
Leadership Deli was built on the belief that our communities and organizations grow stronger when leaders have space to slow down, think deeply, and find each other. Leadership Deli helps create the connection that reminds you why you do this work and gives you the permission and tools to do it more boldly.
Here, you’ll think further into the future than your calendar usually allows. You’ll sit with people who understand the weight of mission-driven work and the complexity of leading through it. And you’ll leave with a clearer sense of the leader you’re already becoming.
“I feel more confident to envision and implement the changes I know need to happen because I now have more tools to guide the process. Meeting others doing similar work and hearing about their hurdles brought a sense of realness and reflection. It reinforced what I knew deep down — that we can tackle this challenging work, even when it’s hard, and use strategies to make it feel lighter and more engaging. Especially as we navigate multifaceted, complex roles dealing with people and difficult problems daily.”
– Katie Williams, University Prep Art & Design
Abbey Davis
Director of Organizational Development Consulting
THE Leadership DELI EXPERIENCE
Leadership Deli is a cohort learning experience for emerging and established leaders in organizations of all stages and sizes, whether or not your title says “director.” Across eight four-hour sessions, you will find community with other mission-driven leaders, challenge outdated ideas about what leadership looks like, and build a vision for the future that is grounded in your deepest values.
This is a rare space with both structure and breathing room, where the facilitated sessions give you the foundation and the in-between moments like the conversations over lunch and the honest exchanges in breakout rooms that give you the fuel.
Throughout Leadership Deli, you will:
- Develop a long-range vision for your organization and your own leadership, thinking 5, 10, even 100 years out.
- Learn tools and frameworks tailored to the realities of mission-driven work.
- Connect with a community of equity and justice-minded leaders across Southeast Michigan who will challenge, affirm, and grow alongside you.
- Gain confidence to step more fully into the leader you are called to be.
SESSIONS
Orientation & Ways of Being
Led by Abbey Davis and Carly Friedrich from NEW
Friday, February 26 (02/26/27) 9am – 1pm
Every cohort becomes its own community, and this is where yours begins. In this opening session, you’ll connect with the people you’ll be learning alongside, share what brought you here, and together build the agreements that will shape how you show up for each other in this experience.
The Heart of Leadership: Soul Care
Led by Dr. Mishelle Rodriguez from Collaborative ChangeMakers Counseling
Friday, March 12 (03/12/27) 9am – 1pm
You can’t pour from an empty cup, and this work is demanding. This session grounds us in the practices that sustain us, because leading well starts with tending to yourself. We’ll explore what compassionate leadership looks like from the inside out, and how to build cultures where people are allowed to thrive.
Visioning for Collective Liberation
Led by Yodit Mesfin Johnson from YMJ Associates & Will Jones III from NEW
Friday, March 19 (03/19/27) 9am – 1pm
What does the world look like in 5 years? 50? 100? This session slows everything down so you can imagine forward. Grounded in hope and your deepest values, you’ll craft a vision of success you can see, feel, and begin to build. Discover how your vision connects to something much larger than your org chart.
From Vision to Strategy
Led by Abbey Davis and Carly Friedrich from NEW, featuring alum from previous Leadership Deli cohorts
Friday, April 9 (04/09/27) 9am – 1pm
Having a vision is one thing. Knowing how to move it forward is another. In this session, you’ll map your sphere of influence, sharpen how you communicate your vision, and hear directly from program alumni who are doing it. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of how to invite others in and make real progress.
Creating Cultures of Belonging
Friday, April 16 (04/16/27) 9am – 1pm
The culture of your organization is being shaped every day: by what you say, what you allow, and how you show up. This session asks the harder questions: How do we lead in ways that heal rather than harm? How do we unlock the collective power in the room? Together, we’ll explore what it looks like to build something people actually want to be part of.
Bottom-Line Change
Friday, April 30 (04/30/27) 9am – 1pm
Led by Joanie Hales from ZingTrain
Whether you love it or don’t, you probably agree that change is challenging. Creating it. Having it “done to” you. Making it stick. Helping it work. After learning that there will always be change to deal with, Zingerman’s came up with a recipe – Bottom Line Change® – that they use to roll out all organizational changes, from moving the office printer to opening a new business. Learn the recipe for making change a lot less stressful for all involved and a lot more likely to stick and, best of all, for getting people in the organization rooting for its success!
Restorative Leadership
Led by Belinda Dulin from The Dispute Resolution Center & Carly Friedrich from NEW
Friday, May 14 (05/14/27) 9am – 1pm
Conflict is a sign that people care, not that something is broken. This session reframes how we think about tension, disagreement, and hard conversations. Grounded in restorative practices, you’ll develop a more courageous and compassionate approach to conflict that strengthens relationships rather than straining them.
Vision Forward
Led by Abbey Davis and Carly Friedrich from NEW
Friday, May 21 (05/21/27) 9am – 1pm
This is where it all comes together. You’ll build your own visionary leadership toolkit, map your next steps, and reflect on how this program has shaped you. And then you’ll share it, because a vision named out loud is one step closer to becoming real.
“I was drawn to Leadership Deli because it didn’t feel like a conventional leadership program—it felt like a space rooted in deep listening, community wisdom, and the possibility of transforming power structures. I was looking for a space that valued justice not just as a theme, but as a practice. Additionally, I knew people who had participated in previous seasons and recommended that I participate.“
Julius Buzzard, Growing Hope
A FEW OF OUR Participating peers- Past & Present
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I know if Leadership Deli is right for me?
If you carry a vision for a more just and thriving community and you’re ready to deepen it, Leadership Deli is for you. Whether you’re an executive director, a program manager, a board member, or someone whose influence doesn’t come with a formal title, this program meets you where you are.
Leadership exists at every level. We honor that.
How much does Leadership DELI cost?
Pricing is on a sliding scale ($750–$1,750 per person) because we want this experience to be accessible regardless of budget. If you’re seeking a reduced rate, reach out to Carly Friedrich (cfriedrich@new.org).
Leadership Deli is designed with organizations in mind, not just individuals. We strongly encourage each participating organization to send two team members. Registering two people from the same organization? Use promo code DeliDuo for 25% off.
Community Rate – $750
This tier is for individuals covering their own registration, or folks whose organizations can’t cover professional development costs, or who are between roles, freelancing, or investing in themselves independently.
Standard Rate – $1,250
This tier is for participants whose organization is covering the cost as part of their professional development support. It reflects the actual cost of running the program and is the rate organizations should expect to pay.
Sponsor Rate – $1,750
This rate is for participants whose organizations have capacity to pay a bit more. Your registration helps subsidize access for folks paying out of pocket, keeping this program open to leaders regardless of what their organization can offer.