Experienced, Senior Leaders – Ready for an Encore?

About the program

Encore Louisville is for experienced leaders who have spent decades of their careers in leadership roles, and want to give back to the community. Through the program, they share their wisdom to make our community’s nonprofits stronger.

Launched in 2014, Encore Louisville is the Leadership Louisville Center’s newest program. It was created to leverage the talent, skills, and experience of senior leaders who are transitioning out of the workforce. Participants pool their expertise to help nonprofits manage critical strategic issues. In this way, our community’s star talent continues to engage in high-impact civic leadership. They stay connected with professional peers and enjoy a flexible, self-directed time commitment. Community nonprofits, and those they serve, benefit from the expertise of the highest-level community trustees. There is no cost to the nonprofit agencies.
See examples of the impact Encore Louisville has on local nonprofit organizations.

Note: The 2021 class will be held virtually for the foreseeable future. Decisions about any in-person gatherings will be made by the class.

Applications for the Class of 2021 are closed. We will accept applications for the 2022 class in fall 2021. Sign up for our email list to be notified when applications open. 

  • “While I had a very successful and fulfilling career, my experiences in the Encore Louisville program have been some of the most rewarding experiences of my lifetime. Working with nonprofits, who are like sponges, wanting to improve their operations and thus their impact in the community has been so energizing and fulfilling! I am able to draw on all of my years of experiences and contribute in some small ways to their growth, development and improvement. It has been an honor to serve.”
    Al Cornish (EL ’15-’20, LL ’92), retired Chief Learning Officer – Norton Healthcare

  • “When I retired from Business First, I was looking for opportunities to give back without making a huge commitment of time. Leadership Louisville Center’s new Encore Louisville program fit the bill perfectly. It’s been great fun helping non-profits come up with solutions to some of their challenges. And I’ve been able to do it in a manageable amount of time with fellow retirees who I enjoy being with.”
    Tom Monahan (EL ’15-’20, LL ’11, BF ’07, FL ’06), retired President and Publisher – Business First Louisville

  • “You reach a point in life where you re-examine your purpose. Is it success that you are seeking (achieving personal goals) or is it significance (helping others)? Encore Louisville enabled me to see that, at my stage in life, it is significance that I seek. Each assignment allows me to use my knowledge and experience to help others, especially those individuals and nonprofits that create “civic equity” in Louisville. Life for me now is about being significant in the lives of others.”
    John Fleming (EL ’15-’20, LL ’95), President, Unique Staffing

  • “As a recently retired person who had been on a number of boards over the years, I wasn’t interested in committing to a lot of new civic engagements. Encore Louisville was the perfect answer to still giving back but within a limited time frame. We have helped a number of non profits with specific problems, while getting to know other interesting, recent retirees–a great win-win.”
    Craig Grant (EL ’15-’18, BF ’97, LL ’91), retired Regional President, Kentucky and Florida, PNC Bank

  • “I was interested in the Encore Louisville program from my very first exposure to the concept. My experiences in its first program year (2015) exceeded my expectations. I have been on a different team for each of the program periods – our projects included a shared service system implementation, a green building demonstration project and a cancer support organization. The time commitment was manageable and not a burden. I signed up for the 2016 program at the first opportunity and am still in the program.”
    Chris Hermann (EL ’15,’16, ’19, ’20, BF ’00, LL ’94), retired, Senior Vice President, LG&E and KU Energy

How individuals benefit

  • Make a serious impact with a limited time commitment – Encore Louisville teams serve as consultants for a 12-14 week engagement with nonprofit organizations in the Louisville region
  • Connect with like-minded senior community leaders
  • Further your leadership legacy by sharing your wisdom and experience with those in need

  • “My Encore Louisville team really helped me think outside of the box and helped me get out of the day to day to look at the path ahead of us. I miss the team already and know they have tremendous impact when they work with nonprofit executives!”
    Patty Dissell, Executive Director, SeniorCare Experts

  • “The Encore Louisville team was made up of experienced individuals that provided concrete action steps that will improve board communications/working relationships and strengthen my skills as a CEO. Nonprofits generally do not have extra dollars for consultative services and the Encore Louisville program allows us access a group of talented professionals to provide services that could not be accessed in any other way.”
    Jackie Ford (BF ’19, LL ’17, FL ’15), CEO, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana

  • “My Encore Louisville team did the unthinkable while accomplishing the undoable. They created direct outcomes forms for the tutoring program. They restructured the finances and created an outline for the 2021 Budget. These individuals are the answers to prayers I never prayed.”
    Da’Marrion Fleming (IL ’19) Executive Director, Sowing Seed with Faith

How the community benefits

  • Nonprofit organizations have a valuable new resource to tap for help with serious organizational and strategic issues
  • The community benefits from the wisdom, expertise, and connections of experienced civic leaders

See the results of previous years’ projects

Time commitment

The program will take place over 12 months, and involve program days in January, April, July, October and January (typically 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Participants self-select to take part in two to four projects over the course of the year. Each of these projects will involve a maximum of 15-20 hours.

Program Calendar for the Class of 2020

PLEASE NOTE: THIS CALENDAR IS LIKELY CHANGING DUE TO COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS. CLASS PARTICIPANTS, WATCH YOUR INBOX FOR UPDATES FROM AARON MILLER.
Thursday, January 9, 2020 (Orientation for new participants from 9-10 a.m., program day from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. concluding in a reception from 3-5 p.m.)
Friday, April 17, 2020, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Tuesday, July 28, 2020, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Tuesday, October 27, 2020, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
January 26 , 2021, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. concluding in a reception from 3-5 p.m.

Program Calendar for the Class of 2021

January 26, 2021, (Orientation for new participants from 9 – 10 a.m., program day from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. concluding in a reception from 3 – 5 p.m.)
Tuesday, April 27, 2021, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Thursday, July 29, 2021, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Friday, October 15, 2021, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. concluding in a reception from 3-5 p.m.

Who should apply

Encore Louisville is for experienced senior community leaders. Admission to the program is competitive. Applicants are typically over 50 and have significant leadership experience, including board and nonprofit involvement throughout their careers. Some are retired or transitioning from their career, but many are still active in their professions or are in consultant roles.

Do I have to be a graduate?

You do not have to be a graduate of a Leadership Louisville Center civic program (Focus Louisville, Leadership Louisville, Ignite Louisville, Bingham Fellows, Encore Louisville) or a Leadership Green Room course to participate in Encore Louisville.  However, those who are not alumni must fulfill additional tuition requirements described below.

Tuition

Encore Louisville was originally designed to serve alumni of our other programs, but we have expanded this definition over the years to be more inclusive of non-graduates. Because Encore Louisville is a professionally managed and facilitated program, there are significant administrative costs, and tuition does not cover the costs to manage this program. Because of this, we do ask for some level of investment in the Leadership Louisville Center as a prerequisite for participation, and we are dependent on additional sponsors and donors to make Encore Louisville possible. Here is the fee structure for the program:

  • Leadership Louisville Center alumni (which includes past participants of Leadership Louisville, Bingham Fellows, Ignite Louisville, Focus Louisville, Encore Louisville, or any of our Leadership Green Room trainings) – Tuition for the 2021 class is $295 (which includes the $175 Encore Louisville fee plus discounted annual membership dues of $120).
  • If you are not an alum:
    • Please apply for Encore Louisville, but upon acceptance, you will be asked to register to participate in Focus Louisville ($600) or one of our Leadership Green Room Courses (prices vary). You can complete the Focus Louisville or Leadership Green Room course anytime in 2020-2021 (various dates are available). If the Focus Louisville or Leadership Green Room tuition is a barrier, support can be requested. Please contact Aimee Jewell (ajewell@leadershiplouisville.org) to discuss which program or course is best for you. Tuition for Encore Louisville will be $295 (which includes the $175 Encore Louisville fee plus discounted annual membership dues of $120).
    • Obtain a recommendation (via this online recommendation form) from a current or past Encore Louisville participant or any member of the Leadership Louisville Center board of directors. With this recommendation, participation in Focus Louisville or a Leadership Green Room course is waived, however, your first year of Encore Louisville will carry a $995 tuition. After your first year, you will be considered a program graduate and can join Encore at the regular rate of $295. You will also earn a credit good for participation in the Focus Louisville program, should you choose to use it sometime during the year, or you may gift it to someone else.

How to apply

Applications for the class of 2022 will be accepted in fall 2021. Considerations are credentials, expertise, and board service. If you are not an alum of one of our community leadership programs or a Green Room course, see the section immediately above for additional requirements.

How nonprofit agencies can get involved

The needs of the nonprofit organizations will be identified through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. We are currently accepting proposals from nonprofit organizations.  Learn more about what’s involved for nonprofit agencies. For more information, contact Jo Lloyd-Triplett or call (502) 561-0458.

Questions

See Frequently Asked Questions about Encore Louisville. For more information, contact Aaron Miller or call (502) 561-0458.