The Pepperdine University School of Public Policy (SPP) and the Presidio Trust announce that Pepperdine will be the new sponsor of the Presidio Trust’s respected “Presidio Institute Fellows Program." Under the leadership of the SPP, the initiative will be renamed the “Pepperdine Cross Sector Leadership Fellows Program.”

Launched in 2014, the Fellows Program is a year-long, multi-city experience that brings together a curated cohort of 24 executives from business, nonprofits, government, philanthropy, and academia. Participants learn from leading practitioners in multi-sector leadership, organizational development, and collaborative problem-solving. Fellows come to the program with real-life challenging projects they are facing and engage with colleagues and instructors, learning how to apply 21st century approaches to find solutions.

Fellows participate in a series of multi-day, in-person learning sessions throughout the year at Pepperdine campuses in Malibu and Washington, DC, as well as in New York, along with online education elements in between. Targeted at mid-career leaders, Fellows have access to senior-level leaders at the federal and local government level, Tesla, Blackrock, United Way, DC Central Kitchen, McKinsey & Co., and Google. Successfully completed, Fellows earn a Certificate in Cross Sector Leadership from the Pepperdine School of Public Policy.

“We’re delighted to bring the Cross Sector Leadership Fellows Program to Pepperdine,” noted School of Public Policy dean, Pete Peterson. He added, “As a graduate policy program that teaches students to consider how the private and civic sectors must be vital parts of solving our toughest public challenges, we’re looking forward to offering this cutting-edge programming to mid-career professionals.”

Presidio Trust CEO added, “I’m very happy that the Pepperdine School of Public Policy will sponsor the Fellows Program. We appreciate Pepperdine’s commitment to the public leadership principles upon which the program was founded.”

The sponsorship of the Cross Sector Leadership Fellows Program at Pepperdine School of Public Policy is being made possible through a donation from Gary Oakland, Chairman and CEO of Oakland & Company. In supporting this effort, Mr. Oakland noted, “I’ve seen in my own work how major public problems demand collaboration between the sectors, as we’re witnessing right now with the response to recent hurricanes.” He added, “I’m excited to help bring this program to Pepperdine that will prepare more of these leaders for years to come.”